Need help. HOA is asking to remove the chicks from the house

[MariyaJee]

Hi
I have three female baby chicks in my house and my daughter really love them and we are taking care of them since they were 1 day old (now they are two months old). Today I got a letter from Home owner association stating that

"No animals, other than dogs, cats or other animals reasonably considered to be household pets, shall be raised, bred or kept anywhere on the property"

For us, these chicks are our household pets and I will highly appreciate if this forum can provide some feedback which I can use in my response letter to HOA.

Thank you so much.

best regards,
Mariya

 

[SillyChicken]

Were you aware of the HOA rules when you moved there and got the chicks? If you did, you probably shouldn't have gotten them.. most people pushing for the pets rule in HOA aren't going to welcome chickens at all.

Sorry can't help with the letter... do you home school? could you use educational reasons for having them?

 

[punk-a-doodle]

My main response is always 'first question whether living in an HOA community is right for you'. Realize that you are living in an area headed by a developer formed corporation that is interested in maximizing the marketability of the properties...not in your rights. Not getting the benefits of taxes you pay (not to mention HOA fees) such as street and other public land improvements, and financial risk to you due to the foreclosure processes in HOA are just two major criticisms.

That said, I think many here have posted similar threads and may be able to offer you specific information on what sort of appeal to make.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

If the chicks are, and will be, inside only, and not visible from outside, you have a firm leg to stand on that they are household pets. Don't mention the benefit of eggs, etc. First and primarily they are pets, and anything other than that makes you less likely to be able to claim pet status.

Check you state laws, but I doubt they have the ability to govern what goes on entirely internal to your home; things visible from the outside, even when inside may be a different matter (such as the backside of drapes or other window coverings visible from the street).

 

[HEChicken]

If they are inside only, how did the HOA even know they were there?

When my family and I were looking at real estate recently, the first thing we did with every listing was check to see if the house belonged in an HOA. If it did, we didn't even bother the read the description or look at the photos because there is no way I will ever buy a house governed by a HOA. My view is that "I pay the mortgage, I decide what I can and can't do on my own property. The day the HOA wants to pick up my mortgage payments, they can start telling me what to do".

Unfortunately, since you DO live in a house governed by a HOA, you will have to abide by their rules or face the consequences. The only "out" I can see in the letter they wrote, is whether or not chickens can reasonably be considered to be pets. Many on BYC would argue that they can, and in your response you can point to numerous examples of people keeping house chickens, putting chicken saddles on them, buying leashes to take them for walks and so on - all indications that they are kept as pets, rather than livestock.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

I just wanted to say good luck. I feel for you, since I know we view our chickens as pets too.

 

[johnsons-r-us]

I will never live in a HOA community again. I saw too many people not able to do/have what they wanted on their "own" property.

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
I wish you luck but those HOAs are really a PIA.

x2 We are looking to move now but will never ever ever move in anything associated with an HOA or even near an HOA area lol. I hate HOAs and there are just tons here in FL. People think if they pay an HOA to tell them what to do they get some sort of social status lol. They think its a safer community but I've seen plenty of crime on the news that happened in HOAs around here.
I know people who can't even plant certain plants in thier front yards without the HOA coming and taking them out and then charging them for the labor and if they don't pay then they put a lien on thier house! There is also a lot of brown nosing going on in some of the HOAs people telling on thier nieghbors to get in favor of the 'higher ups'. Its ridiculous.
There are a few HOAs that the property owners have small mini farms and can have farm animals. I think there is one in Jupiter FL but they are few and far between.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

http://www.squidoo.com/housechickens

 

[Mattemma]

It is not easy keeping chickens in the house.I would write a letter about having them as pets.You might get away with 1 hen as a pet,but it would probably be best to remove all three.The kids act like it is the end of the world(mine do),but recover well once the animals are gone. If you really want to have farm animals consider moving.Lots of good deals out there.