- Jun 6, 2010
- 20
- 3
- 82
Hey Folks,
I am new to the forum and to raising poultry in general, so first of all I would like to thank you all for being so helpful. It's nice to see people with a common interest be able to talk. I live in a mostly urban area in New England. It is considered suburban, not many multi-families around where i am but the houses were at one time considered cottages as we are a stones throw from the water. When I was a boy there were several farms in the area, and we frequently heard roosters. The farms are all gone, replaced by new houses (I preferred the farms). I have read up on zoning laws where I am and am building a coop with respect to those (in my opinion) idiotic laws.
Our City is broken up into districts that each have an Alderman or Alderwoman. I have never had much use for them, but I suppose they are well intended (at least towards the people that keep them in office). My Alderwoman in particular is vehemently opposed to keeping chickens in CT (where I am). Our city passed a zoning law allowing for six hens on a property as long as the coop was clean, well maintained, and a certain distance from the lot line (which in my opinion is what any intelligent person would do). Of the many Aldermen and women she was the only vote against allowing any of this. I have already butted heads with her over minor issues like crosswalks (which we need), etc. Needless to say our family name is not on her fan list.
I am writing this because I want to change the law to allow for a rooster. When I think long term, part of the enjoyment of keeping hens would be to improve upon the breed through selective breeding. Not to mention the fact that I think my hens should be allowed to brood at least once. If I let them brood towards the end of their laying cycle it would save me the (admittedly minor, but every penny counts these days!) cost of buying chicks and brooding them. Not to mention the bonus of having an actual hen brood those chicks rather than a heat bulb.
I live in close proximity to a major road, a small airport, and several loud neighbors. I can hear their phone conversations. Teenagers in our area frequently drive by with stereos blasting loud enough to vibrate my windows. The argument that roosters are loud just doesn't cut it with me. There are lots of things that are loud around here. A rooster crowing would in my opinion be the least annoying and most natural of all of them.
In your opinion, should I write my Alderwoman? Should I write the more sympathetic Aldermen (they are not in my neighborhood, but have helped refer me to zoning laws that have to do with poultry in the past)? Should I draft a letter directly to the Mayor? Another option is smuggling in a rooster when i want to hatch a batch of chicks but I am not sure if that is even reasonable. How would I get the breed I want? Do places offer Rooster 'stud' service?
One of my goals in life is to be as largely self reliant as possible. I would love to change some of these laws to allow 'city folk' to exercise their right to homestead. A lot of people tell me to leave the city (and maybe one day i will...), but I don't see the need if my goals are to feed my family.
Any advice you good folks could give me would help out. Thanks in advance.
-D
I am new to the forum and to raising poultry in general, so first of all I would like to thank you all for being so helpful. It's nice to see people with a common interest be able to talk. I live in a mostly urban area in New England. It is considered suburban, not many multi-families around where i am but the houses were at one time considered cottages as we are a stones throw from the water. When I was a boy there were several farms in the area, and we frequently heard roosters. The farms are all gone, replaced by new houses (I preferred the farms). I have read up on zoning laws where I am and am building a coop with respect to those (in my opinion) idiotic laws.
Our City is broken up into districts that each have an Alderman or Alderwoman. I have never had much use for them, but I suppose they are well intended (at least towards the people that keep them in office). My Alderwoman in particular is vehemently opposed to keeping chickens in CT (where I am). Our city passed a zoning law allowing for six hens on a property as long as the coop was clean, well maintained, and a certain distance from the lot line (which in my opinion is what any intelligent person would do). Of the many Aldermen and women she was the only vote against allowing any of this. I have already butted heads with her over minor issues like crosswalks (which we need), etc. Needless to say our family name is not on her fan list.
I am writing this because I want to change the law to allow for a rooster. When I think long term, part of the enjoyment of keeping hens would be to improve upon the breed through selective breeding. Not to mention the fact that I think my hens should be allowed to brood at least once. If I let them brood towards the end of their laying cycle it would save me the (admittedly minor, but every penny counts these days!) cost of buying chicks and brooding them. Not to mention the bonus of having an actual hen brood those chicks rather than a heat bulb.
I live in close proximity to a major road, a small airport, and several loud neighbors. I can hear their phone conversations. Teenagers in our area frequently drive by with stereos blasting loud enough to vibrate my windows. The argument that roosters are loud just doesn't cut it with me. There are lots of things that are loud around here. A rooster crowing would in my opinion be the least annoying and most natural of all of them.
In your opinion, should I write my Alderwoman? Should I write the more sympathetic Aldermen (they are not in my neighborhood, but have helped refer me to zoning laws that have to do with poultry in the past)? Should I draft a letter directly to the Mayor? Another option is smuggling in a rooster when i want to hatch a batch of chicks but I am not sure if that is even reasonable. How would I get the breed I want? Do places offer Rooster 'stud' service?
One of my goals in life is to be as largely self reliant as possible. I would love to change some of these laws to allow 'city folk' to exercise their right to homestead. A lot of people tell me to leave the city (and maybe one day i will...), but I don't see the need if my goals are to feed my family.
Any advice you good folks could give me would help out. Thanks in advance.
-D
