Are quail considered pets or poultry?

[easterchickenz]

Does anyone have any ideas on if it is legal to own Button Quail or Coturnix Quail inside city limits of Saint Joseph, MO? I know one of my neighbors across the street USE to have about 4-5 chickens in their backyard but since then they have moved. I don't know if the city told them to remove them or else face consequences but I don't really want to go that route! I would like to own them as legally as possible! Would they be considered pets if they are tame, wild animals since most people assume Quail are wildlife, or considered poultry fowl? I am really looking for a way to legally own some Quail in the city (5-10 tops of 15 at a time). I would see about housing them in the garage but we really don't have room for cages plus air ventilation is not good enough in there and inside the house..well we have indoor cats and I don't think the family would appreciate the feather dust and mess in the house.. Back in the old days I use to have lots of pet chickens (outdoors of course) back when we lived on the farm but now that we live in city limits which it seems much more tight as far as rules go. Once a bird person always a bird person! I am a bird person for LIFE! I love birds and have done without for four years! I am having bird withdrawals! I miss the farm fresh eggs and having the feathered friends around. Any excuse for it to be legal would be great!

 

[nchls school]

Your best bet is to check you city ordinances. I do believe that you won't find any law against quail as most people consider them pets; especially button quail. Most ordinances on birds have to do with smells and sounds that neighbors would find intrusive. Quail are fairly quiet birds and I doubt there would be complaints.

 

[easterchickenz]

Ya that's what I am thinking! I really wanted to have a couple chickens but my family thinks they will be too noisy which they have a point some of our hens at our farm house would make a bunch of racket after they would lay an egg, well that's not to mention the roosters! Ya I hear people on youtube talking about how they keep quail in their garage but I really don't think that will "fly" with my family or in the house for that matter! I wonder if we slip our neighbor some eggs if they would be cool with it? They already know I am one of them Aggie type of people, they know I use to live on a farm and I am sure they could put two and two together and figure out that I would gladly go back to it in a heartbeat given the opportunity but right now I have an outdoor rabbit for the most part (except lately she has been caged indoors since she chewed herself out of her wood home outdoors, literally there's a good 6"+ hole in her cage from where she chewed through it) and I also have LOTS of gardening plants of all different kinds and they don't seem to mind or I haven't heard any complaints from them yet, perhaps they wouldn't care if I added some quail to the mix?! I am thinking if I plan my garden just right we won't have to worry about the smell right? I mean we have had zero complaints from the rabbit compost on the garden. So surly quail wouldn't be that much worse! Rabbit pee I know gets pretty offensive as far as odor goes if it isn't kept under control (but I keep it clean) so surly we can handle a little bird dung too!
I found the Saint Joseph Animal Rules and it says "Sec. 5-63. Manner of keeping fowl. It shall be unlawful for any person to pen fowl upon any premises within 100 feet of any building or structure of any kind occupied by human inhabitants." I think we might make the 100 feet away from our neighbors from against our house except for the neighbor that is directly to our side (we live on the corner so I don't know if we can technically count the road as part of the 100 feet away from the other neighbors or not). Which I don't think the neighbor on our side closest to us would have a problem since they seem to like our bunny that we have on our porch (well their toddler seems to think the bunny is the best thing ever and they haven't complained of any smell or anything and we compost her droppings on the garden). So would quail be considered fowl since they are a type of bird? They don't come right out and say quail in the listing of fowl (chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, turkeys,etc). I wonder if I could pull the "it's for health reasons card?" I keep my rabbit boxes clean so there's no offensive odors.. According to http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/5-health-benefits-of-quail-eggs Quail eggs are good at removing heavy metals from your body, and taking toxins out of your blood. They also rid your body of liver stones, bladder stones and kidney stones" and they also say that "consistent consumption can help us have a stronger immune system." Honestly I think that could be what we are missing in our diet lately.. We truly have been having a lot more health problems recently than we ever have before. Also I wonder if it could help my kitty that has had a past of bladder troubles? If it is truly any fowl what keeps people from having them indoors, say a parakeet, macaw, parrot, or dove? If it is a completely full time all the time indoor bird why should they have any say what we can and can't own.. I mean it isn't not like it is gonna bother the neighbors?

Here is a link to the rule book, what do you think?
http://www.stjoemo.info/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/52

 

[AlHawk]

Looks to me that you can't keep chickens or quail no matter if you call them pets or not within 100' of a house. If you have nice sized yards then 100' is not that far.

 

[easterchickenz]

Ya I was afraid of that.. Ok so should I be asking it more like.. Does anyone know anybody in/around the Saint Joesph, MO area that would let me rent land to keep animals on for a realistic amount of money? A lot of the land ads that I have seen are for crazy amounts of money (priced to sell, I am a responsible online college student that wants to be able to have my own farm animals again, and yes I do have a job..). If so what kind of animals are they okay with (it would be for my 4-H and FFA projects)? I really want animals SO bad! I am willing to rent land from someone providing they are nearby and aren't asking 100s of dollars per month (for a little bit of land)! Any help would be great! Thanks!

 

[easterchickenz]

AlHawk I wouldn't call our yard necessarily big but it isn't real tiny like some of the houses in town. According to Google Maps we have about 100 feet between two of our neighbors (one counting the street as part of the 100 feet) but our other neighbor to our other side is probably I want to say 60-75 feet away (that is on Google Maps but they are higher up on the hill so it is not like the waste would have the potential of making its way onto their property) from where I want to put the coop.. I don't know that they would necessarily notice the coop unless they were really trying to since our porch would be in line sight of it from their house. I know further up the road someone has or had a pasture fenced in with horses every once and awhile they drive their trailers by our house on their way to the highway (not sure if they are still there or not, I haven't seen them lately but it also contains a bunch of trees beside the road blocking the view)..

 

[easterchickenz]

The 100 feet is like from our house to the neighbors house so that would mean the coop would have to be directly up against our house to be 100 feet away from at least two of our neighbors.

 

[MeepBeep]

Ya I was afraid of that.. Ok so should I be asking it more like.. Does anyone know anybody in/around the Saint Joesph, MO area that would let me rent land to keep animals on for a realistic amount of money?

Check with local farmers and the owners of land that is rented out for tilling in your area, if you are only talking about keeping quail or chickens you might be able to borrow a small corner of land that the farmer can't easily plow, or the area around a tree line or other obstacle that the farmer can't plow... Or call up the realtors of vacant lots and land for sale and see if they put you in contact with the owners...

 

[easterchickenz]

Thanks MeepBeep! Those are some great ideas!! I will look into that!