Cream Legbars

[ChicKat]

Hey Dr. ETD,
By their own admission, their ordinance was developed to "support and promote sustainability". Why don't you ask them how that can possibly happen without Roosters? Immaculate chicken conception? You may need to give them a Biology 101 lesson! That may well be your legal loophole.

We live in the county as well, and although nobody's broached a "no rooster" ordinance (yet!), the county officials are so hard up for $, they have completely cracked down on Ag Exemptions for land. So even though we hv beef cattle (and horses, goats and chickens), since both my hubby and I have full-time careers, we aren't considered farmers and we'll now have to pay full taxes on our 23 acres. Major -and expensive- bummer. We'd move if we thought it was any better anywhere else in the US..... but this kind of stuff is happening everywhere. All we can do is show up at those city council meetings and be vocal!

There you go -- biology 101....funny -- and perhaps you did find something that would give an avenue to roosters.....

 

[GaryDean26]

People in the city don't understand chickens (for the most part). They live in neighborhoods with cookie cutter houses where everyone has the same floor plan, same appliances, same landscaping, etc. Anyone that does not conform to the mold is considered an "annoyance" according to the HOA or City ordinance.

I went to a City Council meeting in Flower Mounds, Texas 8 years ago where they were trying to pass a city ordinance to require that Drilling Rigs use sound mitigation equipment to keep their operation in the City limit under 75 dB. The sound consultant that was work on this went to some of the drill locations at night to measure noise levels to see how far away from the site the sound traveled. He reported back that the crickets and arcadia in the woods around the drill locations were measured at 85 dB and that the rigs were not any louder than natural noise in the area. The citizens driving the ordinance claimed that the tone of the rigs were a high pitch and more annoying than the white noise of the arcadia and wanted the sound consultant to find a way for them to legislate the 85 dB "shrill" noise from the rigs but allow the 85 dB natural noise. Is that like allowing their dog to bark at 2:00 AM when they let it out to do its business because it is a sound they are familiar with, but not allow a rooster that is no more noise and banning it because they are not used to that sound?

I know that in Salt Lake City that when the Bangerter Highway went in, to build the infrastructure for the Winter Olympics, that citizens near the highway demanded that walls be built along the highway to block the sound of the 24/7 traffic moving near their homes. The citizens won out and concrete walls were built on both sides, but the result was that the sound reverberated between the walls to where the noise from the highways was louder in the neighborhoods. The citizens then fought to have the wall taken down but they had already cost the city money once and proved they hadn't done their homework so instead of spending more money the walls stayed in place and they had to live with the reverberating sounds. It sounds like with the only good reason being sited for rooster as "increased nutritional value of egg" which obvious has no science to back such a claim that the people in Fort Collins are doing the same thing as those in SLC that required a wall to block sound; legislating on a whim with out doing their homework first to see if science actually backs them up and with out any fact checking involved. They are on a course to make bad legislation if their practice is to side with uniformed citizens that just like to make rules to conform everyone to their cookie cutter way of thinking. I really hope this gets stopped.

 

[Chick Swing]

I just went out to the mailbox and got a card from the City asking for me to comment on the new City proposals to encourage Urban Agriculture--spinning it as allowing goats and year-round hoop houses and residential farm stands to encourage sustainability.

I am in one of 4 zones that have been exempt from Ag regulations, until now. When I got online to take the survey, they stated that they now want to regulate my zone (I live on 5 acres at the edge of the city) including adding a setback over concerns that animal waste run-off will harm streams and ditches (I abut both) and a total ban of roosters.

I can tell their 'focus group' did not have anyone that knows anything about roosters since they cited 4-H and increased nutritional value of eggs as the reason for keeping roosters and noise as the reason for the ban. I can think of plenty of reasons to keep a rooster and increased egg nutrition is not one of them.

If this goes through it will eliminate my ability to breed Cream Legbars. It will damage me personally. I am really upset about this! Why do some folks feel the need to regulate something that has not been an issue?

I am so sorry to hear this,

It makes me wonder how the people felt when they out lawed Chickens in the first place. When and why did they do that in the first place?

Dretd
When you go to the meeting I recommend you sit on an Ice bag and bring bag of humor with you ... Because I found talking to city counsel is a lot like telling my goat to stay out of my roses. It seams like the more common since you bring to the meeting the more you confuse them. They are sitting there with important information like "That is what other towns are doing" They will never find the peace they are looking for in all there laws and regulations... But, go and try It will make you feel better knowing you spoke up. I agree a pile of signatures and a cool head it your best tool. There are plenty of reasons why roosters should be allowed, and plenty of laws already, that cover a nuisance situation. They do not need to out law roosters! I sure hope it works out for you and your CL's
Oh , my older CL Rooster chick doodled for me his fist time this AM

I enjoy the sound of a rooster, He was so proud of himself !!

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Sounds like you and I are in the same boat. Did you try to fight the ordinance? How did it go and what worked or did not work?

As mentioned though it only takes a few people who do not try there best to keep quiet roosters and or try to keep happy neighbors that ruin it for everyone else.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read up on other who have successfully won the fight, one that comes to mind is the Chicken Chick http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/ She champions for others fighting no-chicken laws in their community and may have some helpful links or examples for you. She has a direct neighbor who has been fueling the nastiness with her city council. She purchased additional adjacent acreage to give her property "farm" status and the neighbor is STILL going after her.

Well it looks like my "all cream" boy, Heathcliff, carries autosomal red after all. He has a wild comb and crest thing going on as well but I still love him and can't wait for spring breeding season!

4 months old -- Heathcliff


Here you can see some of the AR in his wing.

WOOT WOOT handsome boy! He's growing in nicely!

