Amish Country and no chickens? What the... updates!

[LovinMyPeeps]

So, I live in Amish Country... and by Amish Country I mean I cannot drive down any given road without passing an Amish farm, buggy or saw mill. I was approached by civil enforcement today about the fact that I had chickens... all this while there was a horse and buggy tied up out in front of the town hall. "You're not supposed to have chickens in town" he tells me. Apparently some ticked off tax payer that doesn't even live near me stormed in to argue about her taxes and saw my chickens so she threw me under the bus (can't wait to find out who it is...

) There are amish ALL over town. I have a small backyard flock (mostly banties and 3 big girls, BR and 1 Chanty) 9 total in a completely renovated shed that I keep immaculate. My kids are spoiled rotten, purely organic, eat right out of your hands, so I ask you...

What argument can I make that may justify to them my keeping my chickens which are for my private use and frankly I consider pets as I can handle any one of them? Is there an online site where I can demonstrate if they can be kept in NYC then surely 9 chickens on 1/4 acre lot is reasonable? My neighbors love them, even handle them and look out for the coop.... I do NOT want to lose my kids.... I will rehome my rooster if I have to... even though he's not terribly noisy.

So mad I could spit... Nice when there is a leash law and pit bulls are allowed to run free and bark until all hours, but my little chicks are some kind of threat... spare me.

 

[Emzyyy]

People make me mad, they can't keep in their own d***** buisness ever! Have everyone sign a petition. I'm sure the Amish would by happy to sign it.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Maybe no puppy mills where you are, but if so, what are these people doing going after your chickens?????

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

oooh we have puppy mills the county edict seems to be "a pitbull on every corner" and yet someone trying to produce their own organic foods...

 

[robbdebbie]

I would start with your city council memeber. Get letters from your neighbors taking up for you. Good luck.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Well, first of all, find out if they are or are not disallowed.

It certainly doesn't sound very well cited. Reference to the specific ordinance should have been given. If there are that many Amish living there, I would say it is highly likely that chickens are allowed. It simply might have been someone thinking them inappropriate, which they are certainly allowed to think, but it doesn't mean you have to abide by their opinion. Once you know for a fact that they are or are not legal, and exactly what the ordinance states we may be able to offer some better insight into keeping your girls.

 

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
I agree that you should be allowed to keep your chickens. However, why do Pit Bulls have to be brought into every conversation in a negative way? I have 2 of them, and believe me it's not the breed, it's the people that own them and don't know how to be the alpha dog in their pack...

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Agreed, you've got to do your homework.

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Let me reiterate that I do not in any way have a problem with pitbulls, they're actually fabulous family dogs, they're just over breeding them here to the point they are inbred and unhealthy. Every other house seems to have them for sale because "they're cool" not because of the beauty and grace of the dogs themselves... the owners seem to think it makes them (not the dogs) look "tough". Wrong reason to own ANY dog IMHO.
So back to the chickens, I am headed to the county seat tomorrow to get a "hard copy" of our town ordinances. It is my undersanding that if a town doesnt file at the county seat the ordinance is not valid. I was not officially "cited" nothing on paper, so I'll take it one step at a time.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Any update?