LAWRENCE, KANSAS ROOS

jisele

In the Brooder
6 Years
Feb 21, 2013
13
1
24
Lawrence, KS
Topeka KS has allowed roosters for some time and they don't have any more complaints than Lawrence does. There's always going to be a few complaints about anything. I had my 4 6-wk old hens in a little pen in my front yard while I was gardening and suddenly there's a pit bull on a 16' leash in my front yard (fortunately he was ignoring my chicks). This young man followed, saying chickens should be against the law! I pointed out that my chicks were in a pen in my yard being watched by me and his pit bull was on an illegally long leash (not under his control) and had rushed up to me. (I was on my knees weeding. Fortunately it was friendly and only licked my face.) I wasn't rushing in the house to call the police or screaming about his dog, so why was he bothering about my little chicks? Surprisingly he apologized. And before I get emails...this wasn't about pit bulls, I don't really want any strange dog suddenly shoving his face into mine. The #1 dog biter in the US is the dachshund followed by the chihuahua. Of course they can't do the damage that pit bulls can but having been bitten by dachsunds and 1 chihuahua...it still hurt.

Back to the subject...I have it (a good authority) that when Lawrence disallowed roosters back in 2009 there was only one person (albeit one with power) opposing roosters. Crowing roosters was not never an issue. The concern was encouraging cockfights. (Those people are already breaking the law and would still be in violation if we allowed roosters...the law obviously is not a consideration for them!)

Roosters really add a lot to a flock...they're the early warning system for predators (with different vocalizations for different types of predators), they often run predators off, settle disputes and a good rooster will alert his hens when he's found a good food cache, usually letting his girls eat first! And they are so beautiful! What would you rather hear in the am...a rooster or the trash truck?

Anyway the one holdout on allowing roosters is no longer in Lawrence. I've never done this before but is anyone willing to help get the law changed now that we have a very good opportunity?
 
I live in Lawrence too! I completely understand the way you feel, but I have had roosters and understand how annoying they can be to some neighbors. I had two silkie roos at once, and the animal control came and told us we had to get rid of them. We did, but were really sad about it. Basically, what I'm saying is I can see both sides of things. I don't think I'm willing to help change a law that is necessary (I really don't want to sound stupid) in my opinion, although I absolutely love roos, and agree with you on everything you said a roo adds to a flock. If I lived a little farther away from my closest neighbors, then I would definitely agree (Our houses are literally separated by a driveway on either side of my house) Anyway, sorry about that. I just wanted to tell you my view on the matter. I hope you can get some people together to help change this law (I know I'm making contradictory statements
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I wish you luck fellow Lawrence chicken farmer!!
Iris
 
Thanks! I have neighbors and idw to damage our relationships. But they have dogs that bark all night and Cockatoos and other parrots that are much louder and more annoying than a rooster. In fact there isn't a roo out there that's louder and more persistent than those adorable little call ducks. (Odd that in the duck family the duck (hen) is the loud one. In most breeds drakes don't quack. The ones that do have a quieter, raspy quack.) I guess I was hoping to find a roo that wasn't a really loud or constant crower. But not everyone would be considerate if the law changed. I need to think about it some more.

I live in East Lawrence and the big problem in my 'hood is people not mowing and yards filled w/brush and trash. I've mowed over several snakes this year. The one I hit w/the weedeater was horrible. The weedeater threw blood etc back onto my legs! I showered forever! I didn't see any of these snakes or I wouldn't have run them over. I often see them in the am...laying in my yard sunning. When I go out they head back to the same yard so I know where they're coming from.

I've spoken to him...he's not interested. I probably will have to take more serious action which I hate. You do what you have to do and some of his weeds could now qualify as small saplings!

Thanks for your PM...you have a point. Idw to make things worse. Why can't we just explain the problems to the roos and get their cooperation? Something like, "Look, jobs for roos are scarce. Most of you end up naked in a freezer. So let's say you don't crow until 9am (10am on weekends), leave those high notes alone and let's keep the crows to a minimum. Loud crows are for predators only. The rest of the time...clucking, soft crows, conversational-level voices. Learn from the hens...they get their points across w/o all that loud noise." (Lol,maybe). It would be so much simpler.

Thanks! Jisele
 
Lol! I wish you could just tell them to stop, it would be in their best interest. Just the day before yesterday I had to quickly take in a rooster, but he started crowing! My family was left frantically searching for anyone, anyone to take the rooster, to butcher or keep him as a pet. Luckily, my dad works in the restaurant business (I don't know if you've ever been to 715, but he's a part owner), and it wasn't to difficult to convince his chef friends to take a free rooster (poor rooster
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) We really wanted to keep this rooster, but didn't want to risk loosing all our hens. My dad said that the man who took the rooster was very grateful was going to have a wonderful dinner yesterday night...

Yes, I know!!! Dogs can be soooooo annoying and constantly bark! I have a few of those dogs in my neighborhood. If roosters only crowed in the morning, it might be ok, if you kept them in a soundproof coop or something, but no, they crow all day long! If i was my neighbor, I probably would not be pleased to be awakened at 5 in the morning, considering the fact that they don't get to enjoy the chickens in the way i do.

OMG i cannot imagine mowing over a snake. so gross, and I also am an animal lover, so i would feel really bad... I think there is a law about upkeep involved with yard management-I would look into it.

Thanks, Iris
 
There are codes but the city moves slowly and they have a lot of cases. Some of these cases take years to resolve. I'm older, disabled and have to mow over several days...no problem. Then I have two "scattered site" houses that belong to LDCHA. They come around and measure frequently and fine you $40. That have very few problems with compliance. Which is sad...because if you're poor, have kids (and you have to have a job...its the back to work program), you have to comply with the rules. And there's others that do. But there are several homes with more than one adult, no kids (they do have jobs) but still...some of those weeds qualify as small saplings. One lady has poison ivy six feet high outside her back gate to keep people from looking in her yard (the gate is locked), that's just insane. Oh well, could be worse. I'm just grateful that I'm able to take care of and enjoy my back yard.

There's one guy (obviously he has some problems) but he digs up poison ivy, those huge leafed plants that develop burrs in August and various other noxious weeds and plants them in his yard. He recently found deadly nightshade somewhere and is transplanting it. He also has dismembered dolls and broken panes of glass. The city said that its hard to tell art work from trash. I bet if he was their neighbor it wouldn't be that difficult.

Yeah the snake thing was horrible. I just moved here last fall so I didn't realize how much groundcover was in my yard (I'm working on it), you can't see what under those leaves. I don't want to kill the snakes but I want them to go somewhere else. Things are better now. I know what to expect and I won't let the groundcover get away from me again. And I'm working on the source.

Sorry about your rooster. It nust suck to be a rooster. You only need 1 for 15-20 hens and in the city you can't have any. Doesn't leave many places for them to go. And I've had some really sweet roos.
 

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