Michigan

[Keleka]

When I called the city over the violation I mentioned the Michigan Right to Farm Act. The building official responded that I don't have the right to farm, and would issue tickets immediately if I don't comply. It seems to me as if the neighbors know someone who works for the city. I have found a few other people that keep chickens in Royal Oak, and one even has a rooster!

I have made a call to the Michigan department of agriculture and hopefully they can expand on this act and explain my rights to me.

 

[ChicwannaB]

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=182280 good reading

 

[ChicwannaB]

Quote:
you could always go get a barking dog thats even louder than what the other neighbors have and see how they react to THAT..hahahahahaha. Thats actually mean, but funny. Its not easy being nice to people who are nasty to you.

 

[yorkchick]

Here I am, just a few hours away from goose guardianship. Was it all that reminiscing about the baby shower goose egg that did it? No, it started way before that. I remember thinking how sweet Penelope looked at Chickenstock, following Mom 2em All's daughter around. But I wasn't really motivated to seriously consider geese then. Then I had a friend this year trying to get me to take some turkeys, which were Broad Breasted Whites, and that got me thinking about other types of fowl than chickens--but I knew I would want something a little more suited to well, normal existence than a BBW--I thought, maybe next spring I'll try letting my Sebright broody hatch out a couple Bourbon Red or Royal Palm turkeys... and then I went even further afield: geese? peafowl? guinea fowl? They were all dreamed of in turn.

Then Mom2 had the run-in with the city inspector, and I could not get those three geese out of my mind. We have the room, we have the zoning, any of the neighbors who might be annoyed totally deserve to be annoyed if they think they have any right to complain. (The houses on the road are quite spread out, mostly they are 10 acre lots, and all zoned agricultural, my attitude is if you can't stand the sound of power boats, don't buy lakefront property

). I started to picture those geese here. But I thought, oh, someone else will certainly take them from the Michigan thread, someone maybe closer to Mom2 so she and her family could visit more easily, or someone who knows something about geese since I'm such a novice. And I know KrisRose was willing to take them. But I sent Mom2 a message describing what we had here and offering to be an option. 'Cause honestly I was falling in love with them long-distance.

Now tomorrow they will be here. I know Kim is very very sad to lose them. I have gone back and read the original thread that described how she got Henry as an orphaned and abandoned gosling. Then the parts of the Michigan thread where she got Penelope from KrisRose at Chickenstock and then the homeless guy got her to rescue Libby. I remember being amazed at that story--how the homeless guy, improbably doing a good deed by trying to help a goose, managed to find maybe the one person in thousands who could and would save that goose. Gave me, as the saying goes, goosebumps! Maybe these geese have special fairy goosemothers looking out for them. Gee, I hope so, because I could use the help, I'm sure, as I figure this whole goose thing out as I go. Of course, I have the BYC brain trust, especially this Michigan thread, to consult.

As excited as I am to start getting to know the goosers, I know this is a hard, hard thing for Kim to do. I promise to love them and spoil them and have long goosey conversations with them and try to understand them. But as she has told me, "geese are elephants--they never forget'--in the context of "show them that you are the bigger goose but don't overdo it or they will always be afraid of you"... So I know Henry, Penelope, and Libby will never forget you or your family, Kim. If they can eventually come to think of me fondly as "Mrs. Food! Mrs. Food!" as the chickens do, I will be very happy.

Yeah, Mom2, I match your novel and raise you some blather! (I do not expect an award for it though... I think you got that award for a little more than length of posts.

).

And just maybe next spring I can start a little cottage industry decorating goose eggs for baby showers. I'm pretty sure there's gotta be a demand for that.

 

[Ferrret]

Keleka, if their dogs are making persistent noise throughout the day, and especially after noise curfew hours, you can file a noise complaint with the city. Cite them for disruptive noise and the police are supposed to investigate and issue a warning. If the constant barking continues, you are well within your right to keep on filing complaints until the offending noise is taken care of.
If they want to keep loud, obnoxious dogs, you have every right to complain when those dogs disturb the peace of your neighborhood.

 

[chicken grandma]

God bless your Goose adventure Yorkchick! Those geese have been blessed!

 

[RaZ]

"Aw, Im sorry to hear this. If they ARE LEGAL, I hope you do fight to keep them. YOu have every right to.
Those who are keeping illegal chickens, and get caught and get in trouble for it, I don't really care about.
People pay taxes and vote and when they are illegal in an area it's for a reason, those who think they ought to have them dispite the law are basically spitting in the face of tax paying voters and I think whatever they get it's too bad. I have no sympathy for deliberate lawbreakers."

Not to nit-pick, but city ordinances are not controlled by the voters (taxpayers). They are arbitrary rules set forth by the city council with little input from the citizens. Even if they allow citizen input, they do not have to consider the views of the public. Most ordinances are complaint driven and allow for one cause problems for otherwise, law abiding citizens.

There is nothing wrong with a little civil disobedience and supporting chicken owners who are being persecuted.

 

[babigyrl22]

Yorkchick you just made me tear up. I am so glad that they are somewhere we know that will love them.

Update: Blueberry is now nurturing two baby chicks. I moved her eggs to the bator and they are chirping. Yeay... I think the coolness has delayed their hatch. I was ok with one chick. Excited about two but elated about the possibility about 4 or maybe 5. Blueberry will be so happy. She is a natural mother.

 

[M.sue]

Quote:
You go Dude.........do your homework & fight for your rights!! How absurd not being able to keep chickens when they are legal due to a complaint. Tell them the complainer (if you know) complains about everything! Good Luck!

 

[Chickmate]

Quote:
Yorkchick, you ROCK! I knew when I met you at Chickenstock that you were one of those very kind people that this world needs more of. I have also been thinking about Mom2's geese and considered adopting them, but I'm struggling to feed the chickens that I have and am just keeping my head above water as it is. I am delighted to hear that you are taking them so they will have a happy and safe home. Thank you from all of us on the MI thread who have been praying for Mom2 and her situation. I also want to say that you have such a beautiful gift for writing, you need to capitalize on it, along with your goose egg decorating business, of course!