Anyone in the JAX FL area? What areas can you keep roosters?

[CreveChris]

Long story short, we have a job offer in Jacksonville FL and are in town checking out the area. We currently have 24 chickens, 1 being a rooster and we're considering raising some chicks in the future, maybe eventually getting into breeding purebred Ameraucanas or heritage BRs or maybe just stick to replenishing our own flock of hatchery stock with our own mixes.

Reading local ordinances, JAX area allows 5 hens, no roosters and an additional 5 hens for every additional half acre. What areas are close to the middle- west part of Jacksonville that would allow for our little poultry farmette? Or we need at least 3 acres in town and would still have to get rid of our roo.

Anyone here with chicken experiences in the area?

If travel/commuting is an option, St. Augustine is pretty awesome. Half of our family is from Jacksonville and we moved to St. Augustine for the old Florida charm. We live on the intracoastal and it's very laid back. Across the marsh is a huge & fancy HOA, but our acreage is zoned rural/homestead with no restrictions. And it's on the water. Maybe it's too far, but South St. Augustine is booming and also still rural-ish.

 

[Ascholten]

you'll want to stay out of the main thorough fare of St. Augustine, too artsy fartsy and prices and snobbish for a chicken person, however there are plenty of places, off the main drag, as Chris mentioned that are perfect for what you need / want. Being on the water IS a perk especially if you like fishing, however check insurance prices, and how bad of a flood area you are in where you intend to move to.

I really hate to say this, it actually makes me sick to my stomach but, look VERY carefully where you intend to move. Older neighborhoods might be better. I watched my area of town go from rural laid back, to Fkn warehouses and subdivisions being thrown up all over the place.

Along with the new neighborhoods come the HOA nazi's and them wanting YOU to abide by THEIR rules and such. Hi, my name is KAREN, we just moved in and I noticed that Your rooster makes noise, well I lived here 40 years, you lived here 4 weeks so go take a flying leap. Oh and the warehouses, lets not forget the lines of semi's now from UPS and Amazon as you sit for 10 minutes waiting your turn to get to the traffic light behind 40 of them. You might also want to take note of train crossings, and how often the train comes through and how long those $^%$'s will sit there and block traffic. CSX is in this town and don't give a rats ass about clogging up an intersection sometimes for an hour or so with a train across it.
I love my house, but if I known what I do now about these things, Id have moved somewhere else. Jax is a decent area, well North Florida in general, but need to learn the lay of your lad if you intend to stay down here, so you know what you are getting into long term.

Aaron

 

[2ndTink]

you'll want to stay out of the main thorough fare of St. Augustine, too artsy fartsy and prices and snobbish for a chicken person, however there are plenty of places, off the main drag, as Chris mentioned that are perfect for what you need / want. Being on the water IS a perk especially if you like fishing, however check insurance prices, and how bad of a flood area you are in where you intend to move to.

I really hate to say this, it actually makes me sick to my stomach but, look VERY carefully where you intend to move. Older neighborhoods might be better. I watched my area of town go from rural laid back, to Fkn warehouses and subdivisions being thrown up all over the place.

Along with the new neighborhoods come the HOA nazi's and them wanting YOU to abide by THEIR rules and such. Hi, my name is KAREN, we just moved in and I noticed that Your rooster makes noise, well I lived here 40 years, you lived here 4 weeks so go take a flying leap. Oh and the warehouses, lets not forget the lines of semi's now from UPS and Amazon as you sit for 10 minutes waiting your turn to get to the traffic light behind 40 of them. You might also want to take note of train crossings, and how often the train comes through and how long those $^%$'s will sit there and block traffic. CSX is in this town and don't give a rats ass about clogging up an intersection sometimes for an hour or so with a train across it.
I love my house, but if I known what I do now about these things, Id have moved somewhere else. Jax is a decent area, well North Florida in general, but need to learn the lay of your lad if you intend to stay down here, so you know what you are getting into long term.

Aaron

I have snappy little EE named Karen, maybe I could true her loose on any HOA Karen's that come by hadn't thought of all the distribution popping up. We did notice some nice older neighborhoods, definitely want to stay away from flooding. We had wanted to drive through St Augustine but didn't make it, hopefully we can on our next trip there.

 

[Brooks_]

We had wanted to drive through St Augustine but didn't make it, hopefully we can on our next trip there.

To look at property? If so, by all means, otherwise skip it. You'll have plenty of time after the move to check everything from Jax Beach to Daytona easily. If just for a break, yeah drive down A1A and see what you see. Good luck with your move and new position(s).

 

[Ascholten]

The A1A drive can be tedious on a weekend, you always get the bologna wagon morons, just like US1 heading down the keys, but if you do it early enough, some awesome scenery, guana park, especially for fishing and stuff too check out the piers. St. Augustine has all the tourist, attractions etc, and again if you an do it during a week day you will probably enjoy the tours more because fewer people all vying for the attention of the tour guide. Or better yet, make some friends once you move in and they can spend the day showing you around
Psstt... Fresh Eggs are a GREAT convo starter and Segway to a long friendship

Aaron

 

[2ndTink]

So... maybe an even more important question, are there fireflies there? those things just fascinate me since I first saw them a few years back!

 

[Brooks_]

So... maybe an even more important question, are there fireflies there? those things just fascinate me since I first saw them a few years back!

Can't say for that area. When I was a kid, they were abundant in Alachua county, I think the mosquito trucks killed almost all of them. Over the last few years, I've seen a handful. One just the other night.

 

[Ascholten]

I have to say the same, when I was a kid we'd run all over at night catching them and puttig them in 'lanterns' and carrying them around. Now, I barely see any.

I also have to say the Robin Red Breast I have thought was about gone too, but since I moved here, we get a TON Of them every winter - spring hanging around. Nice to see them again, reminds me of better times when I was very young and the world wasn't such a s41t heap.

Aaron

 

[Brooks_]

we'd run all over at night catching them and puttig them in 'lanterns' and carrying them around.

Good times! How far was I allowed to go? A couple neighborhoods over. How far did I go? As far as I could pedal.

 

[Ascholten]

We'd just run around in the backyards, when it was dark out no more really going far places, you stayed within a 3 or 4 house radius unless something was going on and you had permission to be further, elsewise it's an ass paddlin when you got back, and the bugs let loose to teach you a lesson. At that age, THAT was a travesty

Aaron