Are backyard chicken pets the same as Agricultural Poultry?

[Elphaba2140]

Hello 6Chickens-Saw your post and thought I'd say Hi! We live in Naperville.. not too far from you. I am glad that everything worked out for you. I had a question about this guy if you know the answer or not. Why, if he lives several blocks away from you does he have his panties in a wad? Is it because it is so close to the school? Just wondering.

 

[Danaus29]

To me it's not worth the fight and the risk of losing my birds. I have over an acre just up the road a piece. All I need to keep them there legally is a variance for the stage of development in the "platted subdivision". They would have more room and I could run an electric fence around the property to keep the wandering neighbors off. I wanted to move them anyway, just not quite yet. The other place is a mess, broken glass everywhere, sick and dying trees, trees too close to the house, house needs major repairs, etc. We have made a lot of progress since we bought it in '07 but it's just not ready. I'll have to put up a small pen to start and expand as clean-up permits.

BTW, I have been told by everyone from attorneys, to the board of revision, to the appeals dept, and the Ohio Farm Bureau that the state of Ohio considers 1 bird to be agriculture. The gentleman at the Farm Bureau said things will be changing to allow backyard poultry on small lots but that change will take time.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

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Well hello to Naperville from St Charles! Do you have a photo of your coop? I'm still trying to finish mine and I need ideas that work in this area

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To answer your question, the gossipping guy has a next-door-neighbor who has been visiting me and talking about getting chickens to go with their new garden. He has told that neighbor many times that he doesnt want them to have chickens. My property is on the same street as the public school, close to the local shopping and library and bank, there's a lot of traffic here. Many people stop to visit the chickens, so it is pretty well known that chickens live here. This is the ONLY person who ever gave our chickens the stink-eye

Why are "his panties are in a wad" ? Your guess is as good as mine, I'll never understand why some people get so busy telling others what they can do, and where. I told him he sounds like he's bullying somebody who's different than him, by slandering my family in a public place. I have asked the school principal to help this guy do his political rant somewhere else, not in the schoolyard and certainly not directed at my ten year old who is NOT keeping chickens illegally, even though this guy kept repeating "It is illegal" at my son. Thats slander (he's misinforming people, and his statements are untrue); its inappropriate to do that to kids in gradeschool, on the place where they need to feel safe and protected to get their education.

Its even a little funny, with all his wasted energy being spent on "the chickens in somebody else's backyard", I mean , really its almost ridiculous. This guy is the PTO vice president. Perhaps he views his position as some authority to speak out against others on school property? Isn't using one's position of authority to slander and gossip about someone who's different a form of bullying? I wish he'd spend more of his energy on the needs of the kids in school, maybe even the programs meant to prevent bullying.

 

[Elphaba2140]

We are in the middle of building the coop (Hubby is still designing it in the computer). He used to be a carpenter so this should go fairly fast. This is our first adventure with chickens and so the little ones are still in the brooder. Hope to have most of it done this weekend (well that is my time frame not my husbands!) lol. I will post pictures as we get going. We have used several different ideas and put them together. The plan is to have the main coop under the back of the house (we have a little overhang) and then have a movable wire A-frame yard to move them around the yard to graze. So it is half coop half tractor. We shall see how it goes as we start building this week.
You are right that man does sound a bit like a bully. I guess I would just turn a deaf ear to his vocal rantings and then vote him out next time the elections come around. Sorry that the children need to hear this. If that is all he has to worry about then it is just sad. I know in just the few weeks I have had these little guys how much pleasure they have given all of us, and I can't wait for the eggs to start coming to get the food benefits from them.

 

[chickenx2]

If you had had chickens for 2 years before the law was made, you should be able to legally keep them.
It was the same in our town; chickens were completely legal, no limits whatsoever, then all of a sudden they're not legal at all. But now out city has passed a law that permits 50 chickens to every acre.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

6chickens in St. Charles :

....I have asked the school principal to help this guy do his political rant somewhere else, not in the schoolyard and certainly not directed at my ten year old who is NOT keeping chickens illegally, even though this guy kept repeating "It is illegal" at my son. Thats slander (he's misinforming people, and his statements are untrue); its inappropriate to do that to kids in gradeschool, on the place where they need to feel safe and protected to get their education.

Its even a little funny, with all his wasted energy being spent on "the chickens in somebody else's backyard", I mean , really its almost ridiculous. This guy is the PTO vice president. Perhaps he views his position as some authority to speak out against others on school property? Isn't using one's position of authority to slander and gossip about someone who's different a form of bullying? I wish he'd spend more of his energy on the needs of the kids in school, maybe even the programs meant to prevent bullying.

In absolutely NO WAY should he be confronting your son! Quite frankly I would demand that his presence on school property be limited to areas that do NOT include your children--more or less a restraining order. And if the school won't give you that, go to the police/courts. What he did was a form of assault.

If he has a complaint about your chickens, or about the restrictions of the law (as in wanting them to take into account ALL chickens), he should take it to the proper authorities, using the proper procedures.​

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

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Agreed. The guy was just being inappropriate. I can't wait for this to blow over. I'm ready to be done with it, I hope he can behave appropriately around the kids. That's what I'm praying for.

My coop is coming along, it took us 2 years already to decide our best design based on what hasnt worked yet. I will try to post pictures on our BYC page, but I need the 7th grader to help me get the pics from the phone to the computer. He's my tech help. The coop we're using is a shed, and we insulated it over the winter for warmth, protection and TO KEEP OUR ROOSTER FROM WAKING THE NEIGHBORS at the wrong hours. Now, I want to build the interior so I can walk into the shed, with the birds elevated at waist level so I don't have to bend (I can't bend very well), and a darling little staircase for them to exit their elevated door down into their run. I want it to look charming, finished and pretty. And the birds seem to love architectural structures, like windows, doorways and stairs. They're adorable.

I installed black netting on the inside of our picket fence to keep the birds from "excavating" the sidewalk. I think it looks nice. Their run is green coated poultry wire bent in a "U" over flexible PVC, but I need to create an attractive doorway to that which will allow me (not bent over) to get in and manage the run space as needed.

I'm with you about all the pleasure these birds bring, what a surprise that has been. And our vet called yesterday with very good news, NO PARASITES, NO DISEASES, all labs clear! So I ate 3 eggs this morning. Our spoilt birds wander the yard eating anything they desire (dirty worms, slugs, small birds, chipmunks, crayons, matchbox cars etc) so I had them checked.

 

[Elphaba2140]

Went to your page. Cute pictures. I still need to work on my page-i.e. I have not even made one yet. LOL. That is a good place to post images for others to see (like the coop). I will have to remember that when we get ours done.
It took 2 years to decide on a design??? My husband was upset because it took me 2 weeks!

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

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Oh yes it has taken 2 years to undo and redo. And say "wow. that didn't work so good."

But every time we try again we feel better. And the chickens seem to really love changes in architecture. They are so adorable.