Arizona Chickens

[AZKat]

The 'fight' in Mesa seems to be over. In the end, it wasn't much of a fight, really. Word got out that it was in the proposed changes to the City Code, a lot of people wrote, called and emailed, and it got taken out of the proposed changes really fast. No one seems to know why it was put in there to start with or who wanted it put in either. Amazing how that works.

In any case, Mesa allows 10 birds on the first half acre or less, with 10 more allowed for each half acre after that, with no restrictions on number after 2 1/2 acres, and has no plans to change that.

The other codes you can find online, off the top of my head, Phoenix doesn't have a limit on the number of birds and allows roosters, Tempe only allows four hens, no roosters.

One thing that you will need to look out for as you are looking for a house is HoAs. A lot of newer houses and neighborhoods have them, and the covenants usually don't allow chickens, even if the city that they are in does.

That said, right now is a great time to buy a house, houses are cheaper here than they have been in over a decade, and you should be able to find something very nice for under 100K.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Yes Mesa allows 10 chickens and you can have roosters. The roosters can only crow from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. as long as they dont crow longer than 15 min.

Mine comes in the house until about 8 a.m. then he goes out.

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[happi752]

I live in the middle of the desert just outside of Casa Grande. We have to haul water so misters are not an option for us. We have lots of shade for them by way of covering large sections of their pens with 70% shade cloth. We have long shallow plastic tubs we bought for 6 bucks at big lots and we keep them filled with water. On the really hot days, the chickens will go stand in that water and wet themselves to keep cool. We have not lost any birds due to heat issues this way.

 

[Enjaytoo]

Well I for one am glad to hear the battle in Mesa is over, thats great news!

Katie, good luck on the job interview....being from the Twin Cities originally, I know how difficult a move can be (but this weather can't be beat

One thing I might add is that whatever area you look at, check (and double check) the HOA laws if any...I was disturbed to discover they "overrule" the City code (after I measured my coops/pens about 80 feet/built them etc etc).

ChrystalGail, thank you, I need good egg vibes...I'm wondering if they are eating them? I had other types of birds do that but I always found alot of evidence so I doubt it; I just dont know whats up with my girls..(Oh, and I'm not an only child but thats the one breed/pattern I soooo desire too

)

Sock Puppet, I saw an ad around the 25th-26 on CL for Seramas...Also saw them at Pratts too.. I'm making my bi-monthly stop there next week and can check for you..

Enjaytoo, oh wait, thats me....Good job on the mass quantities of cull lumber you found at HD tonight

 

[Tonopah Pati]

Good Morning Arizona. I picked up the playhouse yesterday. It was worth the 4 hour round trip. The house is in great shape. It has shutters that work, a half door, a table that folds up or down. I can get inside of it. It was in the shade so it is not sun faded at all. I will give it a good scrubbing today. I'm not sure it will fit through the pen gate. I guess I need to measure everything. I may have to put it together inside the pen.
I want to get started now. Can't hardly wait until it gets light enough outside to see what I am doing.

I just looked at the temp. I have 56. Oh Boy, cooler weather. I am so ready.

I am so happy for the folks in Mesa that the fight is over. For myself I would not buy where there was an HOA. I just can't pay to have someone tell me what I can or cannot do on my own property, or my house. But then that is just me. No slam to the folks that live with HOA.

Good Luck Katie!

 

[LarryPQ]

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AZKAT- are you sure? Because I found TOTALLY different info on the city of Phoenix ordinance website (see page 149 for my frustration)

PHX allows 20 "poultry" or 25 "poultry" +"rodents" TOTAL per 1/2 acre. NO ROOSTERS at all: or more specifically, no male birds which have the vocal capability to make noise. I spoke to the city and they said the noise ordinance trumps all other rules.

Now-obviously tons of people have roosters....but could someone PLEASE find me a COP worker who can explain this?

 

[Sock Puppet]

Thank you, I would appreciate that.

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[AZKat]

I was working from memory, and it seems that my memory was wrong. Here is the code in its entirety.

Sec. 8-7. Poultry and rodents.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this article, it is hereby declared to be a nuisance and it shall be unlawful for any person to keep rodents or poultry within the City. No poultry or rodents shall be kept in an enclosure within eighty feet of any residence within the City. Poultry may be kept within eighty feet of a residence if written permission consenting to the keeping of poultry less than eighty feet from a residence is first obtained from each lawful occupant and each lawful owner of such residence. Poultry shall not be kept in the front yard area of any lot or parcel within the City. Poultry and rodents shall be kept in an enclosure so constructed as to prevent such poultry and rodents from wandering upon property belonging to others.

(b) No more than twenty head of poultry nor more than twenty-five head of rodents nor more than twenty-five head comprising a combination of rodents and poultry shall be kept upon the first one-half acre or less. An additional one-half acre shall be required for each additional twenty head of poultry or for each additional twenty-five head of rodents or for each additional twenty-five head comprising a combination of poultry and rodents. For areas larger than two and one-half acres the number of poultry or rodents shall not be limited.

(c) No male poultry shall be kept within the City limits except such male poultry as are incapable of making vocal noises which disturb the peace, comfort or health of any person residing within the City.

(d) All such enclosures shall be kept in such condition that no offensive, disagreeable or noxious smell or odor shall arise therefrom to the injury, annoyance or inconvenience of any inhabitant of the neighborhood thereof.

(Code 1962, § 8-8; Ord. No. G-1207, § 1; Ord. No. G-1367, § 1)

Regarding roosters, I think that you can argue that the relevant word here is distub. I'd take that to mean that if no one complains about the noise that your rooster makes, that it isn't a problem.​

 

[LarryPQ]

AZKAT-

the best part of all that ordinance is that "POULTRY" is never defined by the city code, nor is the word "CHICKEN" in there anywhere.

The dictionary may consider chickens poultry, but saying the city does would be a big assumption, since:

The city does NOT consider chickens animals.
The city does NOT consider chickens livestock.
The city does NOT define poultry.
The city DOES define almost every other animal-related aspect.
The city does NOT have any regulations regarding the culling or breeding of poulty. But it does with livestock....

and my list of complaints goes on.

 

[rufus]

Enjaytoo, be very careful. My brother was run out of Awatukee for raising quail. The home owners' association was horrible. They kept him in court until he finally moved to Strawberry.

He sold his house in Awatukee and made enough out of the deal to pay for the place in Strawberry.

I might live in the barrio, but at least nobody hassles me about my chickens.

Rufus