illinois towns that allow backyard chickens

[ForClucksSake]

Thanks for the suggestions, Gargoyle! I'm actually looking at houses in both Batavia and St. Charles. I admit I prefer St. Charles, but I'm not willing to be illegal, so if it doesn't work out there, Batavia is my backup. Also, I really appreciate the suggestion of visiting Trellis Farm & Garden. It's great to get a head start on tracking down resources like that. I'll be up in the area looking at houses in a few days, so I'll try to plan a stop there afterward.

Oh, and a bit of good news to add to the pot - I was originally looking in the Rockford area, and we checked out a few houses in Caledonia (Boone county). We discovered that they allowed six hens, no roosters. I don't know any details about coop restrictions or incorporated vs. unincorporated rules because I decided to focus further south, but that should be a good start for anyone who might be looking to own chickens in the area.

 

[ForClucksSake]

Hey all - just wanted to give an update on the St. Charles law for those who might be wondering or might come across this later. We called the City of St. Charles and spoke with two people including the man in charge of enforcement of violations. Here is the information we received:

Chicken for personal use are allowed in St Charles. The rule about agricultural zoning is that if you want to sell chicken or eggs (business use), then it should be in areas zoned agricultural. They expect village residents to have a handful of chicken and not 30 or 50. They also do not have specific rule against roosters, but if there is a noise complaint from a neighbor, then they will issue a $100 ticket each time. They also do not have limits on lot size or restrictions on chicken coup. The city has not had any problems with household chicken and therefore have not developed any specific ordinance for lot size or coop.

So needless to say, I'm thrilled to finally have verbal confirmation on something that I couldn't find in writing.

 

[Gargoyle]

Hey all - just wanted to give an update on the St. Charles law for those who might be wondering or might come across this later.

So, when can we welcome you to the neighborhood?

 

[ForClucksSake]

Haha, I'm hoping it's as soon as possible, Gargoyle! These houses are all selling at lightning speed. I find something online, we drive by to check out the neighborhood, and by the time we call the realtor to set up an appointment, the thing's already got a contract! We're seeing two St. Charles houses tomorrow, so cross your fingers for me and my future cluckers!

 

[72mino]

Okay I did whole lot of research this morning, I live in Peoria County which is apart of Bartonville township and there never was an ordinance made up for this, which means that we can have anything, as long as no one complains, and even then they really can;t do anything about it. I know on the city side of Peoria you can't and in the village of Bartonville itself I think you can't, but outside the village lines you can. So that means that I can have horses, goats, pigs, chickens, roosters, anything I want as long as it is in reason. I am really excited about this, I think I'm going to buy a dairy goat. Wish me luck!

I work with a part time Bartonville police officer who has chickens just outside the village, and he told me that the Chief of police has chickens in town.

 

[Gargoyle]

Haha, I'm hoping it's as soon as possible, Gargoyle! These houses are all selling at lightning speed. I find something online, we drive by to check out the neighborhood, and by the time we call the realtor to set up an appointment, the thing's already got a contract! We're seeing two St. Charles houses tomorrow, so cross your fingers for me and my future cluckers!

Check out this listing on Craigslist, 5 mi. north of 64.
https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/mat/4178905036.html
5 acres total, a mix of B1 (business) and F (farm), I'm pretty sure residential is allowed on the F section.
Their site with more info: www.buy25.webs.com

 

[luis torrijos]

I live in Bolingbrook ilinois I wish we are allowed to have chikens I love thos animals I wish I can do something can some one help me what can I do

 

[unitid2000]

Hi...I'm from Oak Lawn, IL and trying to find out if I can have backyard chickens here........does anybody know or know where I can get this information? Thanks!

 

[luis torrijos]

What can we do to change the laws so Bolingbrook allows chikens please

 

[Gargoyle]

Springfield allows chickens... The following is from the Chicago Tribune, May 11, 2014.

Quote:

SPRINGFIELD — The chickens have come home to roost at the Illinois governor’s mansion, but this time it’s not a political metaphor.

Nine chickens, from breeds like Ameraucana to Rhode Island Reds, are cooped up at the Executive Mansion.

The hens landed at the 159-year-old official state residence a couple of weeks ago, after they were rescued from a woman who couldn’t take care of them any longer.

They are enclosed inside a pen in the mansion’s rose garden.

Springfield is among the Illinois cities that allow people to keep chickens, but these hens are the first known to have resided on the mansion grounds — at least in recent generations, said David Blanchette, a former administrator with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency who’s now a spokesman for Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.

It’s the latest addition to a sustainability theme that’s developed at a place that now features rain barrels, a compost area to create fertilizer for the landscaped mansion grounds and a vegetable garden that grows things like herbs, lettuce and tomatoes.

The birds are staying in a white henhouse donated by the Heritage Poultry Breeders Association. Providing some of the feed is Archer Daniels Midland, the Decatur-based agribusiness giant that’s moving its headquarters to Chicago.

Mostly, though, the hens are eating chicken scraps such as lettuce and potato peels.

The chickens come in different colors: black and red, gray and brown, just brown and just white. Collectively, they’re laying about six or seven eggs a day.

“They’re all hens,” Blanchette said. “You don’t want roosters in there because, if you have roosters, suddenly the eggs become little chicks, and these eggs are for eating.”

— Maura Zurick