Hey Dr. ETD,
By their own admission, their ordinance was developed to "support and promote sustainability". Why don't you ask them how that can possibly happen without Roosters? Immaculate chicken conception? You may need to give them a Biology 101 lesson! That may well be your legal loophole.

 

[dretd]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read up on other who have successfully won the fight, one that comes to mind is the Chicken Chick http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/ She champions for others fighting no-chicken laws in their community and may have some helpful links or examples for you. She has a direct neighbor who has been fueling the nastiness with her city council. She purchased additional adjacent acreage to give her property "farm" status and the neighbor is STILL going after her.

Nope, not giving up without a fight and am super-proactive.

Just got off the phone with the State NPIP tester from CSU (since they listed CSU as being on the focus committee that made the decision) and she knew nothing about it and will pursue things on her end to see who initiated it and who was in the focus group.

I also contacted my closest neighbor--the one that said my rooster is charming. Not only did they confirm that my roo is a non-issue with them, but she did not receive the post card at all. I have sent her the link to be more aware. She is not happy.

I further have contacted a vet friend with roosters who lives just over the city line in the county and may get annexed some day. She is friends with the Director for the Larimer County Humane Society and will see if she can help out on that side.

So its not a done deal but is really making me mad! Thanks for the link!

 

[normanack]

This is the petition on change.org that a woman in my community initiated:
Allow Lucas and Katelyn to Keep Their Therapy Animals

 

[Rancher3535]

Hey Dr. ETD,
By their own admission, their ordinance was developed to "support and promote sustainability". Why don't you ask them how that can possibly happen without Roosters? Immaculate chicken conception? You may need to give them a Biology 101 lesson! That may well be your legal loophole.

We live in the county as well, and although nobody's broached a "no rooster" ordinance (yet!), the county officials are so hard up for $, they have completely cracked down on Ag Exemptions for land. So even though we hv beef cattle (and horses, goats and chickens), since both my hubby and I have full-time careers, we aren't considered farmers and we'll now have to pay full taxes on our 23 acres. Major -and expensive- bummer. We'd move if we thought it was any better anywhere else in the US..... but this kind of stuff is happening everywhere. All we can do is show up at those city council meetings and be vocal!

I have to chime it for a second on a couple of things...

1. If you are running your 23 ac as a business and having to claim so they cannot put you into a higher tax bracket. I have 6.4 ac and am ag exempt because the cattle and poultry are a business. As long as you can prove you are adding to the Agricultural system via beef for sale etc again they cannot take it away. They just think they can...hate to say this is it time for a "LAWYER"????

2. If noise is the complaint and that is what they are trying to control then why do they not do something about the dog that barks all night? A rooster may be a little annoying to some but it does not set off your alarm system that something might be wrong.

I just get PO'd at politicians and government when they are doing stupid things because they want $$$$$.

 

[dretd]

Quote:
Hi Rancher3535,

Every State is different with regard to the AG laws and what exemptions you can take. I suspect that sweetdreaming may be talking about property taxes vs income taxes. In CO the tax basis is calculated off the acreage not revenue--I think it was 80 acres for AG1 and 35 for AG2 if I remember, its been awhile since I checked.

I did get off the phone with the lady in the City that put up the survey and is coordinating the Urban Ag rule changes. She said they farmed out the survey that stated they were planning on banning roosters and that it wasn't correct and they are still soliciting comments before they make their decision and she was going to change the survey right away. Not sure if its true or not.

She said that rooster complaints are one of the largest sectors of complaints filed with the city although couldn't give me stats on the number vs dog complaints (my position is that they are not proposing banning dogs even though they bark in the night and disturb people) and did pause a lot when I was explaining my point of view so I believe it will be an uphill battle. Luckily I am a battle-axe when I am passionate about something and will push back hard on this.

She said that there is one property in town they have received a number of complaints on especially regarding the large number of animals on it. Some folks went to the City Council and were very vocal. So it appears that concerns over 1 property are motivating the proposed rule change. Hrumph.

My take on the governmental rules is different from yours and perhaps it is my City, who historically has tried to be a leader in user-friendliness and trying to create a pleasant place to live (branded themselves as the Choice City and consistently places very high on most desirable places to live and being business friendly). What the problem comes down to is some vocal people who buy in to HOAs and like having things their way are trying to control those that don't. Its the old Rural vs Urban mind-set. Folks that move into million dollar homes near the airport then complain at every HOA meeting about the noise from the Airport--true story. I don't blame the Government (at least in my situation). I blame the folks that buy their property without looking at all the details then whine about it not being what they thought it was and trying to force others to meet their needs. In my mind they are the ones being a bad neighbor, not the other way around!

 

[TherryChicken]

Ok, so one of my hens is being picked on and is getting her feathers ripped out. Wha can I do to help her? I can't free range though due to my dogs.

 

[GaryDean26]

I have a few hens that are quick molters. They drop all of their feathers all at once it seems rather than losing one here and one there over 2-3 months (to where the slow molter never look raged during a mold). Have you seen hens pecking the feathers, or does the hen just have lots of bald spots? If the hen is just balding then she may be a quick molten (which is better for egg production that a hen that takes 8-12 weeks to shed all their old plumage).

Feather pecking is usually the result of not getting enough protein in the diet. They will eat the feathers of the other birds to get protein.

I go from 16% protein to 18% protein about the middle of August for laying breeds (and a little higher than that for dual purpose type birds). Hens need more protein when they are growing new feathers in the fall than they do in the spring and summer.

Aprons is also an option to protect feathers from getting ripped out. Below are my Basque hens with their aprons on. The aprons kept the feathers looking really good this fall.