Kansas City area chicken ordinances - clarification needed

[AlissaP]

I noted on BYC's local chicken laws & ordinances page that as far as Kansas goes, it's "yes" to chooks in Overland Park. However, a Google search brought me to a real estate agent's blog post about where chooks are and aren't allowed in and around the KC area, and Overland Park got a "no." Her name's Sarah Snodgrass - I'd post the link to that blog post here, but I'm experiencing new-member limitations due to BYC's problems with spam.

If anyone could help clarify this, that would be great. We'll be moving to KC this summer, and are about to start house-hunting. I'm brand-new to the whole urban chickens concept, but have been reading extensively on the subject and am quite the "henthusiast" now - my significant other is still more or less on the sidelines, albeit amused at my eagerness to start our own little flock. Lawrence is unfortunately too far away from where our new jobs will be, otherwise it'd be ideal living space, what with CityChooks and all.

It does look like my newfound interest in poultry-keeping may well be dead on arrival, if KS laws have anything to say about the matter. But if anyone has useful information to share, I'd appreciate it all the same. We do plan on trying to avoid buying a place that involves HOA fees and all that jazz, because then it probably doesn't matter what the city stipulates, we'll likely end up in a losing battle with anti-chicken HOA folks anyway.

 

[backyardfarmer83]

If Olathe is of any interest, they just recently changed their "domesticated animal" and zoning laws. There are tons of neighborhoods here that do not have an HOA because they are older, and also because they are older they tend to have bigger backyards. The animal ordinances we have here don't necessarily say that you can have chickens, but there is no ruling against it anymore. Go to www.olatheks.org

and look up the animal laws - these laws mostly talk about cats and dogs, but it lists domesticated animals in general and that includes fowl and other barnyard animals. All Olathe requires is that you not only make sure they are not noisy (which means no roosters) or dangerous, that they are well tended to, kept healthy and clean and are always given food, water, and shelter. There's a house in my cul-de-sac for sale, so I'm sure there's plenty of places in Olathe worth looking at.

 

[AlissaP]

Thanks for this information! Olathe is in fact one of the possibilities on our list, and it's good to learn that at least there's no outright prohibition of chickens there. Have you been obliged to seek your neighbors' "blessing" on keeping hens, by the way? (If you have and they've agreed, kudos for having cooperative neighbors - that's another potential issue with our move, because one usually doesn't get to pick one's neighbors along with the house

). It's occurred to me that we could find a nice place, say in Olathe, have no HOA to contend with, and acquire a few chooks (going by the assumption that if they aren't expressly forbidden, they're "allowed") - but then have our new neighbors promptly call Animal Control. Not sure what we'd do if this situation were to play out!

 

[backyardfarmer83]

You know, I haven't asked but I know my neighbors pretty well and I don't think they'd mind. I technically only have one neighbor because I'm on the corner lot, but I have a neighbor who's backyard touches mine, and I talk to him on occasion. He's a pretty old dude and very easy going about stuff. I think as long as they are kept out of sight, no one will ever really know unless you say something (since hens are pretty quiet). As far as animal control goes, the city does have rules about what animal control can do. They are only allowed to take away dangerous animals, unlicensed animals (and the only animals that are required to have licenses are dogs and cats) or animals that are being neglected. Sometime in the future I'm going to be getting a privacy fence put up, mostly for my daughters' safety and my neighbor's dog likes to jump the fence. But once that is done, the chickens will have a nice closed in area to run around in.

 

[816honeybee]

I live in North Kansas City, MO. Our city code states that you can have a chicken house as long as it is 100 feet or more from your neighbors house. You are not allowed to have roosters. You can have up to 15 laying hens or 50 chicks under 4 months old, I guess that would be good for someone wanting to raise meat chickens. Sure wish I could keep a rooster. Love this thought I read in "The Joy of Keeping Chickens" "The fact that zoning in towns allows residents to raise a barking, crapping dog the size of a small elephant, but not four hens for a steady fresh egg supply shows just how lacking in common sense we have become as a society" So true.

 

[ContessaKris]

Quote:
If you'll go to this link: http://www.municode.com/library/Library.aspx
and look up the city you're looking for and then scroll down to its 'animals' codes, you'll find what you're looking for.

Here's the info on Kansas City Mo I found there: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientID=10156&stateID=25&statename=Missouri
"Number of animals or fowl; keeping of roosters. Except where fowl, rabbits or other small animals are kept for sale within a bona fide produce market, commission house or store for the purpose of trade and while so kept are confined in small coops, boxes or cages, or where such animals or fowl are kept for purposes of research in a laboratory, or in areas zoned for agricultural use, it shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain, within 100 feet of the nearest portion of any dwelling or other building occupied by or in any way used by human beings except for a dwelling occupied by the owner or keeper of such animals, more than 15 chickens or other domestic fowl four months or more of age or 50 chicks or other domestic fowl under four months of age, or more than ten rabbits or other small animals over the age of four months, or more than 25 rabbits or other small animals under the age of four months. No rooster which crows shall be kept within 300 feet of any residence or dwelling except that of the owner or keeper."
There is more info about coops and such but this tells you how many you can have at least.

Kansas City, KS link: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=13488&stateId=16&stateName=Kansas
"Except where fowl or animals are kept for sale within a bona fide produce market, commission house or store for the purposes of trade and while so kept are confined in small coops, boxes or cages, or where such animals or fowl are kept for purposes of research in a laboratory, or less than five birds are kept in a home as pets, such as canaries, parakeets, parrots, finches, and doves, it shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain any chicken coop, dove cote, rabbit hutch or other yard establishment for the housing of fowl or small animals closer than 100 feet to the nearest portion of any building occupied by or in anywise used by human beings, other than the dwelling occupied by the owner or keeper of the animals or fowl, or closer than 25 feet to the property line of the lot. Animals and fowl so kept or maintained shall be enclosed on all sides and shall not be allowed to run or fly at large, except for homing pigeons."

It doesn't say how many you can have in KCK that i can find.

 

[pikeman94]

Backyardfarmer,

Where in Olathe are you located? I am on the NW side at K-10 and Woodland. I am in a new development that is fairly dead in the developing department because of the economy. I live on a dead-end and have four neighbors. Three of the four know. Of the three that know, one is a veterinarian and loves the chickens, the second is a quiet couple that like to watch the girls run around the yard from their deck and the third that knows is a farm -- she is the one that planted the bug in me. I suspect the fourth doesn't care too much as he is a single dad with 3 teenagers -- he has his own problems to tend to.

Also, I have noticed driving around town a few coops in backyards. I suspect if the chickens become a big deal Olathe will follow suit with KC on modifying the laws so that they don't tick off the citizens. The whole reason KC changed their laws was because so many people had small flocks in their backyards that were in violation of the existing ordinance. I dirgree....

Anyways, if you see this respond and any one else for that matter. I want to see who has hens in Olathe.

Pikeman94

 

[bukbukbuk]

Hi friends, I'm in the process of trying to change the City of Olathe's ordnance on chickens. I thought I'd give it a try! If you would like to help, let me know. So far, there isn't anything for you to do. I'm finding out what to do and who to talk with. If you're interested, I'll give you more information as time goes by.

 

[pikeman94]

bukbukbuk,

You can officially count me in. PM me.

Rob (pikeman94)

 

[bukbukbuk]

I'll let you know my progress. Thanks for your help.