Does that mean I'm good?

[Rin]

I went through the ordinances where I live carefully and it doesn't seem to have any specific rules about chickens or chicken limits. Rather, it mentions a right to farm act and related subjects like decibel levels, cleanliness, and loose animals. Does this mean I'm good? It seems like they'd be fine as long as my chickens aren't in awful conditions, let to run loose and damage property, and as long as my roosters(if any) aren't crowing too loudly(I intend to keep any boys indoors should any hatch? anyone have experience with this?) but, yes, any thoughts? I think I'm good and my nearest neighbor is on the other side of woods from me and the second closest is on the other side of a seasonal lake - the area of which is dotted with trees and brush.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

as a rule with ordinance's if it doesn't forbid it then it is permitted.
but maybe if you post the exact wording then my sister (she is a law student) can read it and tell you exactly what it means.
it would be a lot simpler if they just wrote them in plain English!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Actually that is often not the case. You need to read the rules of construction listed at the very beginning of the ordinances. They frequently say that if it is not specifically allowed, then it is forbidden.

If you are outside the city limits in a farming area, I would expect that farming activities would be allowed. If not, then you need to check your zoning and read the ordinances thoroughly.

The problem with writing ordinances/laws in plain English is that plain English is often inexact; words and phrases can have multiple meanings. And then there are unintended consequences, whihch extra verbage will hopefully eliminate (aften doesn't work, though).

 

[Rin]

Thank you both for replying.

I do not live in the city. In fact, the small town I live in is smack dab in the middle of a national forest (so they can't make it much bigger than it is either, it's protected). The only thing out here is a small plaza (with a Winndixie, cvs and dollar store), Chinese restaurant, a family owned restaurant, and a kangaroo. and even then I live off a dirt road that turns into a private road past my house(belonging to a neighboring farm). They do have roosters, but they're much farther out there that I can only hear them in the distance when I'm outside. You know you're out there when the closest walmart is still a 20 min drive XD

But I digress, tried to re-look it all up to quote only to be taken aback a bit by the apparent definition/clarification of "livestock"

Livestock shall include all animals of the equine, bovine, or swine class, including goats, sheep, mules, horses, hogs, cattle, ostriches, and grazing animals.

They list ostriches but not chickens as being livestock? Is it possible they consider them as pets here? I mean, the people out here are fairly huge bird lovers - almost everyone I work with has parrots and love them to huge degrees.

Edit - then again. They say grazing animals, which could mean anything. Even dogs and cats will graze on grass? Hens don't exactly graze in the sense they might mean do they?​

 

[speckledhen]

Some ordinances do not include poultry with livestock and some do. Depends.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

look in the pets section, and the land zoning section

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Poultry is often listed on its own, separate from livestock. Our state fair does not include poultry as livestock. We are smallstock, along with rabbits, cavies, & pidgeons.

Do searches on poultry, chicken, hen & rooster and see if you can find anything that specifically mentions any of these terms.

 

[Rin]

Hmm, I don't see much about land zoning other than noise levels and in terms of animals(Animal shall mean any living creature except human beings.) no cruelty, no letting them run loose, rabies shots for cats, dogs and ferrets, licensing for dogs or cats, no at large animals, and of course these are things I was willing to follow law or not anyway. They will be my pets. I have no intentions of cramming my pets in small cramped cages, harming them, leaving them to starve/die of thirst, or to let them run wild. They will be loved and photographed and drawn often XD

Thank you all, I think I know what I'm going to do now. It sounds as though I'm fine. If I get a male, I'll just keep him indoors or soundproof the coop a bit. If I get more than one? Well, not an issue yet is that?

I hear some hens will even crow too - not worth worrying about that possibility yet. If I get a crazy crower, ouch. But I might just only manage to hatch a few girls? ;D (I doubt it)

 

[Rin]

Quote:
That was actually the first thing I tried. But apparently they just list Animals and then break it down to livestock. There was no other "definitions" used for poultry/birds/anything at all. The only conclusion I see is that chickens fall under "animal" along with pet-animals such as dogs, cats, ferrets..... snakes... not that that changes much, the rules for livestock is essentially the same as for other animals. Don't hurt them don't let them hurt anyone. Understandable.