Need your input to help draft new city ordinance for Backyard Chickens!

[JCaseyHammond]

height is limited to ten feet

That’s plenty tall to include legs (predator prevention) and a peaked roof (ventilation)

 

[Lori J]

Nope, good old Connecticut. I'm just saying that it's pretty darn hard to keep birds in your own yard if you're free ranging them without supervision.

I have a 6 foot privacy fence. They stay in, but of course, maybe mine are not adventurous.

 

[SkiboJeff]

Greetings all. I started a new thread and attached the new ordinance.

 

[Lori J]

Greetings all and Happy New Year. I'm new to the group and don't have a coop or any chickens yet. I have designed my ideal coop and I've fantasized about the breeds of chickens I'm going to get. One slight issue is holding me up. My city, approximate population of 75,000, doesn't presently allow chickens. Our city council met in September 2020 to discuss a chicken ordinance and they have a Study Group meeting, this Jan 12th, to discuss the possibility of creating an ordinance. I know all of the council folks very well and I am a commissioner on an unrelated city advisory board. It is my intention to write them all a letter, prior to their study session, outlining my opinion as to which issues and type of things should be addressed by the (hopefully) new ordinance.

Some things I am thinking about:

• Chickens are flock animals and at least 8-12 adult chickens should be allowed.
• Provide definition of birds by age. Allow 8-12 chicks, pullets, and cockerels under the age of 30 weeks.
• Allow one rooster if kept in coop from dusk to dawn. Needed for predator security and breeding.
• Follow same noise ordinance as dogs.
• Keep the rules for coops and runs simple. Make them a part of zoning ordinance. Define similarly to greenhouses and auxiliary outbuildings like garden sheds.
• Reasonable care of the animals must be afforded in all aspects including proper handling, restraining, sheltering, exercise, grooming, nutrition, watering, parasite and waste management, and veterinary care for the species of animal kept. Industry or breed standards for the breed and type of animal may be used to determine whether reasonable care is being provided. Poor condition or health in the absence of veterinary supervision is prima facie evidence of a violation.
• Clean water must at all times be present and available for the animals. Feed must be animal-appropriate and stored in such a manner as to prohibit contamination by moisture, mold, and insects and to restrict access by rodents.
• Odors from the animals or from animal waste must not be discernible at any property line.
• Waste must be collected and removed or composted regularly.
• Slaughter must be limited to personal livestock, must not be conducted in the front yard, and must be conducted within a completely screened area. Remains must be disposed of and removed from the site within 24 hours.

Thanks in advance for your help.
SkiboJeff

(FYI - Skibo is an off the grid place in the Superior National Forest area of northern MN. Although I live in a big city near Minneapolis, I also own a cabin there and my neighbors have 40 chickens).

I still think it needs to be simpler, especially the part about chicken care.

When you have so much description, there is more likelihood of someone using the words of the ordinance in an unintended way to say, accuse a resident of not taking care of their flock because they are not 100% parasite-free, for instance. Or, if their water wasn’t sparkling clean, for instance, since we know chickens can do crazy things like stand in their free-ranging water bowl and get it temporarily dirty.

 

[Lori J]

Here are two examples of ordinances in my area. One of them has pets and poultry together. Just for ideas. One thing that I think that is important is it doesn’t have a a lot to say about the coop design. I don’t think design should be part of the ordinance, unless you live in a very strict HOA in a crowded area near a city, for example. Even then, I am not supporting the idea of a cute design restriction, I just know that from my experience with HOA they would probably require it because they have requirements on all things like that, which is not something that I like. It seems like your neighborhood is more rural, and so I would not include coop design.

 

[SkiboJeff]

Here are two examples of ordinances in my area. One of them has pets and poultry together. Just for ideas. One thing that I think that is important is it doesn’t have a a lot to say about the coop design. I don’t think design should be part of the ordinance, unless you live in a very strict HOA in a crowded area near a city, for example. Even then, I am not supporting the idea of a cute design restriction, I just know that from my experience with HOA they would probably require it because they have requirements on all things like that, which is not something that I like. It seems like your neighborhood is more rural, and so I would not include coop design.

The ordinance passed. Please see my new thread for an attached copy.

 

[Lori J]

The ordinance passed. Please see my new thread for an attached copy.

Yes I saw your announcement last week of a new thread but I could not find the thread. I will look again. Hope everything went well!