Moving to Denver. Which area is best for chickens?

[urbanfarmer101]

We are moving to the Denver area. I want to live where I can have at least 6 chickens. Any suggestions as to which out lying area I should consider?
No high end, keeping up with the jones areas. We are a rowdy, football loving, patio eating, former farm family.

 

[littlegorb]

Sundari can probably tell you all you need to know about denver.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Denver-CO/Sustainable-Food-Denver/202473173070

 

[urbanfarmer101]

Thanks for the info.

 

[CityChicker]

Whatever you do, once you have a general idea where you want to be, research the city AND county zoning districts for that area. Once you then find a home you like in the area and zoning district that will work for you, then have your agent or title company find out if any covenants or community plan of any sort was ever filed by the developer that built your potential home. Get a copy of whatever is on file, EVEN IF THEY ARE EXPIRED, and go over them with a fine tooth comb. Do not just go by what you read online. Find out specifically what zoning you are under (again, city *and* county) and whatever past or present rules have ever been filed, even if your title company tells you they are expired and no longer binding. My husband and I just finished a legal battle for this very reason and lost because of a rule in the original community plan that was filed DECADES ago and has been expired for years as well.

Long story short- I will never, ever buy another house that is not zoned agricultural. Period. If you want to really only have 6 chickens, maybe your situation will be different. That said, our house in question is in an area where all the houses are on .5 to .75 acre lots and we are across the street from a large farm with various livestock (not to mention we are in an unincorporated area). We also only had a few bantam hens here, no roosters, and a few of our bantam ducks. All of them were caged and all were enclosed in our yard that is surrounded by a 6 foot privacy fence. We were still ordered to get rid of all of them. It makes no sense, but we had one crazy neighbor that made it his mission to make our lives miserable and call everyone he could think of over and over and over again (zoning, animal control, city, county, sheriff's office several times, etc...). After shelling out a couple thousand bucks for an attorney, we just couldn't afford to continue fighting it, especially knowing that we eventually wanted to bring more of our birds down here (we have a farm in Evergreen as well).

If I were going to buy a new house (and we are pursuing this), I would look for something zoned ag out in one of the outlying areas like Bennett. That is easy access to the city and there are some incredible properties out there right now that are very affordable. Again though, make sure to check the zoning because we have seen some 35-40 acre properties that are zoned residential and forbid poultry.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
That IS rowdy! How much BBQ sauce would a patio need? It's not hardly finger food, either - do you use a pick-axe to break it up?

Anyway, good luck on your endeavors in Denver!