MARYLAND THREAD!

[blackoaktammy]

Ohhh thats on my agenda to figure out a solution...do you have a link to these bowls you use? I'd much rather try that before working electric heaters etc.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/fortex-round-feeder-1-2-gal-capacity-black

You can get them at TSC or Bowmans. There are a few different sizes, too.

 

[quackiemama]

Thank you SO much for this information! I absolutely will be calling the zoning office today. Thank you so much for the information! I will keep you posted =)

How is it going? I am hoping you are getting some kind of resolution

 

[Viergacht]

Hi from Frederick, Md!
I've got a small backyard flock with a Speckled Sussex, Gold Laced Wyandotte, Buff Orp, Australorp and two Easter Eggers (sadly my Barred Rock girl passed away last night). I've been looking into Seramas, too, but we aren't zoned for roosters and I am afraid of not being able to find homes for any chicks that turn out to be boys.

 

[quackiemama]

Hi from Frederick, Md!
I've got a small backyard flock with a Speckled Sussex, Gold Laced Wyandotte, Buff Orp, Australorp and two Easter Eggers (sadly my Barred Rock girl passed away last night). I've been looking into Seramas, too, but we aren't zoned for roosters and I am afraid of not being able to find homes for any chicks that turn out to be boys.

Hey there I am just outside of Frederick. I live close to Maryland Heights. Hello neighbor!

 

[Suedan]

First ... I am so sorry you find yourself in the messed up predicament. People can be jerks!

Take a deep breath and call your zoning office. Today. NOW, if you can. Explain the situation with the shared lots and your neighbors and find out how to file for a zoning variance. Do NOT play the failed relationship or selling eggs, or even the "nasty neighbor" cards. For now, at least, this is strictly a zoning issue. Your zoning office (I believe it's in Bel Air) will know if there are exceptions and can advise you on how to file the variance. DO IT THIS WEEK! It's easy to do, it just takes a little time. You'll need to get your neighbors onboard, as they'll need to verify that the birds and the property are shared.

Move quickly on this, as you'll have to attend a zoning meeting, and you don't know when that is scheduled. If you miss it, you have to start over for next month's meeting.

If one of your neighbors has children under 18, have them contact the Agricultural Extension Office and get them signed up for 4H. It's an awesome, inexpensive (how does $10 a year sound?) program for youth and they get to show at the County Fair. They can also qualify for a zoning waiver for a 4H project!

Don't write off your birds, yet. You can do this!

Any luck?

 

[Suedan]

Hey, ya'll!

Yesterday I got a lovely visit from a rather unpleasant man that works for the county stating that there was a complaint about me having bonfires on my property. Upon inspection the unpleasant man determined that since there are rocks around the fire pit that it is perfectly legal. Whoever complained is clearly out to get me because the fire complaint was a total bust so they then filed a complaint about my chickens.

I live in Dublin, Maryland (close to Darlington) in a very rural area on a little over an acre. My neighbors on either side of me and I collectively decided to get some chickens and ducks to raise. We knew that two acres was required but determined that altogether our three properties are over three acres. We could not find any laws or regulations against "combining" our properties to share the ducks and chickens and since the coop is on my property in the middle, it does not interfere with anyone else's property that may not want to be close to a duck and chicken coop/run.

I have been given ten days to remove my ducks and chickens from my property. I am absolutely devastated. My ducks and chickens are spoiled rotten between my neighbors and I, always well cared for and their coop is well maintained. I allow them to free range when I am home and can keep an eye on them just for their safety and to make sure they are not bothering anyone else. They are not loud, they do not smell and they have never damaged anyone's property. They are very friendly and personable, eating out of my hand and following me through the yard waiting for treats! It breaks my heart to think I will have to re-home them.

I use the eggs from the ducks and chickens as a source of food. I also sell them to make money. I am an avid hunter and I fish a lot to put food on the table for myself and my neighbors (which was the main reason I got the chickens and ducks in the first place). I live alone on a teacher's salary and recently ended an engagement three weeks before my wedding due to finding out my fiance was running around on me behind my back. I am not trying to throw a pity party, but give background on my personal life to show how much I depend on the food I harvest from my poultry to help me with my finances and saving money as I went from a two-income household to one very suddenly.

I am writing this post to find out if there are any exceptions for having chickens on less than two acres in Harford County. The surrounding counties (Baltimore and Cecil) only require one acre and I am right on the PA line where they also only require one acre. Since my neighbors and I share the chickens we "technically" have over three acres but I am not sure if that can be used as an exception. I also sell the eggs as a means to make ends meet so I am not sure if I can use that to my advantage.

I also thought that maybe getting a petition signed would be a possibility to get the county to side in my favor? But I am not sure how that all works.

If anyone has any information on exceptions, petitions or anything that I can do to fight (and win) for my ducks and chickens it would be greatly appreciated! I really do not want to get rid of my ducks and chickens. Aside from them providing me eggs as a food source, I really am attached to them and view them as my pets. Thank you in advance!

Any luck?

 

[Amber3113]

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/chickencrazed

 

[MROO]

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/chickencrazed

I'm a little afraid of MeWe, just yet. It's still really new, and a lot of parent and education groups are warning against it for the same reason that others flock to it ... no filters. How long have you been on it and how's it been, so far?

 

[Amber3113]

I've only been on it about a month but no problems so far

 

[blackoaktammy]

I've been on MeWe about a year. It is awkward to use, but I have seen some improvements. I stay in the animal sales groups, so I don't see a lot of the junk that some people see. FB has forced anyone with animals to go elsewhere. I've tried a lot of different apps, MeWe seems to be the most popular in our area. Open Range is the best site I've found, but most of the people there are out west or further south.