IA here

[jkcove08]

Hey all, I just got the flyer for the Waverly swap. I am a little disapointed since I thought usually it was at the end of April, this year it is April 6th. It should still be a lot of fun but maybe a few less baby animals. I will hopefully have ducklings and then chicks to take. Along with some roos and a few other odd balls. Hope to see a bunch of fellow BYC Iowans and surounding staters there. Jenn

 

[Newtoniamommy]

Hi, anyone know of a resource that says where in Iowa you can have chickens in town, prefer cedar rapids area. I want chickens really bad, bad enough that I am moving from where I live now to have them. Let me know if anyone can, thank you sooo much! Ashley

 

[jkcove08]

Are you looking to move into town or a acrage outside? I would have to say that there are many smaller towns outside CR IC and waterloo that would be much nicer to live in or around and not cost you as much. Also in my opinion you have better school in the smaller out lying areas. I am just outside Brandon. I am right in between Waterloo and Cedar Rapids right off 380. Heck there are 3 places that I know of within 5 miles of me that are for sale now. It takes 30 minutes to get to Cedar Rapids from here on 380. I dont know if you can actually have chickens in CR but would be suprise if you could not. Do a lot of checking, there are a lot of decent priced acrages around this area. If you want more info you can PM or email me. Jenn

 

[greenmulberry]

If you are looking for a place outside of a town or city, here is the regulations for everything you ever want to know about what you can do in an unincorporated area of Johnson County.

http://www.johnson-county.com/zoning/pdf/ordinance/code.pdf (This is a big pdf, so not for dialup unless you wait!)

Note on page 30, if you are zoned residential, under "accessory buildings or uses", keeping of poultry for personal use is permitted. If you are zones AR they are pretty much the same.

If you are in Cedar Rapids city limits, this doesn't apply. I don't know what those rules are but I will try and find them!

 

[greenmulberry]

Here are the codes for Cedar rapids. I cannot find ANY mention of chickens, except in the animal regulation they define "fowl" as livestock, but I don't see them prohibited.

http://www.ordlink.com/codes/cedarrapids/

Take a look and maybe you can find something.

 

[greenmulberry]

Alright. When in Cedar Rapids, be careful where you park your poulty truck.

61.097 PARKING OF LIVESTOCK OR POULTRY TRUCKS.

(a) No person shall park any livestock or poultry truck on any street while loaded or partially loaded with livestock or poultry otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in the repairing or adjusting of the vehicle which has been necessitated by an emergency affecting the vehicle, or in obedience to traffic regulations or traffic signs or signals.
(b) No person shall park upon any street any empty livestock or poultry truck unless the same has been cleaned or flushed immediately prior thereto.
(c) No person shall load or unload any livestock or poultry truck upon any street

I will tell you, when I was thinking of moving to Tiffin, I called the city and asked them directly if I could have chickens. They were like, "Uh, of course you can have chickens. You don't mean 200 of them do you?" They seemed to be pretty laid back about things. I would call the "city hall" of the town you are considering, tell them that you have a few pet hens, and are wondering if you would to bring your pets if you moved to their fine city.​

 

[apbgv]

I was thinking as I do that for all of us who are planning on going to the waverly swap we wear some kind of BYC identifying thing so we can figure out if there is anyone on the forum there. Hope the snow is gone by then it is only a month away.

 

[Newtoniamommy]

I honestly do not care be it in town or out as long as I can have some chickens. Now if it was out of town, I would have two nubians(I love goat cheese!!!), several ducks, some heritage turkeys of some sort, guineas, peafowl possibly, some more aussies, more cats(declawed in front to aid those poor little baby bunnies) rabbits, sheep, well the list just goes on and on, it is rather pathetic really. Cant you tell I grew up in an apartment? Sigh. More sighs. Alot more sighs. Currently I live in Newton, they dont "outlaw" it but any thing that is not specifically allowed is well outlawed. But if I stay... I will just put up an 8 foot privacy fence, I live in a 50's ranch community so no upstairs bedrooms for people to spy on me from! My lot is 70x145. I wish I could move to cedar rapids area because I would like to be near my mom and sisters and my dad(he says he is dying, I think this time he is telling the truth possibly) Just not sure yet, I will put BYC on my double stroller at the waverly deal, will be hard to miss my painted over Ron Paul signs lol(dh is sooo silly) hanging on either side. My stroller is red black and silver one of those dreamer design jogging doubles(no I dont jog, but it is so easy to push...) I am looking at getting buff orpingtons and black or red stars for egg layers, obviously some kind of cornish blend for fryers and the like. Anyone have any other good suggestions for chicken breeds for 4b/5a zones hardiness? Sorry, I talk way too much, I am going to get a job at us cellular if I move there I think so I can talk all day and get paid for it instead of paying them! Anyone heard of raising rabbits for meat by the way? I am not sure what I think of it yet but I have met sooo many people who do, you know, for that raw diet for dogs thing. I was considering it because my dad needs to eat liver several times a week and that is the cheapest kind I know of, he needs the taurine I think it is called as he has epilepsy. But they are so soft and fuzzy and cute, rather like chickens in fact hmmm.

 

[apbgv]

Charles city doesn't really allow chickens either but they said as long as I don't have roosters the girls can stay. They don't know about my little serama roo in the house with his girls thinking about tradin a couple of my silkies for something else. They are pretty birds but they don;t interact like the other girls. Haven't decided yet.

 

[jkcove08]

We will definately have to find a way for us all to recognize each other. Ashley, will your DH be able to find a job easily? I still would suggest going to one of the smaller outlieing towns. It would be much cheaper then buying right in CR. My chickens took a 2 month break with all of this cold. Now they are kicking in full swing. One thing you might want to consider it there is Murray McMurray hatchery that is a little distance from you. I am going on the 22nd to pick up my chicks. You would be able to get a small order of what you want if you pick them up. This way you would be able to get a better chance of pullets. The only problem with getting adult birds at a swap is the chance that they are older and slowing down on laying.. Most of the time you will find tons of roos. I definatly say go to Waverly just for the experience!! Also with it being so early in April there might not be as many chicks either. I will have duckling hatching out a week before and some chicks. I will also have button quails if they hatch ok. My son unplugged the bator by mistake and it got down to 74 for a couple hours...AHHHHH!! I bumped up the humidity and they are suppose to hatch this weekend.. There are 36 eggs in there and I am sure most will still hatch. Darn kids. I will be trailing 2 boys and my daughter and hubby. I will still have to find something that will be easy to recognize. Jenn