All I want is 1 rooster, and I have 6 acres so how do I get that?

[ElCerritoPlace]

We are allowed 2 animal units here, or 26 chickens. It used to be we were allowed roosters last summer but our nosey neighbor had that changed. Another neighbor picked up 26 + chickens from TSC. Let the roosters mature to 7-8 months and then the other neighbor had the ordinance changed, so the roosters went, but we had to get rid of our single quiet rooster who at 7 months still had not crowed...can you tell I'm bitter?

But now that neighbor is gone. We live in the poorest county in the state, and yes sections of this township are adjacent to lakes and are lake homes for the city people. But the area where we live is permanent homes, seasonal hunting camps or 4wheeler camps. All I want is one rooster to get fertile eggs so I can maintain an egg laying flock.

I would imagine that trying to get things changed for a rooster are different then trying to get hens. But maybe not. Any ideas or thoughts, I'm just starting to look into this. I looked at some of the sticky threads but most seemed to pertain to hens.

Thanks!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I don;t see how a single person can get an ordinance changed? Did you not contest the change? Or was there no notice? Are you certain that it was changed?

 

[chfite]

I have learned that the only way to know what the ordinance or law says is to read the actual material. Relying upon others, even office personnel, can be sadly misleading. Get a copy of the law and see for yourself.

Chris

 

[ElCerritoPlace]

I have learned that the only way to know what the ordinance or law says is to read the actual material. Relying upon others, even office personnel, can be sadly misleading. Get a copy of the law and see for yourself.

Chris

Thanks Chris, I looked it up when we first moved here, last year. there was nothing about roosters in the ordinance now there is. I was also told by our neighbor that we are not allowed to free range, but can find that nowhere in the ordinance, so yes it is good to verify things. I didn't know if there is some way to get an exception or something. An elderly couple who lives about 1/4 mile from us has a bantam rooster with her bantam flock. But nobody has ever complained about it to her. She still has it and didn't even know about the change. I can hear him crow when I go out to feed my chickens in the morning, not that it bothers me but yet the unfairness of it does. We are all in the same township, all in the same zoning. And 30 minutes from the nearest town to get groceries.

No we were never notified about any vote for the change or anything like that, and not too active in the township since we had just moved and were trying to get the flock started and garden going. Our noisy neighbor was on the town board so he was up to speed on things, but mentioned nothing until he came by to count our chickens and ask about roosters, after the change.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
If they had the rooster before there was an ordinance forbidding them, then they are protected by grandfathering. Since you did not have a rooster before the change, you aren't. Now, most states require proper notice before changes to ordinances are made. No, they do not have to go out of the way to inform those who will be affected, but they must publish notice in a public place such as their website, a bulletin board, a newspaper listing, etc. Your neighbor coming to count your chickens and ask about roosters is an invasion of your privacy. Without a warrant, he had no business doing that. Now if they are visible from public property, sure, he could stop along the road and count what he can see, but coming onto your property and asking questions is over the line.

 

[ElCerritoPlace]

If they had the rooster before there was an ordinance forbidding them, then they are protected by grandfathering. Since you did not have a rooster before the change, you aren't. Now, most states require proper notice before changes to ordinances are made. No, they do not have to go out of the way to inform those who will be affected, but they must publish notice in a public place such as their website, a bulletin board, a newspaper listing, etc. Your neighbor coming to count your chickens and ask about roosters is an invasion of your privacy. Without a warrant, he had no business doing that. Now if they are visible from public property, sure, he could stop along the road and count what he can see, but coming onto your property and asking questions is over the line.

We had a rooster but butchered him because we didn't know you could be grandfathered in. We had him for 7 months, and one before that which crowed too much for my husbands liking. Our neighbor said the rooster had to go. I understand its an invasion of privacy, thats what irritates me, but at the same point I don't know how to inform my neighbor of that? My husband often tells me I need to be softer with my words, so more often then not I bite my tongue to keep from sounding.....rude.
To be honest this is the first house we've owned, we've always rented, due to school and jobs (living out of state and hoping to find something back closer to grandparents).

So since we had a rooster before, could we get another?