I have been half holding my breath since I brought my girls home a week ago Monday. It's legal to have chickens in the city limits here but I suspect it isn't common knowledge and as far as I know, there aren't a lot of people do it. My neighborhood has a lot of empty nesters and retirees and they are pretty picky about things. I wasn't sure what kind of reaction I'd get, though I was pretty sure I'd get one.
Several days ago, my neighbor that lives katty-corner from me popped over to see if he thought he saw what he saw. "Oh! That's what that is. I didn't know what that thing (my tractor) was for, if you was growin something or what." It turns out that he had wanted chickens himself, but his mom discouraged him from having them in town, so he didn't get them. I don't know when that was, but I'll be forty before the summer's out and he's older than me, but that's between them, lol. He told me I could come over and pick some of his raspberries (he has a magnificent vegetable garden) and that I could cut a starter from his plants. So that went extremely well.
What I was really waiting for, though, were the two little old ladies that walk their little dogs every evening. I know one of them is somewhat pugnacious. So the other night, I was out there when they came by and she demands to know why I have chickens. I innocently replied that I had heard that they laid eggs. Then she announces to me (somewhat belligerently) that you can't have chickens in town. I told her that, actually, you could. I'd had my mom check with the animal control guys at work and I had downloaded the city codes to make sure. Then she wanted to know how many I had and I asked her why she wanted to know and asked if they were bothering her. Eventually, not only did she back down, she actually warmed up. I guess she used to keep chickens herself because people would dump off the baby chicks they'd gotten their kids for Easter on her. She said she'd ended up supplying that whole neighborhood with eggs. Then she asked me what color eggs they laid and when I said brown, she said those were the best. When they moved on we were on pleasant terms (Thank God!).
So today, I was outside getting the girls settled in for the night and she asked me how many eggs I was getting and I told her one a day so far. She said if it got to where I had more eggs than I could use, to sell my extras to her! I told her I would.
She actually kind of reminds me of my grandma that I lost in 1999 and I miss very much, so I have a soft spot for that kind of person. If they don't like you, you're in trouble, but if they decide they do like you, you've got the fiercest ally you could ever ask for.
I am so pleasantly surprised and relieved. I hope I will get similar reactions from my other neighbors because I am really loving having chickens so far. When I here from Glenn, the neighborhood general, I will like I have heard from on high. He hasn't called me or "happened" to be at the mailbox at the same time as me, so I'm guessing whatever his opinion is (and possibly the rest of the opinions are) it's not urgent.
So far, so good!
Several days ago, my neighbor that lives katty-corner from me popped over to see if he thought he saw what he saw. "Oh! That's what that is. I didn't know what that thing (my tractor) was for, if you was growin something or what." It turns out that he had wanted chickens himself, but his mom discouraged him from having them in town, so he didn't get them. I don't know when that was, but I'll be forty before the summer's out and he's older than me, but that's between them, lol. He told me I could come over and pick some of his raspberries (he has a magnificent vegetable garden) and that I could cut a starter from his plants. So that went extremely well.
What I was really waiting for, though, were the two little old ladies that walk their little dogs every evening. I know one of them is somewhat pugnacious. So the other night, I was out there when they came by and she demands to know why I have chickens. I innocently replied that I had heard that they laid eggs. Then she announces to me (somewhat belligerently) that you can't have chickens in town. I told her that, actually, you could. I'd had my mom check with the animal control guys at work and I had downloaded the city codes to make sure. Then she wanted to know how many I had and I asked her why she wanted to know and asked if they were bothering her. Eventually, not only did she back down, she actually warmed up. I guess she used to keep chickens herself because people would dump off the baby chicks they'd gotten their kids for Easter on her. She said she'd ended up supplying that whole neighborhood with eggs. Then she asked me what color eggs they laid and when I said brown, she said those were the best. When they moved on we were on pleasant terms (Thank God!).
So today, I was outside getting the girls settled in for the night and she asked me how many eggs I was getting and I told her one a day so far. She said if it got to where I had more eggs than I could use, to sell my extras to her! I told her I would.
She actually kind of reminds me of my grandma that I lost in 1999 and I miss very much, so I have a soft spot for that kind of person. If they don't like you, you're in trouble, but if they decide they do like you, you've got the fiercest ally you could ever ask for.
I am so pleasantly surprised and relieved. I hope I will get similar reactions from my other neighbors because I am really loving having chickens so far. When I here from Glenn, the neighborhood general, I will like I have heard from on high. He hasn't called me or "happened" to be at the mailbox at the same time as me, so I'm guessing whatever his opinion is (and possibly the rest of the opinions are) it's not urgent.
So far, so good!
