I fought the law...and the law LOST!

[zman]

Hey there folks, sorry I haven't been on in awhile, but they day after a posted that I had finally gotten my own chickens and planned on posting pictures, I received a letter from my town saying that I must get rid of the chickens because due to ordinance, i was not allowed to have them were I lived. Well..I knew this had to be crap or there must at least have been a loop hole, because there is some shmuck farmer that lives up the road who's chicken and geese run into the road all the time and cause a road hazard...ya ready for this...I asked...he was grandfathered because of how long he had been there. SOOO, I bid my peace on the phone with the Code enforcement lady and put my head down to prepare to find a new home for my little ladies. The next day on my drive home I thought to myself, if i have to give this up, then this town should repay me the monies I have invested into the set up and my girls, which I knew was a joke. So I decided screw it, I am gonna fight this and win. I contacted a friend of mine who worked for the department of agriculture, told her what was up, which she said was bullpocky, and told me to fax her down the information they sent and she would look it over and confer with her bosses. So I waited and waited...missed the deadline the chickens were suppose to be evicted by..and finally got a call from my friend. She said that they had sat down in their staff meeting and gone through it all and I was breaking no ordinances, (which by the way stated I wasn't allowed to keep, maintain, or produce for sale or lease) because I had 3 hens, no rooster, my birds were more in the classification of show birds and hahah READY FOR THIS...didn't matter anyway..the town had never sent their ordinances into the DOA for approval, so they weren't in compliance. So I kindly called the CEO at the town officer, told her what I learned, and that I was not breaking and ordinances and offered her the number to the lovely folks at the department of Agi. She asked me to writer her a quick e-mail stating why they are considered pets so she had it, and she was impressed that I did my research, and didn't think we'd have an issue. On a side note...if we did the upper from the DOA said the y would come down to an appeal with me in front of the selectmen and fight with me!! Here's the letter I wrote to the CO as well. I get to stay...yay!

Good Morning Cindy,

These chickens are considered pets because chickens are a social creature,and very interactive with humans. The three chickens I have adopted into my family are interacted with every day, played with and taken care such as a dog or cat is and they are all named as well (Babs,Mac, & Ginger). Chickens also come in homes with the families in a lot of cases as well. They are checked for mites and ticks daily, they were vaccinated, there are tended to if they are sick or injured, where as in most production facilities birds with any issues are immediately removed from there flock and destroyed. They have a healthy well built in closure to live and play in with proper shelter from the elements, and plenty of water for hydration and food as well.
The intention of livestock chickens are to breed young, produce eggs and create income. They are not socialized with, their living environment is usually less then healthy and the quantity of the chickens for livestock is much greater for production of eggs and off spring. I also do not have a rooster, nor do I intend on getting one, they are for production purposes only, and not need in the setting of family birds. The three birds I have are also more towards the class of birds show/fancy birds which are also not a production bird because of their classification and are not high yield bird. The three birds I will have will lay eggs at some point, but not enough to sell or profit from, or give away, personal use only.
These are good animals for a family setting for there social abilities and personalities. My wife has a 4 year old brother that comes to visit and play with the chickens, and she is also pregnant with our first, and I believe raising your children with these animals is also a good lesson in respecting our environment and showing them how these animals prefer to be treated.
Any other questions you may have regarding them or the ordinances, you my also call ********* at the Department of Agriculture at 207-2**-****, and she would be more then happy to talk with you about this as well.

Thanks Again and have a good day.


So did I do good????

 

[rooster0209]

You Rock!

 

[xtremevermonter]

Woot! Good work!

 

[CoopCrazy]

You did GREAT .... Thats awesome.. Its amazing how a lil planning , some reasearch , and a call to the " Higher Authorities" , can produce some amazing results ... Bravo on you victory

 

[chickflick]

You did good!!

I'm happy it all worked out for you! Good job!

 

[shay20]

Ummm ok who is your freind , I NEED HELP TOOO!!!!!
I have to get a permit for mine. I meen I belive the zooning guy and the board of health is on my side, but any extra help is awsome, becouse lets face it there not the one that is gonna decide.

Please, Ask your freind for some addvice, I live in Leicester Mass.
I allready read that my town is a hertige town and agriculter is part of it.

 

[scbatz33]

good for you!!! and your girls!!!

 

[trilyn]

Great Job!!

 

[luvmychicknkids]

You did very, VERY good!!!!! Only one thing, I MIGHT have left out the part about roosters being for production purposes only. I would love to see a time when anyone wanting a roo can have one. I just

to hear my boys crow every day!!!! But, even if I don't agree with that part, you did awesome!!!!

 

[redoak]

Congrats