Hello from Indiana

[CptCluck]

Hey all. I'm from Carmel, Indiana. They don't allow any farm animals here unless you have 3+ acres.

However, these are hard times and I believe we as free Americans should be able to raise a few quiet, unobtrusive birds if we want, and I am not above breaking this pointless city ordinance.

I'd like to get your opinions - we have a 1/2 acre lot with a large backyard. We've got a 6' privacy fence all the way around the back yard that would keep them in, or I could build a run if that;s not enough (I'm real handy when it comes to making things.)

On one side we have neighbors who would probably love the idea (and the eggs), and on the other side we have nosey old retired folks - who are nice but I'm not sure what they would think They are our only neighbors who are in a position to be able to easy see into the yard, so the conversation with them would have to happen at some point. Caddy-corner we have another set or retired neighbors with two dogs. Also raccoons and opossums roam at night - we're in a fairly wooded area.

Should I give up on the idea? How loud would a few hens be?

 

[Attack Chicken]

fellow Hoosier!!!

Couple hens shouldn't be to load..The only loud time is the egg laying song! but it's not bad. If I had to move with a place that didn't allow chickens...well.. looks like I'd be a lawbreaker!

I hope you are able to get some. I live 10 minutes from downtown and I'm able to have chickens.

 

[greenegglover]

I'm also in Indiana, but it probably depends on where in Carmel you live...or I should say what type of neighbors you have. Usually a dozen of free eggs here and there and they wont say a thing! Some hens like to sing a loud song while they're laying but other than that it pretty quiet. Lock em up at night or the coons will kill them.

 

[Desert Rooster]

Hello

from Hesperia,CA and

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Welcome to BYC! You have come to the coolest place on the internet for chicken knowledge.

I started with chickens last summer and the people of BYC have been great. This year I have tried hatching and buying chicks for even more chickeny joy. Please visit my BYC Page for my blog links that you may find informative or amusing.

Check out clandestinechickens.blogspot.com for adventures of another noncompliant chicken owner.

Good luck with your Asian Ground Parrots.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

from Missouri

 

[MSDeb]

Welcome to BYC, glad you decided to join us. Good luck with your journey. We live in a neighborhood with much less land than you. We have neighbors on both sides and a bayou in the back. Even when we had roosters the neighbors didn't complain but we could here them out front and decided not to push our luck. It is no secret we have birds and have not had any complaints (knock on wood). Then again we are pretty generous with eggs and goodies from the garden. Chickens make a lot less noise than barking dogs! Hope it all works out for you. I cannot imagine not having chickens. The are entertaining and make you breakfast to boot.

 

[Abirdbrain]

. OMG! A chicken Criminal! Putting yourself outside the LAW.

Getting caught is the real sin. If you have a tight back yard, one of those Mini-Rabbit coops would work. Of course the coon problem is something else, most people think they are cute, but they have devastated our barn cats over time with Unchecked diseases.

They aren't allowed here as a defense.

Good luck.

 

[Chickencoop1996]

from new Hampshire !

 

[CptCluck]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

How hard it it to lock up chickens at night? Will they want to go into the coop or is it an ordeal?

When you go on vacation for a few days, what's the procedure for getting them care? Do they need to be run out every day like a dog? We have to figure out what to do the few times when we'll be away from home. I'm trying to figure out if the neighbor kids could handle it