Chickens in Portage, Indiana?

[bco101]

Hello, Im new here to BYC, but I have a question to anyone living in the Northwest Indiana region. I simply cannot find any information about the law on raising chickens in my town. I've have looked on every website that is applicible, tried the Portage, Indiana website, looked up zoning laws, etc. I have spoken to the neighbors, who said they have raised chickens in the past, and they have said that there is a grandfather clause in Portage. I have my heart set on having chickens for the next year for so many reasons, and I would be heartbroken if it was unlawful. I'd figure out a way to have them anyway, but I don't want to have to run into any problems. My house is very close to one neighbor, but there is a privace fence in between. How do other people who live in areas that don't allow chickens "hide them?" Im super stumped!!!! Any help is so appreciated!!!
Thanks!

 

[jerryb]

I would try calling the animal control people and ask them. They would be the ones most likely to get a complaint.

as far as taking a don't ask, don't tell approach then simply build a chicken tractor and get some hens. if you have a fenced yard I doubt anyone will know as long as you keep thing cleaned up.

good luck
Jerry

 

[allpeepedout]

error duplicate post

 

[allpeepedout]

Just this week, Bloomington IN changed their ordinances to expand urban flocks. Formerly, you had to have neighbor permission and $25 annual permit / inspection. Now, just do it. This change in Bloomington might help you lobby your new city for permission, and provide them with a copy of ordinance to emulate. Good luck.

Also, the ordinance information might be at the County level, rather than the city, so check there.

 

[CamsCluckinChicks]

I'm in Northern Indiana...Leesburg. I live 6 miles outside of city limits. I have a full-fledged farm less than 150' East of me, a pig farm less than 100' South-West, the feedmill/grain elevator less than 150' East of me and a large corn field right off my backyard. There are 13 homes in our "subdivision" which was created in 1976. We personally have about 1 acre of this subdivision. My coops are more than 50' away from the closest neighbor...and approximately 100' from the neighbor who complained. I've had the birds for 4-1/2 years. The neighbor's immediately surrounding me love my birds & come to look at them often. Because of his complaint, Area Planning Commission has given me until January 9th to remove my birds.

I'm mostly complying. I have removed my 5 Khaki Campbell ducks & micro flock of 5 Mille Fleur D'Uccles. I'm hiding my bantam Cochin's, Silkie's & Ringneck Pheasant's and will be fighting this ridiculous "residential" crap after the 1st of the year. I have every neighbor's consent (with the exception of jerk who complained). We do not have a subdivision committee & I'm also working on starting one. We were not informed there were any ordinances regarding any livestock/poultry & with neighbor's literally surrounding me with farms... Well duh. We are surrounded by poultry! Which means we hear roosters constantly & most are not in my backyard!! Not to mention the stench of the pig farm. LoL!!

In our county ordinance there's a zoning called Ag II. It specifically states it is for residential area's surrounded by established farms & also specifically states no complaints can be made against any agriculture - whether it be noise, odor, dust, etc. Complaining jerk burns trash & yard waste...also against "residential" zoning ordinance. All of the neighbor's do this & have regular bonfires. Ag II allows this. Complaining jerk furthermore encourages feral cats in the area by providing food & shelter for them. Our county has an ordinance regarding pets - all pets must be current on rabies vaccines, etc. Complaining jerk messed with the wrong educated woman. I can read!!

When I have the ordinance changed for our "subdivision", I'll be suing complaining jerk in small claims for pain & suffering. Did I mention I'm disabled? Did I also mention I'm terminal & will probably not live to see my 60th birthday (currently 40). Yeah. He messed with the wrong educated woman!! I mind my own business & always, always am respectful to everyone I meet. For him to so blatantly go after me leaves me no choice but to fight back. My physician's are currently writing letters for me & I've started a petition within our subdivison to have the zoning changed to Ag II. Neighbor's have also agreed to write letters on my behalf. Most of them weren't even aware I had the birds...that's how much of a nuisance they are.

In the meantime, my birds will be hidden. During inspection, they will live temporarily in my basement. After the inspection, I will be putting up privacy fence & then my birds will go back to their coops. Coops because I have divided a building into 3 separate sections, including well-built runs with flight netting over the tops. My birds do not ever get out of their enclosures. Couldn't allow that - I also raise & breed AKC German Shorthaired Pointer's. Bird dogs. LoL!!

Oh - one more thing!! The pictures Area Planning Commission had were obviously taken from my backyard. This is private property. The only way they could have been obtained was by trespassing. Anyone know what legal actions I could take regarding this?? Let me mention this guy has been a pain to literally every neighbor!! He has threatened to shoot people's dogs on many occassions & does not hesitate to curse loudly at them!! If we start a committee, couldn't we force him to move for being a common nuisance? I've heard of this being done in other subdivisions. And yes, our home & 2 lots are 100% paid for...we own them outright.

In town, Leesburg AND Warsaw, chickens in small flocks are legal. What gives?!

 

[pennyjjog]

Hi! I live in Portage, also and I was wondering if we could have chickens? If you have found out something please let me know..I do know we can have dogs and cats and pot bellied pigs...go figure that one out..

 

[changethelaw]

Hi fellow Hoosiers! I had to go to city hall to get an answer and it was no. I'm hoping to try to change it bringing up Bloomington. I just moved from bloomington to martinsville. Good luck!

 

[BobbyRose85]

Hello I'm debating where to move in NW Indiana! I currently live in Hammond! If anyone knows anything about Gary, merrillville, Hammond, or anywhere in the NWI area please message me and let me know!

 

[pennyjjog]

Depends on what your looking for in where you want to live...Truthfully I wouldn't live anywhere in Lake Co...Porter Co or LaPorte Co. are good places to go. I'm in Portage and as far as I know we can't have chickens here...but then...I haven't asked about them either! I talked to my neighbors and they have said to "go for it" so...I have RR tracks and woods behind my house so unless anyone sees them from the front.(.I have security fencing and the pen is behind a big shed) I'm ok...only having 5 so I think I'm alright...

 

[usernameunknown]

Are any of your chicken for sale? If so, send me an email to [email protected] please. I would like to buy one rooster, some two or three hens and some dozen chicken.