Hey, Anyone from North Dakota? Even though I doubt it.

[zhinka]

shh ,dont say it too loud that you are doing barter ie alfalfa for eggs.
new ND laws state you have to report that on your taxes. Our big boy gov. didn't block the amendment that would have keep that legal.
I am finding out that alot of things I do on the farm to keep expenses low are actually illegal. My brother works for the USDA and like he says, just be super careful who finds out what you are doing, if you sell eggs and other things, make sure you label them for pet use only or not for human use or you can be slapped with fines well up to 10 grand.
His dept of the USDA in ND has been instructed to crack down on farmers and others selling eggs, meat, milk etc without the proper licenses this year.
I am lucky he is helping me get legal so I can sell eggs, and meat,but most people have to do it alone, it is 7 forms you need to fill out along with providing proof your flocks are tested and proven negative for 3 specific bird diseases and in some counties other diseases as well.
Best bet ,get licensed, vote out the current governonr and get one in that is farmer friendly too would help!
I miss Hoeven! He was a great man, excellent to hunt with, always closed gates and gutted his own deer.

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
Actually, a friend of mine in another town was having a battle to keep her chickens and she was thinking of trying to use Fargo's ordinance as a starting point to get an ordinance in place for her town.

The Fargo ordinance reads:

12-0301. Running at large of domestic fowl prohibited.--It shall be unlawful for the owner,
keeper, or custodian of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons, or other domestic fowl to permit or
allow the same to run at large within the limits of the city.
Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 12-0301.

12-0302. Distance from dwellings domestic fowl to be kept.--No chickens, geese, ducks,
turkeys, pigeons, or other domestic fowl shall under any circumstances be kept within an enclosure
within the city at a distance less than 75 feet from any dwelling house without the written consent of
the owner or tenants of said dwelling.

12-0303. Keeping of domestic fowl as public nuisance--Declaration.--The keeping of any
chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons, or other domestic fowl, which cause unpleasant odors, or
the noise from which is an annoyance to persons in the vicinity, or which attract vermin, or which
are a hazard or danger to the health of persons living nearby, at a distance less than 200 feet from
any dwelling house is declared to be a public nuisance.
Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 12-0303.

Pretty cool, huh?

I love that your chickens can feed your goats! This winter has been unbelievably mild, it's 60 degrees in Minot today! Above zero!!!

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
zhinka, I just went through the ND codes and the rules on selling eggs are from 1993. http://www.legis.nd.gov/information/acdata/pdf/7-11-01.pdf They pertain to folks who want to sell eggs commercially (as in to stores, schools, etc...) and have flocks of 500 - 3000 laying hens, not to folks who sell a few dozen directly to consumers. Like I said before, your local health department can have their own rules that are more strict but ND law doesn't control selling eggs from your home. If there is something different and new out there, I would love a reference. The Farm to Market handout from the state (I posted the link earlier) is from June 2011. While I understand that it isn't a state code, the state put it out last June and it says that you can sell eggs without violating any laws.

I did see in the hand out that they want you to claim the income, I am going to look into it because I would love to go back to doing that. By the time you list expenses, depreciation, etc..., I got a lot more back in taxes but the tax place told us that we would be more of a hobby farm so shouldn't do that any more.

 

[creeksidefam]

Hi All! We're near Emerado, between the GFK and GFAFB. We're just getting our start and would love information on obtaining egg layers in this area as well as some for butchering. I haven't done hobby farming since I was a kid, and am so excited to be raising my kids in it to!! Hope to get some leads from this site. Thanks!

 

[zhinka]

Contact our state extension service, we actually have 7 poultry clubs in the state.
I raise quail so I am in the quail club but all the clubs have get togethers where we help eachother fill out license forms.
In ND you now need to be licensed to sell any eggs, most of us also have our flocks tested for any diseases.
If you call the state vet they will schedule you in and the testing for avian diseases is FREE!! so that is super cool, I can charge extra knowing what I sell will not harm any other flocks.
The ext service people are actually nice too, not your typical government agency type at all, you will be able to get lists of breeders from eggs to adults from them too.
have fun! and welcome!

 

[peacemaam]

Hi! glad I found this thread, I'm from the minot/surrey area and come spring, will be getting come chicks! Any tips for a newbie whos never even set foot on a farm? I've been doing research everyday but its hard to find tips for those of us in ND with windy subzeros and humid hundreds..Any advice? What breeds have you found work best? I hate the thought of my chickens being couped up all winter long..

 

[zhinka]

I am in the badlands of ND by Dickinson area.
You will have to keep your chickens indoors alot in the winter but make sure they have plenty of air circulation or they will get sick from the humidity build up.
I prefer quail, but on the farm my mom and I share coops and she had Barred rocks and Bantams which do very well, stay away from any poultry with feathers on the feet as they will always be a constant problem to keep clean and healthy.
Turkeys do very well we have red burbons and spanish black,they do not need special coops and just a cattle barn will service them well, the spanish blacks will fly up into the rafters. Just be sure to shoot any coon or stray cats so they dont harm the birds.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

I'm by the fargo area 30 miles north of Fargo actually, I live in hunter.
We raise silkies and polish chickens

 

[zhinka]

Sweet!
I go thru the Fargo area once a month, I take my sister to Mayo clinic for treatments.
If you are ever interested in adding some coturnix or tibetan quail to your flock maybe we can do an egg trade?
I just got my yearly testing avian disease free certificate and propogation permit so I am all set to go.
I have always wanted to raise a few silkies, I hear they are real sweet tempered.
My girls will not start laying again till probably beginning of next month.

 

[peacemaam]

https://www.facebook.com/MinotChickenLoversMeetingPlace