~***CITY/SUBURBAN FOLK THREAD***~ Not all of us are clueless!

[ZaksGarden]

I had to pay $150 dollars just to apply for the permit.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

$150 dollars to apply??? That's rediculous! I HATE rules! Why should people have the right to tell us what animals we can own? We have enough expenses whithout their stupid permits.

 

[ZaksGarden]

You have no idea!

I had to have scaled site plans that showed my property lines, where my coop would be, how far it would be from each of my neighbors, photos of the coop, elevations of the coop, information on the breed of chicken I would have, what the purpose was, how many I intended to have. THEN I paid my $150 to apply for the permit, I was given a huge sign I had to put in my front yard for 30 days, which gave any living on my street the opportunity to call and oppose. After the 30 days were up I had to go to our city's planning board for a 3 hour meeting where they approved my permit.

Talk about an ordeal!

 

[shadow rabbit10]

I have to go through that process if I want my coop to be moved where it's not supposed to be. It must be 5 foot off the fence, behind my house. Anywhere else requires a permit, that might not even pass at a town meeting. Plus, I would have to pay $300 dollars to apply, and ask all of the neighbors in my area if they would be ok with it. Plus, that $300 dollars is a waste if it doesn't pass. Im either going to follow the rules, or move my coop to the wrong spot anyways and hide it with fence. No one else knows the rules anyway, so no one can complain,

 

[KnoxvilleChick]

I live in Knoxville, Tennessee. Home of the Vols, 3rd largest city in the state. We just passed an ordinance in 2011 to allow hens in the city limits, and I went to work to make it happen at our house as soon as my summer break (I'm a teacher) rolled around. Just like you, ZaksGarden, lots of red tape- I had to get a building permit for the coop, then build it, get it approved, and be approved by the Chicken Board (?!?) to get a hen permit (that must be renewed annually for $25) after that. And so many rules! Everything from the location of the coop (in the back yard, at least 10 feet from any property line) to the size of the flock (max 6 hens, no roosters) to the selling of eggs (not allowed at all) to slaughtering of spent hens (also not allowed, for eggs only) to poop management ("removed from property or placed in a well-aerated compost pile") to wing-clipping (required if your run is not covered). Who would have thought that keeping chickens was so ...government-oriented?

We're allowed to have 6 hens, but started small for our first flock with just 3. And we are loving it! My kids fight over who gets to let them out in the morning, and I had to rig my pop door so that my 3 year old could reach the rope to work it. My 6 year old even painted pictures on the inside of the coop so "our special ladies would have pretty things to look at".

My neighbors, most of whom are at least 30 years older than me, just smile and shake their heads at me. First it was my huge (for the middle of the city) vegetable garden in the front yard, where the sun is best, and now chickens in the back, where we have great shady spots. But they love my garden bounty, and every one of them has asked when they can expect some eggs!

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Our town limit is 12 birds. Only one can be a rooster. It used to be a free for all, but some rude people, ruined it. However, there is no laws about other poultry. Technically, I could have 100 turkeys, but only 12 chickens. It makes no sense...

 

[ZaksGarden]

KnoxvilleChick - Wow! I know there are WAY too many rules in too many places about chickens....Now I do understand not having 100 chickens in your backyard in a city, but having 4-6 hens in your backyard? come on! It would be easier for us to have 10 pitbulls running loose than it would be to have some darn chickens!


And shadow...I couldn't move my coop. There is an inspector that comes out and makes random inspections. He has already been to my house twice. Do you know that technically the city will not allow me to compost my chicken poop? One of the conditions of my permit is that I will seal the chicken poop in air-tight containers and dispose of it in the trash.

Give me a break!

 

[ZaksGarden]

Our town limit is 12 birds. Only one can be a rooster. It used to be a free for all, but some rude people, ruined it.

However, there is no laws about other poultry. Technically, I could have 100 turkeys, but only 12 chickens. It makes no sense...

Here NO roosters are allowed period. Now if you have 150 feet from your chicken coop to all neighboring property lines there are no rules governing having chickens in your backyard. But how many people in the city have 150 feet from all property lines? I would have to have the coop in my living room to meet that requirement.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Wow. I feel bad for you. So, you're telling me I can't leave my chicken poop in my own backyard, but it's ok for people to leave nasty dog poop laying around wherever they feel like it? People need to get real.

 

[ZaksGarden]

I do compost though, if the city wants to send someone to start digging around my compost pile they can be my guest.