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

[Asm610]

Thanks for the comments. I copied some of those points from the ordinance of another city. I listed them to see what people think about. I'll probably pass on the veterinary and food/water language. I should mention about space per chicken though. Good point.

Theres nothing wrong with having a rooster. Nowadays rooster collars are easily accesible and can provide relief from noise. In truth, roosters are no more noisy than that pesky barkaholic dog of your neighbors. In fact, their noise is more soothing.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Theres nothing wrong with having a rooster. Nowadays rooster collars are easily accesible and can provide relief from noise. In truth, roosters are no more noisy than that pesky barkaholic dog of your neighbors. In fact, their noise is more soothing.

The problem with the collars is some times they don't stop noise and males can very easily get caught and hanged on almost anything

 

[Aunt Angus]

The problem with the collars is some times they don't stop noise and males can very easily get caught and hanged on almost anything

heels!

I tried multiple collars. None worked. Long story, but he was a house rooster for a few months.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

heels!

I tried multiple collars. None worked. Long story, but he was a house rooster for a few months.

That's actually how I got one of mone. Poor dude lived in a basement for like 4 months by himself before I discovered him at fair and took him home (with the owners permission obviously)

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Cockerels and cocks should not be allowed in suburban area. The only thing they will breed is contempt. What is lacking and the other main concern of those keeping chickens is how to deal with rodents.

To say feed will be in metal trash cans is not enough. If you read the predators and pest forum it's inundated with those who are inundated with rodents. Snap traps, water bucket traps and so forth are not going to keep rodents at bay. Bad neighbors that don't control rodents give poultry a bad reputation.

Three complaints about poultry are-

Noise.
Smell.
Rodents.

Personally I feel any area that requires an ordinance on livestock should have provision in writing that tamper proof bait boxes must be in use and maintained.

 

[SkiboJeff]

Cockerels and cocks should not be allowed in suburban area. The only thing they will breed is contempt. What is lacking and the other main concern of those keeping chickens is how to deal with rodents.

To say feed will be in metal trash cans is not enough. If you read the predators and pest forum it's inundated with those who are inundated with rodents. Snap traps, water bucket traps and so forth are not going to keep rodents at bay. Bad neighbors that don't control rodents give poultry a bad reputation.

Three complaints about poultry are-

Noise.
Smell.
Rodents.

Personally I feel any area that requires an ordinance on livestock should have provision in writing that tamper proof bait boxes must be in use and maintained.

Good point.

 

[SkiboJeff]

What about allowing free range as long as you have an enclosed yard? I hate seeing chickens stuck in coops and these horrible small runs that people don't realize is too small for their chickens.

they can be free with immediate supervision.

 

[SkiboJeff]

Oh I see. I wasn't trying to fight the rooster battle with my comment, I was just trying to give you something to say if someone said that cockerels can crow before 16-20weeks (which they can). I would think general nuisance laws could come into effect at that point, if the cockerels were getting obnoxious.

However, if you're raising birds for meat and eggs, having 8 hens and 4 chicks simply wouldn't work out unless you were eating some of the hens. 4-5 hens is usually enough to keep a family in all the eggs they'd need depending on the breed (dual purpose might be more like 6-8), but for meat birds if you eat as much as the average American family, you need to process 20+ birds a year. At the level you suggested, you could at most produce 12 at 16wks process or 8 at 20 wks process per year. At minimum, the limit would need to be 7 for 16wks process or 10 for 20 wks process. So perhaps the limit should be 8 laying hens, and 8 "chicks" (defined as birds 20wks of age or younger) housed in a separate, movable structure for simplicity?

The chick argument isn't getting very far. It's now amended to allow chicks up to six weeks in a persons home. Then what? I don't know.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

The chick argument isn't getting very far. It's now amended to allow chicks up to six weeks in a persons home. Then what? I don't know.

Did you approach it from a raising birds for meat angle? Because it's impossible to raise anything but Cornish X with that kind of limitation. The average American family eats 20+ chickens a year. Most heritage breeds are processed between 16-20 weeks. So going off that, one would need to be able to have at least an equal number of meat birds as laying hens to be self sufficient.

 

[Melky]

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).

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).

Here we are limited to six fowl (use term fowl applied to any including ducks) no roosters if 1 acre or less if over this may change. Our ordinances refer to housing and predator protection 24 inches off ground nest boxes. All housing must be at least 20 ft off property line in addition to your comments which are excellent. To avoid flock attacks and nosy neighbors you may save a lot of heartache to encourage use of locks to all access doors. Fowl must be contained to housing or fenced runs. We here have to apply for permit signed by citi planning commission for ownership and anytime I build new housing. No fees attached however. This piece my favorite.