I hate covenants!!!

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote:
Had the same experience as Danus and it's very upsetting.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Danaus & Toast, while your experience was that you were not allowed chickens, unless you live in the same neighborhood under the same covenants, it doesn't count. The specific wording in your covenants is likely different (if not, please quote your covenants), along with the neighborhood enforcing them (as compared with the OP's where other residents have had chickens without having any restrictions enforced against them differs.

 

[TinyBirds]

We got chickens anyway when we lived in a subdivision. No one complained (the hens make less noise than a pet dog) and one neighbor just said "seems fine to me since another neighbor has a pet pig". This was a nighborhood than specifically said no chickens allowed (weren't allowed in that city either). So if the neighbors said fine, I would definitely go for it. Getting chickens changed my life and I could never go back to life without them.

 

[Rick494]

If you're going to argue they're just pets, I would start out with just a few. It would be easier to argue that 3-4 hens are pets than 10.

 

[keds]

I am in a similar situation--Chickens are fine in the county, but the HOA rules say only household pets, properly confined and maintained, and not used or raised for commercial purposes. Hmmm, vague...a recent attempt to SPECIFICALLY ban poultry as well as all pets other than "a suitable number of dogs or cats, small birds in a cage or a properly maintained aquarium " got people really mad and did not pass. All the existing HOA board members were then voted out and replaced with new ones.
I told my neighbors (one of whom is on the new HOA board) about my plan to get 2-3 chickens and they were fine with it (one did ask---why only 3?), and I would never dream of getting a rooster. I also researched and chose breeds that are known for being quiet and that "bear confinement well" as they will never be out of their run unless I am supervising them! I have a cute coop and run that color coordinates with my house( LOL) and I clean it alot, as well as bringing in all their food at night to discourage mice/rats. And I do consider them our family pets!
I hope I'm in the clear and have done my homework, but I'm still nervous about the chicken police! My 3 girls are around 2 months old and living happily in the back yard,

One of my older relatives (jokingly) suggested "raising up some hogs" in the back yard for a while. Then the neighbors would be so happy about me just having chickens!