April 12,2011
We are Legal!
Just got back from the town Planning Committee meeting and they have granted our request to keep our backyard chickens!
Posted our story earlier this week in this section as "school Science project" and outlined the approach of going to Planning for a variance rather than a rezoning or Temporary Use and tonight we made our presentation.
Our 12 year old daughter took the lead on the basis she was thinking of raising chickens as a school project and she did admirably!
Using her own words, and oversized index cards with her notes, she talked about the 100 mile diet, sustainability as well as the cool pets chickens could be and I worked the powerpoint for her.
Our neighbour provided a note with his consent and no objections
The committee members asked a few questions about how many chickens she wanted (4 to 6), and noted that a few of them knew about "outlaw chickens" in the town and they also appreciated the fact we came in the front door so to speak.
So they did set a few conditions;
Coop and run to be kept neat and tidy - (of course!, what kind of responsible BYCer would let their pets down?)
Coop to be moveable and not permanent structure - ( whew, saves me from digging in concrete posts up on blocks instead)
no roosters! ( - I did not want to wake up earlier anyways!)
they want a report about our project at end of season to help them when considering other applications
So off we go to the hardwarestore to get the rest of the lumber to finish the coop!
Thanks to all for the forum pointers (whether they know or not!) as we relied heavily on info we gleaned here for our presentation!
G & L
March 27,2011
Well it looks like the adventure into chickens begins today!
The youngest daughter is looking for an interesting topic for her school science fair....
Baking soda volcano nah, been done,
solar system on a hanger, too easy,
Dad?what does sustainability mean? ( where the heck she learn that word?)
Dad? what is a 100 mile diet? (I don't know... closest Mc D's)
Can we put a small garden in? wouldn't it be neat ( yeah neat!) to get a (key word here - "a" as in one) chicken?
so as any good parent, Dad indulges her (much to the amusement of Mother).
As all you faithful BYC'ers know - if you do chickens don't do it halfway!
As any Dad knows - you can't just let the kid do "all" the project by herself - come on now!
so our collaboration begins Dad doing research Kid bribing mother and sisters with pouts and assurances that it will be OK!
First hit on internet BYC! excellent ideas if I have ( er I mean if kid) has any questions pop it in search and 99% of time it has been asked with many great answers.
So off we go - no chickens yet but planning underway wait til snow goes ( yes snow in Canada imagine that!)
measure out yard we can get a 6by4 coop with 15 by 6 run in yard along with 3 or 4 raised beds for garden ( wait where did the garden come from?)
6by 4 for "A" chicken? ( Dad reads too - try 4) (kid reads too try 6)
Well does bylaws in town permit it? We think so but next month appearance in front of planning officials for approval. it is only a science project afterall what town turns down students?
Chicks, pullets ? how soon can you get eggs - after all that is point of "science experiment" - eggs!
little girl kicks in - pout - "chicks would be sooooo cuuute!"
( remember no actual animals yet and already negotiating 3 pullets and 3 chicks!)
Dad bringing out inner carpenter digging out hammer and drill and skil saw grunt grunt aka Tim the tool man!
gotta draw up plans! So research looking at coops, roosts, external vs internal nest boxes, hardware cloth, we don' have hawks here but mean bad- a** racoons!, ventilation, heat for winter, baby sitters for vacations etc etc etc !
Man! I am in an egg deficit here paying off sitters, co-workers planning council members with eggs I don't even have yet!
Remember no chickens yet!
So off we go into the adventure that is Backyard Chickens! wish us luck!
(Kid better get an A plus in the course!!!) and I hope she does not take "Chicken Math" because from what I read most of you BYC'ers fail miserably!!!
will look to keep you all up on the School Science Fair project
As decisions made and should we have success at Planning committe first then i will figure out how to update you with notes pics and report card results!