I just had the most interesting and enlightening afternoon regarding my chicken project. I've filed my coop plans and request for three chickens with the HOA and am awaiting back on that, but I thought I'd get a jump on it and file my Neighborhood Consent Forms with Animal Control as per the Chicken Law Ordinances that the City of Henderson has. This resulted in me meeting more govt. folks than one ever should. I had meetings with the folks in the Henderson Community Services Dept., the City Planning Dept., the Zoning Dept. and the Code Enforcement officer. It appears that nobody has **EVER** attempted to raise chickens by Code, i.e., filing neighborhood consent forms per the Municipal Ordinances (which, btw, say they must be filed with Animal Control). Animal Control (the assistant and the supervisor) informed me they do not want them nor handle them and have never seen a neighbor consent form and that there are no permits or licenses to be had for raising chickens in their department and that I needed to go to City Hall with my forms for filing. (This, btw, is somewhat in contrast to what the Animal Control officer told me last year when I went to talk to him about the forms per the ordinance and he went into detail about how AC doesn't go actively looking for chicken scofflaws who haven't notified the authorities of their coops.) (I had them copy my forms file for their records.)
Further up the food chain, the Planning and Zoning Depts. told me that as long as the number of hens (NO roos allowed) were kept at three that they are considered pets and, ergo, do not need variances or special zoning permits. Also, the coop must be 5' from any wall. (I had them copy my forms file)
As it turns out, Animal Control will not get involved if neighbors complain of noise, odor, etc., as that's the Code Enforcement officer's ballywick. They only respond and confiscate chickens if they're being mistreated. The Code Enforcement officer informed me that they do not confiscate chickens. If the officer shows up on your doorstep (and she told me she would for some eggs!) due to violations of noise, odor, unsightliness, etc., the most they can do is tell you to get rid of them. (I had them copy my form file....that way nobody can say I didn't comply with the letter of the law.)
Mind you, each dept. I went to had to do copious Code research....I've never seen a finer waste of taxpayer's money. I don't even want to tally the collective manhours. But the upshot is that they opened and closed a file on my 3 french hens project and I now have the blessing of the City....just awaiting the HOA folks' approval of my coop, which time taken for said approval and coop ordering (yes, I caved to cutesy mail order to grease the HOA construction processes) and delivery should coincide nicely with the hatching and brooding that will need to take place.
I think the folks at City Hall were happy to see somebody with a smiling face. (Hey. Chickens. It's all good.) You do get more flies with honey than with vinegar.....