Illegal Chickens??

[Danaus29]

With only a few hens and a good building it should be very easy to reduce the egg song noise. Keep the hens inside in the morning. When I was a kid we had over 100 laying hens (on a medium size farm in farm country). The coop was less than 100 feet from the house and we rarely heard the chickens being noisy. The doors were kept shut (screened windows allowed air circulation) until about 10 am then the chickens were let out into their pen. We sold eggs as a side business and it was very important that the eggs were laid in the coop and not outside in the pen.

Forgot to mention the buildings and shrubbery between the coop and our house. Having plants and/or walls between the coop and the neighbors will keep a lot of sound from traveling.

 

[cass1776]

Thank All Of You Guys And Gals For Your Advice/knowledge On This Issue I Really Appreciate It.i Wanted To See If Others Were In The Same Situation As I Am And It Seems That There Is:d

 

[hiker125]

CASS1776- I am in the exact same situation as you.

I really want chickens, but the HOA and my town say no chickens. I have a pretty well concealed backyard with lots of evergreens and a 6 ft soild privacy fence.

Can't try to change the laws/regs because DH is politically active and doesn't want to make waves. I only want 2-3 hens, no roosters and want to have a completely covered run and well insulated coop.

Please let us know what you ultimately decide to do.

 

[Roundiehill]

Don't know exactly about the HOA "laws", but we have had our "outlaw" chickens for about 3-4 years now with only 1 incidence. Shortly after we got them the city was called, saying we had sixty something chickens (actual 2 hens and 4 pullets). The lady from the city told us that she commended us for doing something good for our family and told us that if they were called again, to sign our children up for 4H. According to her, since our children would be in 4H and using the chickens for their project, there was nothing that the township could do about it.

 

[big mami]

Hiker125: I'm only allowed 1 hen by city ordinance, but have 3. Like others have mentioned, it's all about the neighbors. Make sure you're on friendly terms, promise eggs, and, if necessary, LIE ABOUT THE ORDINANCE. One of my neighbors thinks we can have 5 hens legally. The other knows the truth and is totally on my side - wishes he had hens too. Anyway, that has worked for me so far (one year). I'd go for it! Best of luck.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Hiker, I would think it more politically damaging for your dh to be found to be keeping chickens illegally (breaking laws and rules) than trying to change them. Big Mami, I hope you don't have kids--lying does not set a good example for them.

 

[drdoolittle]

I may come off a a "goody two shoes" but I don't think you should ever do something if you know it is illegal. It just seems kind of, I don't know, "immature" comes to mind----at least as far as keeping chickens illegally. I do understand that a lot of things we take for granted were probably considered "illegal" at some point-----such as the right to practice whatever religion we so choose. However, this is not something as life-altering as right to religion, freedom of speech, or basic human rights. I think other posters are right in saying that if keeping chickens is that important to you, and not just some "hobby" for you, then you should either try to get your local laws changed, or move where it is legal to keep them. It's kind of annoying to people who do obey their local ordinances when someone else tries to get away with doing something that goes against those local ordinances-------why should one person be able to do something illegal and everyone else not be able to?

 

[drdoolittle]

cass1776 wrote:

Thank All Of You Guys And Gals For Your Advice/knowledge On This Issue I Really Appreciate It.i Wanted To See If Others Were In The Same Situation As I Am And It Seems That There Is:d

Does that mean that because others are keeping chickens illegally, it makes it right? Goes along the lines of "If your best friend jumped off a cliff, would you?" Just my opinion.​

 

[theFox]

"Can't try to change the laws/regs because DH is politically active and doesn't want to make waves. "

ROTFLMBFAO Someone who is politically active who doesn't want to make waves, surely ye are jesting???????!!!!!!!!

You breaking town laws and or HOA regs would be putting a huge flashing sign over DH, as that is something that will effectively be used against him.

 

[big mami]

Quote:
Ouch! Sonoran Silkies, let's all be nice here, okay? Personal attacks tend to scare people off of forums. You can give your opinion without being hurtful (could have said "I don't like lying myself" rather than "I hope you don't have kids"). Let's keep this a wonderful, informative, inviting forum for all.