My chickens are going nowhere!!! "UPDATE" #2

[Ellie_NY_chick]

This makes me crazy - people will have so much junk in their yard, not paint their houses, have cars on blocks in the driveway, yet a chicken coop is supposedly a problem.

What jerks. Good luck to you. If you had the coops prior to the law taking effect, be prepared in case you have to prove it. do you have receipts for anything? Feed, the building materials for the coop, or the chickens themselves?

 

[redoak]

Pretty sad when you can't legally raise your own food in a country.

 

[FrChuckW]

Okay, first off, document everything. In order for them to cite you they must have given the code number on your citation. Look it up and copy it down, as well as any other codes, ordinances that are relevant to the situation. Most jurisdictions do not require a building permit for structures under 100 square feet, unless they involve plumbing/electrical work, and sometimes not even then.

Check your local and state ordinances regarding keeping of farm animals, livestock, poultry. Also check for state building codes that are relevant.

Take clear pictures of your entire setup for your files, and to add documentation to your answer to the court.

Get other poultry enthusiasts in the area involved or at least make them aware of the situation.

If you do go to court, make sure you have your documentation in a folder, complete with pictures, outline your biosecurity procedures, list your daily routine with your chickens, including feeding, watering, cleaning, etc. Make a copy to present to the judge. The more organized you are, the stronger your case to keep your chickens. Have witnesses lined up in case they are needed.

Contact your local bar association and ask for a referral to an attorney for a consultation. Most will provide you with a free 1/2 hour consultation.

Good Luck

 

[scgamecock]

My dad is 70 years old but in excellent health.However he is getting a little hard of hearing so he may have not heard everything just right.Again they would not have bothered me without a complaint and you know the way the government is hurting for money right now they are gonna jump at the chance to try to get fine money.

 

[Ellie_NY_chick]

scgamecock - I did a little checking and the rule against livestock seems to have been in effect since April of 1999. If you got your chickies after that, you might have a problem. I would still try to appeal it though, especially as your family collectively has the land needed to keep poultry legally.

Double check in case I was looking at old info...

Good luck.

 

[scgamecock]

I know some people and I know people that know other people if you know what I mean.It's not what you know but who you know.Believe me every string will be pulled and every trick up my sleeve will be tried before I get into legal matters.Hopefully it won't come to that.Again I have seen many people that I don't know that have chickens in there backyard and I'm sure they don't have a permit and maybe not the required acreage.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Please clear something up is the law state you can not have chickens or that you can not have a chicken coop?

 

[sc-chick617]

I worry about this happening to me. I live in a subdivision in the country. This "subdivision" fell apart a decade ago and is now comprised of 1/2 $20k trailers and the other half $500,000 houses. There was a housing association a long time ago but it dissolved and everyone is completely in violation of everything, but I worry about county. I live right smack dab in the middle with a $500,000 house behind me and a delapidated trailer in front, and me in my $60k brick 900 sq ft house. I am building a new coop that looks nicer, so I don't get any complaints on that and I dont have roos so no noise. I have had them since Aug of last yr and yesterday, my neighbor across the street said he didn't even know I had chickens. I still have a fear in the pit of my stomach that "pink notice" will make it to my door one day.
You really scare me as a fellow south carolinian. I am going to look up laws in my area so I will be prepared in case that day comes.

Elizabeth

 

[Katy]

I hope it works out in your favor and you can keep your birds.

 

[scgamecock]

Quote:
I'm gonna find out more today.From what I understand you have to have at least 1.5 acres of land to have chickens on your property and then you have to have a permit to have them.Also the coops would have to be at least 40 ft from the back of the property and 25 ft from the sides.