Chicken owners in Houston or Austin, Texas?

[Sally_O]

Howdy, we are moving to either Austin or Houston, depending on schools. I'd love to have advice from anyone in those cities who are raising chickens for eggs. No rooster (too many years in Key West, FL...), just quiet hens. Would like them to free range on my yard, that would be ideal.

I've read the Houston ordinance about 100' from any neighboring property. Is that still in effect? Is it enforced that you know of? That would seem to prevent free ranging.... Also, I think we'll be just outside Houston, in Katy or thereabouts.

Have not checked Austin laws yet.

Any advice or direction would be very helpful - thank you.

Sally

 

[Mark & Nique]

Howdy!

Here's a link: http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/thecodeofthecityofaustintexas?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:austin_tx$anc=

Happy reading!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Generally (not always--check the exact ordinances and zoning) coops and pens must be a certain distance from a neighbor's property or house (seems to be about 50/50 of references to the property versus the dwelling). However most do not specify that the birds cannot free range within your yard. Some disallow coops or runs in the front yard. Virtually all disallow them being at-large (ranging off your property, onto property owned by others or public property.

 

[AtHomeDaddy]

Howdy.

I live in Austin. The rules in Austin include a 50' distance from your coop to your neighbor's houses (not the property line) and there is a specific rule about animals that make loud, long noises that offend the neighbors - evidently aimed at roos. Then there are the usual codes about cleanliness and keeping the birds in humane conditions. I have heard that there is a rule about how many chickens you can have, but when I reviewed the city ordinances, I did not find that rule.

But all of the city rules can be overruled by individual neighborhoods if there is an Home Owner's Association. HOAs can have covenants that restrict chickens. Most HOAs around here seem to just ban them outright. AND the city of Austin rules do not apply in the surrounding towns. Most of them have more restrictive ordinances or ban chickens.

Find a house in the city, that is not in an HOA and you are golden. That has worked very well for me.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

I am north of Houston, we're good. I buy Quail eggs from a guy in Katy, by Katy Mills. He has Chickens, Rabbits and Quail and several Dogs. He is on about 2 acres.

If you are going there, watch out for the Commute, everyone compains about it.

 

[Sharylva]

I live in Central Texas in the hill country, an other chicken owners in this area?

 

[NickyPick]

I'm in Cypress - NW side of Houston. I'll be getting my first chicks in 13 days. We live outside of Houston city limits, so there are no restrictions and my subdivision only disallows swine. The fellow behind me has peacocks, which are LOUD, so I don't see that my chickens will be of any offence to the neighbors!

 

[cesstable]

I'm in Pinehurst Texas which is about 40 miles North of down town Houston. No restrictions here in my subdivision. I have several Roos who crow and so do others in the neighborhood. No problems and no complaints.

 

[BooBear]

I'm in Conroe which is north of Houston. My neighborhood only restricts pigs n goats. Folks still get goats from time to time (they help clear out brush so their owners don't have to work as hard at it). And we do have wild hogs that run about from time to time. Alot of my neighbors have some variation of game fowl and some just regular ol' chickens. Lots of fat hawks unfortunately as our area is like an all you can eat buffet to them.

I think Houston you can have around 4 hens. I am not up on the ordinances as I do not live in Houston.

 

[cesstable]

We have trouble in Pinehurst, Texas with the chicken hawks (red tailed hawks) too. Also constantly watching for signs of possum and coon. I've had whole flocks butchered in one fell swoop!