Animal Control visited me today, of all days!

Post Compilation:

First post: "So, some of you may not know that I am disabled. I have a form of autonomic dysfunction that keeps me pretty much homebound and impacts everything that I do.

Today, the animal control officer visited my backyard. He said that I was in compliance with all current ordinances, but let me know that it is pretty much a done deal that the city council will be voting to limit chickens to 4. The situation has upset me, and unfortunately my tenuous physical balance enough that I won't be able to go to the meeting and speak to the issue.

Update to what I was just posting: I just found out that it is a neighbor who used to be a friendly neighbor who complained. (She didn't know that I was back at my house after being away for a few years due to my disability) She is afraid that my chickens will bring racoons out of the hills to eat the coi from her coi ponds. (Here is a thought, I wonder if she has more than 4 coi????). If Racoons do come out of the hills, who is to say that it is the chickens bringing them, and not the feral kittens everywhere, or the cat food that someone (possibly her) is feeding to them in the alley.

Why do her rights to keep coi trump my right to keep my (at this point legal) chickens. But the council is finding every reason in the book to do this. I keep getting suppose this, suppose that. Suppose your chickens get out and cause an accident. Suppose a neighborhood dog attacks your chickens... Who is liable. Suppose a level 3 sex offender wants his right to be anonymous. What do these suppositions have to do with the situation as it is right now. 10 of us known to have chickens in the entire town. Probably another 10-15 keeping them underground.

Anyway. I wish that I could make it to the meeting, and once there have the where with all to say these things. But now I am just simply too sick to do it. hit So I will likely lose my chickens. Well most of them anyway.

Second Post: After a few nights of chicken TV, maybe it will make them laugh the grump right out of them.... I do think she felt a little bit bad when she found out it was me and not some nameless faceless new neighbor. Funny thing is that I have been there for about 2 years now... And it is the chickens that are responsible for getting me out of the house and happy enough that the neighbors are noticing that someone is actually living there again.

I can't stop crying now. Partly because I don't want to lose my chickens. Partly because I know if I am limited to 4 hens only I will go back to being useless and unhappy again. Flock management things are what has made the difference. Not a few hens, not eggs. People just don't understand how that symbiosis of you and the flock puts meaning into your life. And it becomes a spiritual thing. I have never felt closer to my higher power (as I understand that to mean) than I do now. But if you try to explain that to people while you are fighting city hall, it sounds like an excuse to get your way. Many of you chicken people know what I mean though.

Third Post: Meeting is in 2 hours. I just don't think there is time. And I don't know how to organize myself to do it all.

Just ranting on like this works because nobody is interrupting me. My focus goes as soon as I have to interact. It is hard to explain, but it is sort of like ADHD for me. Any distraction and I simply shut down.

Fourth post: Can somebody get Andy to email me so I can just respond and don't have to try to figure out how to get in touch with him please. I know it doesn't make sense, but I can't make decisions well now. Even deciding which buttons to hit on an unfamiliar site are hard for me when I am like I am right now.

Silly I know. But I feel comfortable with you all because I know that you feel for me. When I travel away from this site, by stress level makes it impossible for me to think straight. That sounds lame! I can't explain it.

Fifth Post: Unfortunately. They are. And using my brain is the problem when I am like this. But I know what you mean. I know in a couple of days I will be able to get my body to calm down, and will be able to at least talk to someone about it. Maybe I will steer them to this topic. I have said a lot of things that I will forget by then.

It is sort of like trying to find something in pea soup. I know if was right there and I know it made sense. But now it is out of site and I can't remember what it was.... But it was a really good point. (That is how my brain works a lot of the time.) And the harder I try to find it in my head, the more upset I get. And eventually I am just too tired to keep trying.

That's how I feel right now. I don't want to give up. I know it is my survival on a lot of levels, but it is hard to keep going when you can't even say what it is that is important. Where is the mind meld when you need it, HUH???

Sixth post: I just wanted to come back and let all know that I am doing fine. I guess you all know why it is not a good idea for me to have gone to the meeting tonight besides the physical reasons. I need an edit button that somebody can push when I am upset. I am like one giant hormonal reaction. Another unfortunate part of the whole autonomic nervous system disorder thing is hormones and adrenaline that just can't seem to find a place to vent out. So they tend to spew out like a volcano at whomever is close.

Anyway. Sorry for the emotional outburst. And Thanks for trying to assist. It is really quite embarrassing.

I am going to come back to this and record all of your ideas and helpful advise tomorrow. The sun will come up and it will be a much nicer day to today, I am sure.
 
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Thank you. Yes, that is a very good idea. When I am relaxed and my head is lower than my heart so that oxygen can get to my brain, I am fairly lucid and can write with some clarity (if not conciseness). I have 2 months to get this together, and see my doctor next week.
It is likely that I will not win, but I figure it is at least worth a try.

I know at some point, somebody with some money behind them will start challenging the various cities across the US who have made the rules more strict for chickens than for other animals and pets. It will be interesting to see what will happen when that begins. I am really surprised it isn't already in the news.

Here is what I think towns and cities ought to do:
They should limit the total weight of all animals. ie: limit to 200-300 lbs of animal companions per 5000 sq. ft of property.. That would fairly limit the amount of feces that is deposited on the property.
Enforce noise ordinances evenly and fairly. If a dog is barking address it. If a rooster is crowing....., etc.

City councils are not supposed to have the power to limit individual rights in this way. They are simply in place to address health and safety and nuicance issues; as well as city betterment like bringing in emplyment and beautification. It was explained to me by a lawyer friend, but I can't remember all that was said.

Thanks for the post compilation. That will help me quite a bit.
 
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Hey there schellie!
welcome-byc.gif
Where abouts do you live?

Well, they have made it 8 hens only. No males of any kind. They relaxed some rules on the distance from the fence line and from the neighbors. So I have to cut my flock by 2/3 and get rid of my very responsible and quiet roo. My neighbors are now able to get chickens if they like, because it used to be that you pretty much had to have a corner lot or double lot.... And they you still not qualify. So some people won, some lost.... I mostly lost. But I am going to try to appeal to their humanity and will also enlist the help of neighbors who like my chickens. I have till December 31st to make changes.

I live in Kansas, I hope things work out for you, I would hate to lose my chickens, I can watch them for hours and having to feed them clean their pen and roost make me work, even when my body hates me and does not want to, if you want you can pm I would love to just chat, since with both use are chickens as therapy.
 
Disabled huh?
I hope I dont offend anyone but heres something you might try....
You need to find a doctor that is willing to state that your flock is therapeutic and necessary to your continued well being. They will shut up real quick then! There is always an angle, you just gotta find it!
 
Okay, either you are, or are not legal. If you are, chances are that a change to code will grandfather you in. Depending on hte laws in your state, that may simply mean that they cannot make you get rid of the current birds you have, but that you cannot replace them, or it could mean that you or even your property are forever protected and allowed the number that is currently legal.

If you are not legal, and acquired chickens anyways, ...

An emotional support animal is protected in some, but not all circumstances. You can do some online research to see if your situation fits or not.

City council rights are exactly that--setting ordinances and regulations so that people can live in close proximity to each other in relative harmony: so that one person's joy that is someone else's nuisance are balanced. Needless to say, it is not always balanced, but that is the goal. People have been disagreeing on the exact scope of each level of government for hundreds of years.
 

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