animal control came and said to get rid of my chickens!

[bodacia26]

Could you point out the similarities between exotic birds (parrots, cockatoos, macaws) that are allowed and chickens? And the obvious benefits of having chickens over those other birds?

I figure that noise and smell are the two biggest concerns for city councils. Show why this isn't even an issue. Point out the difficult economic times and how more and more people are trying to cut food cost AND 'reduce their carbon footprint' by growing their own food in their backyards.

You're in a pretty heavily democratic area of the state, so stressing the whole 'green' aspect of the thing might be your best shot.

 

[Msbear]

I call my chickens "ornamental game fowl" They are shown and bred for standards. I've never had any problems but the city has to go by the rules so see if there is a way to side step them. It sounds like there might be considering they'll let you keep the ducks. So absurd.

I've heard stories where people were allowed to keep "poultry" but that the animal control guy said chickens were not considered "poultry"

They just have a job and if you can point them in a different direction, they will happily go there.

 

[pascopol]

b.hromada :

This afternoon the animal control officer came by and said someone complained about my having chickens!!

He said that he couldn't say a thing about the ducks, but the chickens have to go.

????

Ducks are OK but chickens have to go?

I would ask this a..hole and the city officials, to show me a law in the books allowing ducks but banning chickens.

LOL​

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Whaaaaat ???!!!

I would tell this moron that if chickens are not poultry according to him , he is not human according to me.

 

[Donnadzitall]

I know it sounds ridiculous but could you claim that it is a financial hardship if you have to go buy eggs? Or go with the going green thing like someone else suggested? Small business income perhaps? I dunno...it seems a shame they can pull that on you. I would definitely be pulling the city ordinances and seeing what they really say. Perhaps personally ask the mayor? (rattling my brain for ya)

 

[b.hromada]

Quote:
thats it exactly!! They don't smell, at least not bad enough for anyone other than myself to smell. They are cleaned up after all the time, and beside no one can see them either, UNLESS, you walk up to the fence and peek through!

I agree too, the whole "green thing" is very important. I keep my babies not only for eggs, but THEY ARE my pets, as I'm sure you know that. I will keep you up to date, if anything changes.

 

[b.hromada]

Quote:
thats what hubby and I said, city counsel and the mayor, if it really comes to that.

 

[Gonzo the Great]

I have been away from this site for almost six months due to an overzealous neighbor who has a mad dog (gee, does anyone else have a similar story????) I talked with this so-called neighbor, she KNEW I had chickens, and her dog was going nuts over hearing the clucking and such. It didn't help that some of my chicks turned into roosters!!! Next thing I get is an HOA letter stating livestock is not allowed.

Sooo...fast forward three weeks ago: someone was looking for a coop and I offered mine. He emailed me the trashcan stealth coop and now my hopes are rekindled. I am thinking of making the changes: 1) Ensure the chicks are sexed. Only get a few instead of 10!!! 2) Get a stealth coop properly built and AWAY from the nutty neighbor with the lab that wants a free chicken snack, 3) put up a ton of wind chimes mask the clucking.

Maybe I need to breed a chicken with a cactus so the dog won't be interested. Where are my geneticist friends!?!

 

[mainchick]

i have an angry cranky crabby awful unhappy neighbor too! Animal control has been to my house before too!
I figure that my chickens (which are bantams) don't make anymore noise or mess than a full sized parrot (think macaw) . I know of many people that put parrots on their back porches and they make a lot of racket! Really, what is the diference?

 

[b.hromada]

actually there is a BIG difference, Macaws make much more noise then your chickens or mine, put together!

And this stupid thing with my ducks. Hubby keeps telling me that they can't tell us we have to get rid of them, because ducks are wild animals, and they go where ever they want. Again I'll state, but Pekin ducks are not wild, they have been bred for meat, and of course pets, like mine. Now I ask you, whats the difference? If they want to talk about mess, the ducks are far messier than the chickens will ever be, right?