Backyard Chickens: A Neighborhood Conversation

[GoMommaGo]

I live in Boulder, CO, where it is perfectly legal to keep backyard hens (no roosters). I recently posted a query on my neighborhood bulletin board to see if there were any other chicken owners in the 'hood who might want to do a bulk chick/organic feed order. Little did I know I would set off a firestorm!

OK....firestorm might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it did spark a lengthy conversation on the topic that I thought you all might enjoy:

Backyard Chickens: A Neighborhood Conversation

 

[vermontgal]

(deleted)

 

[andehens]

from California!

Wow, there is one in every group isn't there? I'm unaware of back yard flocks being banned in California! I did enjoy it, Thanks!

 

[Irajoe]

Quite a lively exchange...completely enjoyed the link. Thanks for sharing it.

 

[swampwander]

One of *THOSE* neighbors. Well, here's a short list of chicken regs in Cali. So, he's full of it.:

American Canyon, CA. Must keep your chicken coop in the back yard, and 50 ft. away from other houses or dwellings where people reside.
Anaheim, CA. Can keep 3 chickens on a 5,000 sq.ft. lot, 6 chickens on a 10,000 sq.ft. lot.
Bakersfield, CA. Municipal code 6.08.010: Any chickens must be "kept securely enclosed in a yard or pen at all times."
Berkely, CA. Chickens must be kept penned and 30 ft. away from any bedrooms.
Campbell, CA. Not more than six animals in all, including hares, rabbits, guinea pigs, feline, bovine, sheep, goat, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, doves, pigeons, game birds, or other fowl or any combination thereof.
Davis, CA. A total of not more than six chicken hens and you have to keep them penned no less than 40 ft. from neighboring houses.
Downey, CA. Up to five chickens allowed per lot.
El Cajon, CA. See: http://qcode.us/codes/elcajon/view.php?topic=6-6_04&frames=on. . . It's confusing to me.
Folsom, CA. Not more than any combination of two chickens, ducks, pigeons and rabbits shall be kept within any zoning district of the city other than agricultural or agricultural combining districts; and said animals shall be kept or maintained at least twenty feet from any property line.
Imperial Beach, CA. The municipal code says no, but a feed store estimates around 500 chickens are kept as pets.
Irvine, CA. Two chickens max. allowed, kept in a sanitary, odor free enclosure.
La Puente, CA. Up to 20 chickens allowed for each ten thousand sq. feet of lot area in residential zones.
Lafayette, CA. Residents can keep approximately 4 chickens.
Long Beach, CA. Homeowners are allowed up to 20 hens. No roosters. Must be 20 feet from a dwelling and confined.
Los Angeles, CA. Unlimited. Chickens may not be within 20 feet of owner's residence, and must be at least 35 feet from any other dwelling.
Mission Viejo, CA. You are allowed up to two chickens, and roosters are not allowed. But city code 9.59.115-1 says no chickens allowed.
Mountain View, CA. Up to 4 hens without a permit. Keep 25 ft. from residences. Within 25 ft. is o.k. with written consent from residences. No roosters.
Oakland, CA. Keep chicken enclosed, & 20 ft. from any dwelling, church or school.
Petaluma, CA. Up to twenty animals of mixed combination. Chickens must be kept five feet from a neighbor’s fence or property line, and they must be kept 20 ft. from neighboring dwellings.
Redwood City, CA. Maximum of 3 chickens permitted, no roosters over 4 months of age.
Roseville, CA. Maximum 10 chickens kept 20 ft. from any property line &/or building. They don't delineate hens or roosters.
Santa Rosa, CA. Up to 25. May have 25 chickens per 20,000 square feet. No chickens in residential areas zoned R1, R2 or PRC.
Sacramento, CA. Except for a few areas specifically spelled out in code, keeping chickens is not allowed in Sacramento.
Sacramento County, CA. As long as your yard is 10,000 square feet or more, you can keep chickens.
San Jose, CA. 1-4 chickens must be kept 15 feet from neighboring structures. 4-6 chickens must be kept 20 feet away. A permit is required if you keep more than 6 chickens. In any area zoned ‘residential,’ only hens are permitted; no roosters.
San Diego, CA. Currently undergoing debates in the city council, trying to get chickens to be legal in this city.
San Francisco, CA. Up to four chickens allowed. Up to four small animals total. Keep 20 feet from doors or windows in a coop or enclosure of approved type.
Temple City, CA. Basically it allows two hens per property, but no roosters.
Vallejo, CA. You are allowed to keep up to 25 chickens if they are kept 15 ft. from neighboring dwellings. Roosters are allowed but subject to noise nuisance violations.
Woodland, CA. It is OK to keep up to 6 hens provided they are kept over 40 ft. from neighboring residences.

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

I recently spoke to a Colorado Department of Agriculture Veterinarian who increased my concerns. Did you know that all backyard chicken coops were banned in California because of the threat they created to the commercial poultry industry in that state? The experts there felt that the lack of regulation of backyard coops was the reason a poultry disease was spread throughout the state

While reading the link this one line stuck out like a sore thumb....
So are they saying the 'commercial poultry industry' is thinking back yard chickens will shut them down????? Obviously if there is concern from the commercial industry, it is a possiblity...Which ISN'T A BAD THING....IT'S A GOOD THING (as Martha Stewart would say). Obviously if they are felling threatened by backy yard chickens there is something wrong with the 'industry' and what they are doing. Maybe if the birds/eggs were better they wouldn't be threatened. Maybe if the lifespan of those birds weren't shortened by horrible living they wouldn't be threatened. Obviously there is something wrong with the picture...Maybe the 'industry's' need a wake up call and need to realize how horrible their birds are kept. And how much more enjoyable 'backyard' chickens are. both in the yard and on the table....
I say bring on the back yard chickens...(and roosters). I know some might not agree with the rooster thing, but I live way out in the country and I still have to listen to the dogs up the road bark all hours of the DAY AND NIGHT....let them listen to my rooster CROW......(it's not a problem here I can have roosters too, just saying for the ones who have to listen to dogs barkings, cars racing up and down the road, loud music at wee hours, children screaming, households hollering, whatever it may be---if you are subject to listening to that, then let them hear your rooster...) Ok maybe I better stop before I get this into more than it is....


Oh and by the way....Very nicely handled to the original poster...I don't think I would of had the patients after awhile...
Shawna

 

[andehens]

Run a Muck, I agree with what you say about bringing on the chickens, but this guy made it up about California poultry being banned, to my knowledge there is no movement to ban California poultry keeping by anybody, commercial interests or otherwise!

 

[CityClucks]

Great job gomommago! You handled that with grace. Wow...some people.

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

Quote:
yeah I didn't really think what he said about CA true. Specially with the post just above mine showing all the places where birds are allowed.... lol

 

[Wifezilla]

That's what you get for living in the "People's Republic of Boulder"