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

[rhaj]

Quote:
I'm so sorry

I worry a lot about this too. I do NOT live in a city. I live in a town that has a large agricultural fair each year. Most of my town can have chickens. I had assumed I could, given where I live... but after I got my girls, I found out that I live in a small section of town where they're not allowed. The zoning says we can only have indoor pets such as dogs and cats. I have to think that an outdoor rabbit cage would be allowed, though its not written that way... but no chickens

so I just hope that they are quiet enough they dont bother anyone, so they dont feel the need to complain, because I figure I wont have a leg to stand on to fight it.

 

[Buugette]

Well... it is now October, and no I have not had to register my girls for school. After talking with my zoning officer... I feel good about my decision to fight it. I do what I can to still keep them undercover... my neighbors know someone reported me and swear it wasn't them. That they would have come talk to us if there was a problem.

Feathers... I would absolutely make an in-person meeting with your zoning guy. Show pics of what you have, emphasize that they are pets... you do not sell them... or are in a production mode. Pull news articles regarding chickens as pets... tell him what they add to your life, etc. I stressed my point as pets as they come inside to visit... hang out in my sunroom, watch TV with us... and I had photos to prove it. I also brough up that my kids are in the 4H and they were showing them at the fair.

What is your neighbors complaint? I was supposed to have had 36 full sized chickens running around my back yard. He visited, stood at my fence... didn't hear anything, didn't see anything, didn't smell anything... was pretty sure I didn't have 36 chickens. That was my saving grace. Is this neighbor complaining about noise, smell, ugly coop...? Prove whatever her complaint is as wrong. How do your other neighbors feel about your girls? Use the fact that she is a busy body and just mad at you for something stupid...

Always play the "innocent" card. I didn't know I was doing something wrong, how can we fix this that I can keep them? Tears help.

Good luck and keep us informed.

D

 

[Feathers7]

I don’t play loud music. I don’t screech my tires up and down the street. I don’t speed up and down the street. I don’t have noisy parties.
I don’t have a noisy parrot. My dog doesn’t bark all the time and run free like some (pit bulls) do around here. My lawn is cut and trees trimmed.
I don’t bother anyone.

I make homemade bread and cookies and give it to new neighbors that move here to welcome them. I go to church and try to be a good person.

I had chickens. They fed us while my husband was out of work. I had eggs that are hormone and salmonella free.
What was my crime? I had 6 hens in my backyard.

They never chased the mailman. Never bit a neighbor. Never left dropping on anyone’s lawn. Never killed a cat.

They were my pets. I loved my hens. They sit in my lap and on my chair with me when I was outside. They eat out of my hand. They didn’t run free. They were in a coop unless I was outside to watch them. My “Girls” made me happy. Not much makes me happy anymore. Now they are gone. I am sad and hurt. But that is my problem isn’t it. Laws are unfeeling as are some of my neighbors.I am sorry I broke the Miramar code. Sorry I was a bad Miramar citizen.
Please tell the person who complained about me that they are good citizens and my backyard hens won’t bother them anymore.
I will keep to myself now. I won’t bother anyone or welcome new neighbors. I am afraid someone will get sick if I make them bread and sue me.
I will try not to break anymore of your codes and I pray we can move away from here soon.

Sadly

 

[Buugette]

OMG... I am so sorry...

Why did you let them go? You have every right to stand up and fight to keep them. They can't make you get rid of them overnight... this forum helped me find a way to keep my girls... and the zoning guy is helping me change the laws so everyone in the township can have their little piece of heaven in their backyard.

I'm so sorry for you... I know how I felt when I first go the letter... and thought it was hopeless...

Maybe we can still help you... maybe get it so you can get your girls back.

Talk to us... can you get a copy of your ordinances... supply us with the exact wording of your letter.

D

 

[rhaj]

I am so so sorry

 

[sheila3935]

Quote:
You should post this in your town newspaper under editorials. Maybe it will make people think. We can have chickens where I live but people still act like I am crazy for wanting to raise them, even some of my family. I agree with the others here. you should have kept them and FOUGHT the law. Thats the only way laws get changed. Just like our forefathers did. Our country has gotten so far off the mark of what it is suppose to be that the only way things will get better is to fight for what we believe in. Life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And chickens just happen to be my happiness.

 

[newbiechickenowner]

I hope you did just what Sheila said above...or at least something very similar...post this in the editorial...get it started. Get your girls back and fight that ordinance. Sounds like you were more responsible than a cat owner (no offense to really responsible cat owners ) I am lucky to live where, so far, no one has said anything about my abundance of poultry, but, I can not even begin to see why you can't make a great argument for the situation that you had set up there. You seem well spoken and passionate...get 'em back and fight for them!

 

[jjthink]

What did you do with them? Get them back!

JJ

 

[stryeyz]

Feathers7, I am so sorry to hear that you no longer have your flock.

As a poultry community though, we desperately need more freedom fighters. Even if you no longer have your flock - your story is much needed. As someone mentioned - write an editorial...talk to local news outlets...especially with the "locavore" and "green" and "local foods" movement, a story such as yours is so heartbreaking and can really help to change rules, regulations and laws. It is WRONG for cities, towns, NEIGHBORS, to take away someone's right to raise a little bit of their own food or to have their own version of a companion animal.

Believe it or not, "service animals" are not always seeing-eye dogs. they can be therapeutic animals...that could be a chicken, a lizard, a cat, a dog, any kind of animal that you can train. Some of them can be for mental health and NOT just for "seeing-eye" or other physical maladies. Something worth considering.

Good luck, and i hope that you can either get your flock back, or begin anew and be one of the freedom fighters. In this so-called "free" country, we sure do have a lot of pointless restrictions, and if we do not fight against the unjust rules, we will have less and less freedoms over time.

Blessings to all of you...
~Brittany~

 

[chicksrcool]

Quote:
Where are you, in the San Diego area? I have 6 hens also and everyday I worry we might get caught with our hens. I don't think it is legal on our 8,000 sq ft of space. But if we keep them contained and not bothering anyone I see no reason why anyone should complain. What did you do with them if you don't mind me asking? I always dream the scenario in my mind if someone did make me give them up what would I do?