Chickens are my theraphy

[GeraldineDbird]

Sounds like they shouldn't be living in a neighborhood , I'm so sorry

Or maybe it’s us that don’t belong. There are several neighborhoods around me within walking distance that have chickens and their neighbors were ok with chickens. We just got into the wrong neighborhood.

Before we bought our house, our first priority was getting our younger boy who was 12 at the time and get him into a good public school. We got that down. Then our next would be Lot size. We couldn’t afford bigger land so we got lucky and got 9,000sq ft land. We could have never imagine that Chickens would not be allowed where we are or else We probably not bought this house at all. But then again we were lucky that at least the township even allowed us. We were very grateful.

 

[GeraldineDbird]

@GeraldineDbird

I raise Seramas and bantam Silkies. Seramas can be good fliers, but they prefer the ground. A trio of bantam Silkies sounds like a good fit for you. The noise would be minimal (in my opinion). All of my hens are fairly quiet except for their cute little egg songs. And, if you’re hands-on with them from a young age, they’ll likely be very friendly. Both breeds have calm temperaments.

When we lived back in the Bay Area, we tried silkies. I did liked them as well, not as smart as regular chickens, they also didn’t lay as many eggs but they were cute.

 

[GeraldineDbird]

Have you consider button quail? They live indoors and make super cute pets. At least that's what I understand and I'll be getting some soon.

When will you be getting your Button Quails? Are you going to hatch them yourself or are they going to be a few days old? I do hope you’ll get a better experience than I did. Keep me updated and maybe you’ll prove me wrong that they can be tamed and friendly as pets.

 

[TeresaW]

When will you be getting your Button Quails? Are you going to hatch them yourself or are they going to be a few days old? I do hope you’ll get a better experience than I did. Keep me updated and maybe you’ll prove me wrong that they can be tamed and friendly as pets.

I want to hatch my own but am waiting until end of October when I’m not so busy. I wish I knew where to get chicks near me.

 

[TeresaW]

Oooo, I found a place that sells 3-4 week old button quail chicks. I'll go ahead and get a few from them and when they're old enough I can hatch some of their eggs.

It's either that or wait several weeks and I don't want to wait. I wonder why I didn't find their site already? Any way, it's bryantsroost.com and they're in TN.

 

[WoDia]

When we lived back in the Bay Area, we tried silkies. I did liked them as well, not as smart as regular chickens, they also didn’t lay as many eggs but they were cute.

If bantam Silkies are out of the question, you should still try a bantam breed for the smaller space.

I also have King (Button) quail… like you were previously discussing. They’re flighty… but really sweet to watch. Occasionally, I’ve had 1 that actually becomes quite attached. When that happens, it’s rare and special. I’ve raised them for 20+ years, and I’ve had hens want to brood only a handful of times. Here are the chicks from my last hatch this year (hatched by my Micro-class Serama).

 

[franciemayhem]

Yes. I can do that. I actually am going to start seeing one tomorrow. We’ll see how it goes.

best of luck to you. you deserve to be able to keep your chickens!

 

[CrystalsChicks101]

Hello fellow chicken owners. I live in The Woodlands, Texas. I recently acquired a permit and was able to get approved for 3 hens. Initially the township sent out letters to our neighbors 100 feet from us. All of them was against it but we were still approved under the condition that if anyone of them complained and the township looked into it and decides if its a reasonable complaint, that we will have to get rid of the chickens.
My husband and I started raising 3 chicks and they have started laying eggs when the township called us and told us that our neighbor in the back of us complained about the chicken noises which doesn’t happen a lot, only when they want to lay eggs. That we have to move the chicken away from that side of the yard. We talked to one of out neighbor to the side of us about it and they let us moved our chickens there. But now my chickens are confined to a small space and not very happy about it and so am I. So I had to make the toughest decision and decided that I can’t be selfish. If my chickens can’t roam around my backyard, then it’s not a life for them to be in. I had to give up my chickens. Now I’m left with sadness and sorrow. I miss them so much. They have been my therapy. Since I have several health issues and I can no longer do my regular house chores. My dear husband got me chickens. He helped me get a permit. He even showed up to the town meeting sick with a flu. He bought me a chicken coop( expensive one called Omelet). He even added sound barrier around it. We put their food out in the morning and take it back inside our house in a bin for the night so we wouldn’t attract rats or other animals. The chickens have an automatic door that closes at night. We made sure that our chickens will not be a nuisance to all our neighbors. We cleaned it every other day, when they roam around our back yard, we pick up their poop after them - a lot of work since chickens poop every minute. But we were happy to do it.

My husband haven’t taken down the coop. So its hard to keep seeing it there. But it only happened 3 days ago. My question is - has anyone fought to keep their chickens for the sake of therapy? How can I win this case? How can I fight to keep 3 hens in my yard? My chickens did help me not feel hopeless and useless. They really made me feel happy and I was able to not get depressed.

Can someone help me out? I’m willing to start over again and I still do have the permit.

Have you talked to your neighbor about what you just wrote in that article? If they can't comply or are still going to be themselves a nuisance about you having 3 hens, what kind of person would deny someone else's happiness and joy maybe because they have none themselves so they try to take it away from you. I know all about therapy and chickens, after going through a horrible horrible marriage, I have a rooster thats blind and he doesn't do much at all except comfort me and I used to have 25 chickens, I want their own unique personality and attitude just like a person so I know all about it but if your neighbor can't get past the little bit of noise they make once a day when they lay an egg my God what a horrible person that is, maybe they're the ones that need therapy.

 

[TeresaW]

When will you be getting your Button Quails? Are you going to hatch them yourself or are they going to be a few days old? I do hope you’ll get a better experience than I did. Keep me updated and maybe you’ll prove me wrong that they can be tamed and friendly as pets.

I did get some in early September. Then I bought and hatched some eggs in mid November and those are just starting to lay eggs themselves.

I have 32 in total. I love them, but they are flighty and don’t want to be picked up. They will eat out of my hand and some I can pet, but I don’t think they will ever want to be cuddled.

I would call them tame but not friendly. I understand now that it’s rare to have one that likes to snuggle with you. Maybe some day.

The best part for me besides watching them is calling back and forth with them. I had to relearn how to whistle and then learn to whistle their calls. It’s so much fun even hubby is doing it. Multiple times a day we’re whistling back at the birds and they’re answering.

 

[aliris]

I think you're going to have to work it out with the mean-neighbors in person. Sorry, shouldn't call them that, can't go into negotiations negatively. At least the City is being very reasonable, I wonder if maybe they could help negotiate. Ask them if there is a way you could work together so all would be happy, a corner of the yard that could work for them, certain hours ,a phone number for them to call and complain to you 24/7, eggs perhaps? Ask them how you might get to yes, clarify how much you like the neighborhood, and them as neighbors, even, or would like to. Ask them how it might be able to accommodate the permit you do have, with their own needs?