How many do you have?

[MIgardengal]

How many chickens do you have in a urban setting?

Just curious. I live on the outskirts of small town (1.5 blocks away is woods!) in MI. I do live on a city block, but my lot is 150 ft wide and 275 feet deep.

Our ordinances are very vague, but I don’t want trouble with anyone. I personally talked with my neighbors and they said they were willing to let me try having chickens. As long as they aren’t to noisy/or stinky they are fine with it. I got 6 chicks (all hens!) but I’m wondering if that’s going to be too much. It’s easy to underestimate when you see them small, but they are getting so big!

Any ideas on the best way to keep the noise down? I have barred rock, Orpington and EE as I heard they were quieter?

I just want happy neighbors, and to not have the cops called on me!

 

[Acre4Me]

6 birds sounds totally fine for a backyard flock. very manageable.

With regards to noise, it depends on the chicken. Some are talkers and “singers”


Where is coop in relation to the property lines and other structures?

did you call the city to ask specifically? What do the ordinances say, exactly? Assuming you are not in an HOA?

 

[MIgardengal]

Pardon my stupidity what’s HOA?

I did not call the city. With the covid they are impossible to get a hold of. I did find the city ordinances. I tried to copy and paste but it would work...just says “owners of all pets should exercise proper care and control so as to not become a public nuisance. Excessive noise, damage to personal property, entering personal property, or any animal posing a health hazard, is deemed a nuisance and is prohibited”

Pets being defined as a “animal kept for pleasure and not utility” and livestock “animal for work, riding, or utility”.

Vague. Well my chicks are what I am considering “pets” for pleasure.

The best location for the coop is toward the east side of my property. The neighbor on that side was more chill, and said I have 3 yippy terriers. I don’t -think- your chickens will bother me. I just feel like everything is so vague...I just want to do everything I can to make sure everything goes smoothly in my neighborhood.

 

[neo71665]

Pardon my stupidity what’s HOA?

Home
Owners
Association

Chickens are livestock even if you keep them for pets.

 

[Acre4Me]

HOA is Home Owners Association. You would have signed some docs if you were in an HOA.

 

[MIgardengal]

ok good to know, obviously I’m not in a HOA since I don’t even know what one is.

I’m including some pics of my property (sorry a lil torn a part right now, just built a new deck, and getting ready to build a shed with attached coop.

My thought was to put the coop where you see the piled brush. It’s towards the back of the propriety towards the alley alley. Neighbors on that side are very chill.

 

[MIgardengal]

I just want to know how many chickens people have in a urban setting? size yard? and what has worked for them?

 

[B40chick]

I don't have your issues. I live in the country on 60 acres. But 6 chickens should be fine. Hens don't make lots of loud racket. They cluck and peep mostly. If you got them young, just be aware, things can happen. I started out with eight 4 week olds 10 weeks ago. Because I am a novice, I didn't see problems fast enough. I am down to six. I am learning to be a close observer. I am getting new advice here that is helping me keep my ladies healthy.

 

[neo71665]

Can't help ya on urban, I'm out in the sticks on 90 acres with cattle, dogs, 2 pet coons, 12 chickens, 2 turkeys (hen on the nest), and working on an incubator of quail.

Oh and as soon as we finish fencing the back 10, 4 mini donkeys I'm housing for a woman that does mini donkey rescue.

 

[Parront]

I am in the city limits of Prescott, AZ. Our old town has vauge rules like yours, no number of chickens specified in the city ordinance. Just no roosters, and no nuisances. My neighbor had 19, and is now down to 12 due to age and a neighbor's dog. I am planning on a flock of 12-16 depending on how many roosters are in the batch. Our yards are pretty large, mine is 1/2 acre but the neighbor with chickens now is more like 1/3 acre. Your 6 should have plenty of room from your photos. Your nice grass might suffer, though! You can barely hear my neighbors chickens when you are in my yard. She has Easter Eggers, black sex-link, white rock and barred rocks. I have ordered Brown Sex-Links, white rocks, brown leghorns and some dark brown layers mixed from Ideal and plan to share them with the new neighbor on the other side, so both of my closest neighbors will be chicken people. If you recruit your neighbors into the flock, how can they complain about your chickens? Or, just be free with the eggs!