My heart is broken / Told to get rid of my girls / Resolved!

[MaKettle]

Maybe I missed something here...you said that you were under the radar with your chickens, right??

Is your chicken tractor & run visible to neighbors & the street?? If it is, then its likely that an officer or official saw your equipment & reported it. If not, WHO reported you to the township??

The letter is the first step for them. If I were you (I'm also under the radar), I would not take my chickens back on 7/13. Make them take the next step..but definitely work the courage up to call them & find out what the deal is...

something isn't jiving on this one..

 

[usschicago1]

Okay I heard and i dont know where, when this happens you can get all your neighbors in a square mile certifying its okay for you to keep chickens, can anyone expand on that idea and tell this dedicated chicken owner if that would work?

 

[theFox]

Actually that letter is just a heavy handed attempt at getting you to do something so they don't have to attempt doing something (this is a technique used to control people weather the writer actually has the authority or not).

You are entitled to due process and that means the town must prove in a court of law that you have violated town code.

I'll look at the town website a bit later to see if I can get a copy of Article XXIV which sounds like it might be part of the towns articles of incorporation or what is known as a town charter or town constitution.

Just reading the code that I've down loaded it appears that poultry is not defined as livestock because the references to livestock in the code are generally followed by poultry or bees etc ...

I wont have the time to really go through things for at least a day.

Out of curiosity what does hubby think of this?

 

[Buugette]

We have a 6' privacy fence. All neighbors who touch my property know about them... I asked them all personally, and they have met the girls. My "coop" is a glorified dog house with a small run of PVC and wire. Nothing shows above the fence line. The girls have never been in the front yard, up on the fence or any of my neighbors yards. Nothingis visible from the front... even if you tried to look over the fence, the "coop" is located directly center behind my house. You have to be in the back yard to see anything.

In the code, even "birds" are listed seperately.

The one thing that may have triggered this is I hatched 30 babies for BloominOrchid, and I did have them out in the backyard that first week. But she picked them up over a week ago. I wonder if someone saw or heard them and thought I was, you know, selling chicks to strangers on the black market...

I have printed out the entire zoning code... wow... and have highlighted and flagged everything I can find relating to livestock, poultry and birds. Even in the Animal section of the codes... it only talks about DOGS running at large and the disposal of poo.

What does hubby think? I don't know... he basically left me alone last night. He also kept trying to feed me (as I was crying and totally lost my appitite). I was so upset and mind was going a million miles a second... no one said a word for hours.

D

 

[MaKettle]

I'm so feeling for you right now!

As I said earlier, I'm also under the radar & my girls live in a renovated doghouse with a big kennel as their run. I was told by my township that someone would have to actually report me (so they'd have to hear them over the neighbors pit bull that barks incessently). My township says that their first step is a letter...

Keep us posted on what happens. I'd love to stand up & fight my township...but I don't want to call unnecessary attention to myself. Its crazy too because the city I live in allows chickens...I just happen to live in a suburb that makes its own rules.

Good luck to you.

 

[BloominOrchid]

Quote:
That makes me sick!! I hope it wasnt from my eggies hatching!
Hey if you guys wanna come over for the 4th we can go over all the codes and start building a case.
OK gonna go WOOOOSAAAAA woooosaaaa....bc Im ticked now!

MEAN PEOPLE SUCK!

 

[FowlLanguage]

People who have never kept birds just don't understand... To most of us, they are family. I read in a book that chickens are like "eternal toddlers," and though they meant that they need lots of care and attention, I think they ARE little feathered kids.

People can have a pitbull or a rottweiler, which are known to attack and even kill people- but you can't have a few chickens, who at most could peck at your feet.

 

[anbhean]

You can try fighting the "domesticated bird" angle. It's a long shot. But if your town's pet code allow for domesticated birds then LEGALLY you are in the right. Chickens are domesticated, have been for ohhhh... centuries. If parrots and the like are allowed, then why not a few chickens? Livestock indicates you breed and slaughter for profit or food. Four bantam chickens are not really "livestock" in that sense of the word.

Also, if they went in your backyard without your permission then they are/ were breaking the law and you can really nail them. Codes has to have permission to enter your yard in my state (and I think all states). If the "offense" cannot be seen/ smelled/ heard from the sidewalk, or the complaining neighbors yard, they have no legal right to enter your property. If they do not have pictures, video, or a verifiable complaint then they can take a hike. They got nothin' on you.

Even if you did have those chicks in your yard, you don't now. I'd say bring your girls in, tell them to prove you've broken codes and then move them back out when they can't prove anything. Get a BIG padlock on your gate and stealth out your run the very best you can. I even went so far as to put a "trellis gate" around mine with vines growing up it so the codes people would have to be right in the middle of my back yard to see it. And if they are ever there... well they won't like the trespassing charges I bring up against them.

And that's advice I got from a lawyer. So if it works in Colorado... may work for you. Good luck and don't let them push you around!

 

[Buugette]

Thanks everyone. I have a full copy of the Zoning Ordinances and BloominOrchid and I are gonna sit by the pool tomorrow and wade though all this crap. There has to be a loophole and I have decided I am NOT giving up my girls!

I don't care if I have to dress them up and register them for school... I am keeping my girls!

Will keep you informed... and again.. any thoughts or ideas, feel free to share or pm or email me.

Thanks again...

Diana

 

[redhen]

Do you know which one of your neighbors called??