I am totally getting discouraged about keeping chickens...

[mikensara]

we live in the country with few neighbors and yes i have one thats a pain in my rear and thats my hubs uncle he says its a waste of money i said oh ok you dont want free eggs then. He changed his demeanor then. I explained yes we know they produce eggs but we also know its a low income community we live in and we have many eager neighbors that will happily take the eggs from us. Just wait till we put eggs in the bator in the spring and we have crowing members for meat birds and turkeys gobbling. We have a young family near us and the hub asked my hub if he helps out with butchering if he can take some for his family and we readily agreed.

 

[zengrrl]

Agreed, and then there's MRTFA. Well I just bought this house and moved here so I'm not leaving. I've already been told there's alot of chickens here and code enforcement shouldn't bother you unless you become an issue. I'm staying!

 

[dianaross77]

Good for you! Honestly I'm surprised they even have an ordinance where you live. It always seemed "farmy" to me. We used to live in Clarkston.

Hated it there!

 

[mysweetgypsy]

Sorry I didn't get through all the posts, so this may have been mentioned. Go to a town hall meeting and see if you can get a special permit to house X number of chickens. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get around certain rules legally. The board is allowed to make special exceptions. It's worth a shot

 

[Boudicea Farms]

I don't have issues with local ordinances, thank goodness I live way out in the county where everybody has live stock, but shortly after I bought this place my neighbor who is a quarter mile away (my closest neighbor) came down to inquire what kind of animals I planned to have. I raise south African Boer goats and had a few horses, I told them I really wasn't sure other than the goats and horses had'nt thought about it since I just moved in. They then preceded to tell me pigs and chickens were a no no because of the smell and his wifes phobia of birds. Excuse me wth! I couldn't believe he had the
where with all to dictate what I could and couldn't raise on my property, He also informed me he thought I had too many animals and that I needed to get rid of a few. I asked him why he thought that, of course he didn't say. Needless to say I now own chickens and am looking at getting a Russian Boar, I have since sold the horses because we never rode any more and they needed a job instead of just standing around the pasture. We were referred as those people who own all the animals by a couple of other neighbors friends of the first. A few others refer to us as their best customers since we buy 20 plus tons of hay a year. Its rather funny with All the animals I have never had one get out and cause any problems but the neighbor who complains has dogs that roam where ever and when ever and have even chased my goats and chickens before I got a guardian. So in my experience most people will live and let live it will be that one squeeky wheel that will try and ruin it for everybody , I wouldn't give up on having your chickens find out what your right are and tell the noisy neighbor with a smile on your face to have a nice day

 

[CountryBumpkin2011]

"That's not a coop, it's a cute little barn! And those aren't chickens, they are fuzzy ground parrots!"


HAHAHA! fuzzy ground parrots! I will totally have to remember that

I live in an area that doesnt allow hens at all, but my chickies arrive next week. Its a stupid law, one that I have written to city council about...so I see me getting and caring for a small flock as as my version of a peaceful protest

 

[So Cal Chick'ns]

"Peaceful protest". I love that! I too have demonstrated a peaceful protest against my homeowner's association with a small three chick "flock" (until there's a fight over an earthworm....then things aren't always so peaceful in my yard

)

Good luck with your chicken journey...hang in there...!!!

 

[stubbornhill]

My guess is that if your neighbor has been out of work for 2 years and is bored. He will enjoy watching your chickens, and if you are so inclined to give him some eggs every now and again, that will probably keep his lips sealed! I don't know what your community is like, however, there may have been some "problem person" a while back that "forced" the town council into creating such a law to run this person out of business or town or what have you. It seems pretty extreme and as others have said. I am sure there are other chicken owners in your area and as long as someone doesn't get carried away with the old chicken math, there probably will never be an issue. Best of luck to you and hang tough with the empty nest issue. (been there, done that)

 

[Endur50]

1.5 acres PER BIRD? That's crazy. That's more than recommended per horse. I guess I could understand 1.5 acres to keep chickens, and a limit of such and such, but PER BIRD? Besides, my horses are MUCH louder than my chickens. When I feed them early in the morning, I have to hide while I prepare their food and then run and set it over the fence so that they don't wake up the neighbors with their nickering when they realize it's feeding time.

I feel like we should, with-in reason, be able to provide for ourselves on our own land, however small that land may be. Seems like something our nation was founded on.

 

[zengrrl]

AGREED Endur50. We are in uncertain times these days and the ability to keep a small flock and grow some veggies should be ENCOURAGED not DIScouraged.

I'm guessing that I'll be able to convert my neighbor as he's bored and would most likely appreciate some free eggs. My only regret is my silkies aren't laying yet and they're not high volume layers. I will be getting more!!

Thanks all - I feel ENcouraged now.