Help! City Ordinance doesn't allow chickens

[Stormhorse23]

I just tell people they are Philadelphian Poopers.

 

[FLchook]

Chickens? where? I dont see chickens....I see rare forms of parrots...ya thats it <grin>

Or you could get some silkies, from my experiences, my people dont have a clue what they are.

More serious side....I wish you the best of luck!!!

Shannon

 

[jjthink]

It defies comprehension that so many ordinances are still so illogical. You are probably allowed to have a gigantic dog with 1/4 acre but not a few chickens that are much more quiet and together weigh a mere fraction of what the dog weighs.

Suggest to your town an ordinance that allows a few chickens as pets, as distinguished from a commercial operation, pointing out that more and more, chickens are pets these days, no different than any other pet bird. To say a parrot is okay but a chicken is not does not have any basis in logic. One by one ordinances are being changed, recognizing chickens as pets.

My personal hope is that a distinction is not made between roos and hens because roos can be truly wonderful pets and do not necessarily make more sounds than a hen. While my roo crows early in the morning, he is in an insulated coop at that point and the sound does not carry (maybe that is the solution - in insulated quarters till at least 7 a.m.). His hen friend thinks nothing of bellyaching outside during broad daylight when she deems there is something worthy of complaint, and she can bellow with the best of them. That said. together they do not make nearly as much noise as most dogs.

Examples of very sensible simple ordinances could help many of us get chickens welcomed, town by town, across the land. The town next to mine is undertaking this discussion right now and I am very concerned about them being too prescriptive because there's one guy pitching for chickens to be allowed as pets but he's pushing his agenda - criteria that meets his specific needs but might not meet somebody elses - 3 hens only, no roos, coop "x" number of feet from property line, etc etc. The town officials don't know where to go with it unless they get other guidance so I'm not sure where it will end up.

I wish you luck!
JJ

 

[Nichole77]

I agree, get silkies, people are too stupid to understand they are chickens.

 

[Yanna]

I waited a long time to get chickens because of the local laws. I researched the law (or THOUGHT I did!) and then bought a house in another town SPECIFICALLY because I thought I could keep chickens! Turns out I was wrong.

My take on things is that there are other laws on the books in my town protecting the community from undue noise, poor sanitation and conditions conducive to rodent infestation - why the outright ban on poultry, outdoor rabbit hutches and dog runs? It's unnecessary.

Rather than take the issue up with the city council, I've decided to exercise my reasonable rights to use my property as I see fit within the bounds of being a good neighbor and a responsible pet owner.

I won't lie to anyone about keeping chickens if I'm asked but I also won't hesitate to invoke my fifth amendment rights (or simply change the subject).

Best wishes to you! Please keep us posted on your decision.

 

[CarlaRiggs]

Jane,
The best bet would be to thoroughly research the different cities/counties in Utah, as to who allows backyard chickens.
I saw this quote concerning Utah County...
19.04.235 Family food production.

“Family food production” means the keeping of not more than two cows, two sheep, two goats, twenty rabbits, fifty chickens, fifty pheasants, ten ducks, ten turkeys, ten geese and twenty pigeons, provided that an additional number of animals equal to two times the number listed above, and an additional number of fowl equal to five times the number listed above may be kept for each one-half acre of the lot over and above the minimum number of square feet required for a single-family residential lot in the zone, and provided that not more than three of the above-listed kinds of animals and fowl are permitted at any one time on any lot smaller than one-half acre. (Prior code § 22-1-6(30))

And another quote ~
8.01.190 Domesticated animals.
“Domesticated animals” means animals accustomed to living in or about the habitation of man, including but not limited to cats, dogs, ferrets and livestock. “Domesticated animal,” however, shall not include “exotic animals.” (Ord. 1461 § 2 (part), 2000)

So though chickens are generally labeled 'livestock', one can also argue that they are domesticated animals.

There are many large, cosmopolitan cities throughout the U.S. that now allow chickens. I would search as many names as you can and type them up onto a separate page to give if you ask the city council to rethink they're ordinance. Be prepared to give some general guidelines that other suburban cities are using, ie. six or less chickens, kept no closer than 20' from a building, no roosters, etc.

Research everything and then go to the council with a good defense. Ask your neighbors for letters of approval; you might want to also send out a petition in your neighborhood, asking for names/telephone numbers of people who agree that the city should allow chickens.

Good luck! And keep us updated.

Carla

 

[All about the EGG]

Did you actually READ the ordinance? If not, do so. Dont rely on anyone to possibly give you a biased decision.

Yanna, are you in Chicago? They are legal.