Gingerbeer, if your lease allows for pets, maybe you should start a little vague, like "Can I have pet birds"....for some reason, chickens being a 'farm animal' don't go over as well as a pet caged bird like a parrot. Sure, you can have a screaming, cussing, destructive, messy parrot, but a CHICKEN?! I don't think so! If birds are allowed, and your landlord wants to know more about it, then go from there. If you just say birds, and he/she doesn't care and doesn't ask details, I'd let it go at that. It depends on your landlord, but even if pets are allowed, they usually like to know what you have. First make sure the house is in a place that is allowed to have them though, because your landlord might not thank you for breaking the law on his property. He could get in trouble for it, even though they are your birds.
Seems like there's a bias in city ordinances against animals that provide you with any useful products. You can have two unwashed stinky big dogs pooping all over your yard and barking at everything, but think about getting a couple of nice milk goats...and you're in big trouble, even if they do not smell or make much noise! I've seen ordinances (in a rural town, no less!) that would not allow even a pet rabbit in the city limits, because a rabbit was a 'farm animal'. Hahaha if you want to say that, then dogs and cats must be farm animals too, because most farms have a lot of them around!
They are quiter than most dogs by leaps and bounds. i hope you succeed in your covert ops!
