illegal owners, how many chickens do u have?

[chkinut]

i have 4 chickens who are almost a year old and things are going great! i have a 6ft privacy fence and i've had no problems with neighbors etc. i have some new chicks...waiting to see which ones are roos as they age......and i have more chicks coming in march from Meyer (i'm giving most of them to a friend).....i'm thinking of increasing my flock from 4 to 12 or 14......my question is for other illegal chicken owners. How many chickens do you have and how is it going? Do you think 12 or 14 would be too much for an illegal?

 

[RockwaterFarm]

How is owning chickens illegal? i have 30 chickens 14 ducks and a goose is that illegal. everyone loves them in my town, they swim in my neighbors pond and everyone asks me questions

 

[Fred's Hens]

My daughter and SIL might sneak a coup into their suburban backyard, against the ordinances. I have recommended to them to be modest, if they go ahead. 3 hens will give them all the eggs they'll need. It allows for a small coup and run set up that isn't too noticeable. 3 hens are easier to keep quiet and don't create much smell, with good care, and so forth.

Beyond that, her small back yard would not allow a quality life for many more. It'd border on the cruel to keep many more, detection by the city or no detection, nuisance to neighbors or not.

 

[jenesis536]

Edited to remove stuff I didn't write and know nothing about.

What are chickens anyway?

 

[chkinut]

yeah, we have a pretty big backyard...which is good. My 4 girls gave us a lot of eggs during the summer and fall....but now i only get about 4 eggs a week if i'm lucky. and i was hoping to supply my extended family with eggs (in-laws and bro-in-laws family,....and my best friend). i'm wanting a few more different colored egg layers....i have a BCM who is about a month old and looks like a hen and i have some 5 day old Olive Eggers. i'm trying my best though to keep numbers down. if i could keep the flock to 10, that would be even better....but i have to try really hard!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Here's another thought.

Those "not allowed" or those "allowed, but limited number" folks also need to consider setting a good example. If the backyard chicken laws are to be changed, those doing it need to be models, proto types of what communities can expect.

If someone over loads, or cannot control themselves or their flocks, it doesn't help "The Cause", if you know what I mean. It reinforces people's concerns and bias against it. Just something to consider.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
If I were an illegal backyarder, and my needs for goodly numbers of eggs was a criteria, merely having a larger and larger flock to achieve it isn't the way I'd go, quite honestly.

If limited to just a few birds, make sure you have tip top layer breeds or hybrids. That is the only genuine solution.
This brings to bear the whole utility versus pet issue, which complicates things, of course. We're still talking stealth operations here, right?

 

[Chickenaddict]

40 some....

but they are bantams and very well cared for, trained to stay in the yard and are super tame and friendly. The coop and run are always clean and never stink, the compost is shared with the community and the eggs are eaten by many around here. The community adores them as does the sherriff who is animal control. I agree with freds hens. I wouldn't let it get out of control to the point where it becomes an issue for anyone. If we have a noisey roo and someone has a complaint, they come to us and the rooster is rehomed, simple as that. Keeping the peace with the neighbors is key.

 

[hallerlake]

Deleted because talking about illegal activities on a public forum is not a good idea.

 

[chkinut]

Quote:
oh definately....i keep my girls very clean and i love doin it cuz i just love being out there with them. and i would never keep a rooster. and even if i happen to have a loud hen....i have 3 friends who live in the country that would be happy to take her.