chicken citation :(

[Jaybr]

I'm no lawyer and don't mean to sound negative, but when I read this:

(19) "Poultry" means all kinds of poultry and includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, guineas, geese, pigeons raised as domesticated food birds, quail, and other domesticated food birds.


Based on the position of the commas what it says to me is that chickens, turkeys, ducks, guineas, geese, or quail are clearly defined as poultry.

And pigeons that are raised as domesticated food birds would also fall under this definition of poultry.


I think if you had pigeons you where keeping as pets you'd be ok, not chickens.

 

[MissPrissy]

It is time to work toward a change in your town ordinances.

Contact seachick and look on google for the Chicken Underground movement.

 

[flakey chick]

Since they are using Florida law for their definition of poultry, you should check with other cities in Florida that do allow chickens as pets, but not for food. That could support your case. The bad news if you eat your hens eggs that may be considered for food.

 

[Davaroo]

Do you remember M.C. Hammer and his catchy phrase, "It's Hammer time...?" Well, here it comes.

Im no lawyer, either, but I also agree that your case sounds weak.
You're standing before the bar on your intent for the birds. ANd intent is a large part of the law. But that isn't how I read the statute:

"Poultry" means all kinds of poultry and includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, guineas, geese, pigeons raised as domesticated food birds, quail, and other domesticated food birds.

The statute doesn't address intent for the birds, at all; it defines outlawed birds by using the widely held classification as domesticated food birds. Before it even gets to that, though, it clearly states, '"Poultry" means all kinds of poultry, and...'
Chickens is poultry in my neck of the woods. Ergo, yours fall into the prohibited class.

However, I'm on your side and do admire the underdog. Nothing was ever done without fanatic devotion, after all. You of all people know that lawyers have finagled, er... manipulated, er... worked within the system to achieve sometimes astonishing results.

You could win a landmark case, and set the benchmark for us all. I hope so. The Chicken Underground? Whod've thunk it?? Can you spell, P-A-L-A-D-I-N?...

 

[conny63malies]

What i love is the word live stock. Isnt it a animal aised on a farm with the purpose of eating it , or something like that?
Dumb question, rabbits are raised for meat, some farms have rabbits have by the hundreds.Yet people in the city are allowed to have them . A bit of a oximoron. I think the whole no chicken thing is a big "birdflu scare" Next thing you know they ban tomatoes, ice cream and spinach because of salmonella. All three caused outbreaks some even with deadly consequenses.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Jster...I'm in Gainesville and inside the city limits you are allowed to have a small number of hens...2 or 3, I think...and no roos. Outside of the city limits there is no limit.

I didn't think there was a more eclectic county/city than ours!! I'm also surprised they haven't found a way to tax you for the number of chickens that you have.

I know someone on this forum who lives in Downtown Gainesville. She said they're allowed 2-3 and they have 11!

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
I bet a lot of people would gladly pay some chicken taxes if it ment that you can legally can keep chicken.

 

[EweSheep]

Pet chickens are very much like pet rabbits....rabbits for agriculture use (meat and pelt) and rabbits for pets. Chickens do apply there as well....see parrots, macaws and city pigeons....we see them as pets and have no intention of eating them.

Good luck!

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
see what i said. But i dont seea city take away a bunny from a three year old . Like its our fault that chickens have the added benefit of laying eggs

 

[Jster]

Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement.

Jaybr, you're right about the raised as applying to pigeons, it was just when I revisted the statute after getting the citation that I got that confused. It's more the "food birds" part that I think should exclude pet chickens.

elderoo, it is a long shot, I know. Thanks for the encouragement.

I vacilate between feeling hopeless and overwhelmed and just feeling out of place in the world. I'm kind of sick of "civilization" which is, truly, anything but civilized. Well, our lease is up in September, if worse comes to worse maybe we can find a temporary home for the girls until we can move into a more chicken friendly place. I'm definitely hoping so. But it makes me suuuuper sad to think of not having the chickens, and I know my kids would be devastated. The whole neighborhood of kids would be devastated.

I'll update you more on stratagy when I get a little more clarity, in the meantime, encouragement and suggestions are greatly appreciated!