L.A. panel calls for rooster restrictions... WHAT???!!!

[JessHall]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-roosters21-2009jul21,0,5162428.story

... I think these guys waited until I got into chickens to pull this!
... What the heck is next?
On a more serious note, I think that this whole thing is very unfortunate and I hope that this does not pass.
I just got back into chickens after having some as a child. I wanted my family to have the same wonderful experiences that I had growing up.
I placed an order for 25 (the minimum from the hatchery) Australorps. Five of the 25 are roosters. Many of our new chickens are going to other homes, as I just don't have room for 25, however I plan on keeping about 10 hens and 1 rooster.
So now what happens if they have chicks? What's the city going to make me do with them?!

I was reading one of my chicken books and according to it, Australorps are considered an endangered breed. And the city is going to fine me if I let them have chicks and some happen to be males? Boy, they sure aren't doing these birds any favors!

I KNOW that roosters can be noisy but I live on a private road, where there are only 7 homes... one of which my parents own! And most of the other neighbors have known me since I was a child... we are in a rural area and I highly DOUBT that my chickens will cause a problem.

As I said before, I want my family to have the privilege of having chickens, I want them to have the responsibility of caring for them, and be rewarded in the form of eggs, and that sense of pride that is only developed by hard work and diligence.
I think that today's society is placing far too much emphasis on the hussle and bussle of day to day living and quite honestly we are becoming far too urbanized. A FARM ANIMAL IS MAKING NOISE!!! And these people's solution is to make the owners downsize! Everyone talks about being "green" and is pushing the organic thing... and what do we do?! Make people get rid of their chickens?!
Some of the best people, the hardest workers, and the most sincere friends I have ever met come from a rural background, where they have had to work for every bit they have, and they are thankful for it. I think that by all these ordinances, we are discouraging the rural way of life and therefore contributing to a dying way of life.

I hope that at least some of this makes sense... I am so angry I can barely think straight.
Keep your fingers crossed for those of us with chickens in Los Angeles County... Thanks!

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to read that you can keep ONE rooster, just not more than one. Unfortunately, particularly due to the sport of fighting, such laws help curb the activity. So, it looks like your plan to have 10 hens and 1 roo are not in jeopardy. Many urban chicken keepers cannot have ANY roosters.

I don't think Australorps are an endangered breed of chicken (just look at how many BYCers have them and they are readily available at many hatcheries). Also, you won't 'happen' to have any chicks if you collect all the eggs daily.

It would seem your goal, as you said is to, to have the responsibility of caring for them, and be rewarded in the form of eggs, is safe. Good luck !

 

[JessHall]

Greyhorsewoman,
You are not wrong, you CAN have 1 rooster.
My book "Story's guide to Raising Chickens" DOES list Australorps as endgangered, along with Barred Rocks and some other heavy multi-purpose breeds (surprising I know)!

In response to your comment, "Many urban chicken keepers cannot have ANY roosters" Unfortunately, if people keep putting these restrictions on us, we will not be able to keep any roosters either. Little by little, they take away what we are able to keep.
I DO NOT agree with fighting chickens. But sadly, that is not the reason they are imposing this restriction... it is due to the noise.
I understand that my plans are not hindered, however I WILL let my chickens hatch their chicks once my hens slow down laying. What will happen then, I'm not sure.

Thanks for your input, you put a positive spin on things

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Well, I don't want to argue with Storey, but I guess my definition of endangered is quite different from his:

An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters.
Endangered: faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future.

At this point, there may be some breeds of chickens whose numbers have twindled due to lack of interest, but I don't think Barred Rock and Australorps are among those.​

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

There is a difference between production and heritage stock, but I too find the idea that either australorps or barred rocks are endangered pretty inaccurate. You see many of both at poultry shows--and exhibition lines tend to follow the same traits as heritage.

 

[JessHall]

I really wish I had that book with me so that I could site the page etc. I agree that these birds are readily available, however he listed a whole bunch (many of which are owned by BYC'ers) on a page as being endangered or threatened or something...maybe he meant that as far as industry goes... I wouldn't know without re-reading it again.
Whatever the case may be, he wrote it for some reason and it really isn't worth the debate to me because they are not the standard definition of endangered... My whole point for the post is that the only thing really endangered is our rights as chicken owners.

 

[AZKat]

Even though there are a lot of back yard flocks out there, its a drop in the bucket compared to the millions (probably billions) of chickens being raised by the commercial poultry industry.
So in that sense, these breeds are endangered, because if it weren't for the demand created by people who want to raise small flocks, these breeds would cease to exist pretty rapidly.

 

[JessHall]

Quote:
I think that is exactly what he meant. I just couldn't find the words lol.

 

[Little Chicky]

If the law passes, you could explain your situation to the city hall and see if they'll grandfather you.

 

[GardeNerd]

I'm sorry that this will negatively impact you. However, most of the city of Los Angeles is pretty urban, not agricultural. They are making the law to suit the majority of the population's needs. Maybe if you are area zoned agricultural there be might be an exception not mentioned in the article. Have you seen an actual copy of the possible change in the codes or just this brief article?

I live in a city where there is a zero rooster policy, but it is within Los Angeles county. Previously, I was surprised when someone I knew who got chicks at the same time as me, who lives off the 10 fwy between the 405 and 110, told me she could legally keep roosters in L.A. if any of the chicks turned out to be males! Wow! I think the L.A. city council members are being generous not banning ALL roosters considering the laws of the surrounding cities with similar density to L.A. However, I do believe there should be exceptions for any agriculturally zoned properties.

Just don't keep the extra male chicks, once identified as such, and I doubt you will get fined.