Need Advice on My Chicken Coop: Video Inside

[chadchicago]

Quote:
do you mean stack hay up to the level of the roost bar so they can roost on the bar but still be sitting in the hay?

 

[eggzettera]

I think that if you had some pieces of plexiglass to "line" the walls with you would get some radiant heat and help reduce drafts. Ventilation would be adequate with the slats in the "roof".

Edited to add...
congrat's on your chickens - you have earned them after dealing with the bureaucrats in Chicago.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
do you mean stack hay up to the level of the roost bar so they can roost on the bar but still be sitting in the hay?

Not necessilarily, maybe like 4 inches of straw on the bottom so that it provides insulation. If you already have roost bars in there that's fine. The roost bars are so that the chickens don't end up sleeping in their poo and you can clean out the stuff from under them.

 

[LindaN]

MeanQueenNadine, I think you must be confusing the Portland, Maine chicken battle with Chicago. No problems with keeping chickens in Chicago at all. We can have as many chickens as we want (including roosters, too, if one is so inclined).

 

[chadchicago]

Hi Linda, the interesting thing is that the police think its illegal to keep chickens, even though there's nothing on the books. have you ever been hassled?

Where are you located? We're near 47th and ashland (mostly mexican neighborhood) so within 1 block of us, two mexican families have chickens and roosters.

 

[arwmommy]

OK, not that I have to even *deal* with cold winters, but this is what I am thinking..... I think it is to small to add a light without the fear of starting a fire with all the straw. It doesn't seem big enough in the little dog house thing to make it safe.

That being said, if I were you, I would get one of these things for sure:

http://cozywinters.com/shop/kh-1000-1020.html

It is an outdoor heating pad, that you could put in their little house and it would be safe and keep them toasty in your cold winters.

Good luck!

 

[LindaN]

Chad, it is perfectly legal to keep chickens in Chicago, as long as you are not doing so for slaughtering.

Below is the excerpt from the City of Chicago Municipal Code, section 7-12-300:

7-12-300 Ban of unlicensed possession of animals for slaughter.
No person shall own, keep or otherwise possess, or slaughter any sheep, goat, pig, cow or the young of such species, poultry, rabbit, dog, cat, or any other animal, intending to use such animal for food purposes.

This section is applicable to any cult that kills (sacrifices) animals for any type of ritual, regardless of whether or not the flesh or blood of the animal is to be consumed; except that Kosher slaughtering is exempted from this ordinance.

Nothing in this ordinance is to be interpreted as prohibiting any licensed establishment from slaughtering for food purposes any animals which are specifically raised for food purposes.

Agents of the Chicago commission on animal care and control, police officers and humane investigators of any agency licensed by the City of Chicago and/or the Illinois Department of Agriculture for the prevention of cruelty to animals shall have the authority to confiscate any and all animals kept in violation of this ordinance. Enforcement personnel shall have the authority to enter any business premises during normal business hours where an animal or animals described in this ordinance are being housed or kept, but shall only enter domiciles or businesses during nonbusiness hours after obtaining a proper search warrant or permission to enter from the occupant or owner of such premises.

Any person found to have been in violation of this section shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for each offense. When a person keeps, owns or slaughters more than one animal in violation of this ordinance, the unlawful keeping, owning or slaughtering of each animal will be considered a separate offense for the purposes of this ordinance.

(Prior code § 98-11.1)

You must also keep your animals (including chickens) restrained, per 7-12-030:

7-12-030 Animals shall be restrained.
Each owner shall keep and maintain his animal under restraint; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any dog being used for rescue or law enforcement work. It shall be unlawful for any owner to allow his or her animal to cross outside the property line of its owner to any extent, including reaching over or under a fence, or to keep or allow his or her animal to be outdoors on an unfenced portion of the owner's property, unless the animal is leashed and under the control of its owner or another responsible person. In addition, it shall be an unlawful failure to restrain for an animal to attack, bite, threaten, or jump on any person without that person's consent, outside the property of the animal's owner. The provisions of this section shall be a positive duty of the owner and the offenses described herein shall be strict liability offenses.

Any owner who violates any provision of this section shall be subject to a fine of $300.00, if the violation does not result in severe injury or death to any person or damage to another person's property. If the violation results in severe injury or death to any person, the owner shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000.00 and not more than $10,000.00. In addition to a fine, the owner may be required to submit full restitution to the victim or may be incarcerated for a period not to exceed six months, or may be required to perform up to 100 hours of community service, or any combination thereof. If the violation results in damage to another person's property, the owner shall be subject to a fine of not less than $300.00 and not more than $1,000.00. In addition to a fine, the owner may be required to submit full restitution to the victim.

(Prior code § 98-3; Amend Coun. J. 10-2-95, p. 8604; Amend Coun. J. 10-31-01, p. 71774, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-31-04, p. 20916, § 3.25)

You can find all of these codes online here:
http://www.amlegal.com/library/il/chicago.shtml

I live on the far NW side near Foster and Elston. No issues with the police here!

 

[silkiechicken]

Woo! 102! You could hatch chicks on that!