- Oct 27, 2010
- 6
- 0
- 7
My first post was in the ordinances folder/area on this site... but I thought I'd introduce myself properly here, too. ;-)
I have six of the most wonderful chickens ever. I have one barred rock hen (Henrietta), and five araucanas- hens Emily Chickenson, Baba Yaga, Strega Nona, and Sheherazade, and rooster THUNDA!!! All the hens but Strega Nona are laying eggs for us, and they're all about 6.5 to 7 months old. I have two adult children who live elsewhere but love the flock; my younger children are 8 and 13, and proudly show their friends our flock. We sit outside with the chickens and hand feed them raisins and bread and other goodies... some of the chickens will leap onto our laps to snuggle and eat. The rooster is relatively docile. His worst character flaws include miserable aim (making handfeeding a little uncomfortable for us!) and crowing at dawn. With the winterization of the coop, however, he seems much quieter. :-D
We have a smallish yard (but not too small), and chickens are allowed in R1 areas in my city- Albuquerque allows up to 15 chickens per household, including one rooster. My HOA allows for "commonly accepted household pets like birds," but is now stomping its feet and claiming that chickens don't count as pets. I've written the HOA a long, lovely, positive letter about all the benefits of chicken ownership and how good it is for our neighborhood's children and our community at large, and that my neighbors are supportive of my flock.The HOA has had 4 days to respond to that email (they never responded to the other two I wrote)... I have the media and a lawyer all primed up and ready to pounce to pressure the HOA to reverse its threats to fine me $50/day for keeping my flock. I'm ready for this fight... and at this point, it looks as though I'm likely to win. Burn candles for us.... I would be completely devastated otherwise.
I have six of the most wonderful chickens ever. I have one barred rock hen (Henrietta), and five araucanas- hens Emily Chickenson, Baba Yaga, Strega Nona, and Sheherazade, and rooster THUNDA!!! All the hens but Strega Nona are laying eggs for us, and they're all about 6.5 to 7 months old. I have two adult children who live elsewhere but love the flock; my younger children are 8 and 13, and proudly show their friends our flock. We sit outside with the chickens and hand feed them raisins and bread and other goodies... some of the chickens will leap onto our laps to snuggle and eat. The rooster is relatively docile. His worst character flaws include miserable aim (making handfeeding a little uncomfortable for us!) and crowing at dawn. With the winterization of the coop, however, he seems much quieter. :-D
We have a smallish yard (but not too small), and chickens are allowed in R1 areas in my city- Albuquerque allows up to 15 chickens per household, including one rooster. My HOA allows for "commonly accepted household pets like birds," but is now stomping its feet and claiming that chickens don't count as pets. I've written the HOA a long, lovely, positive letter about all the benefits of chicken ownership and how good it is for our neighborhood's children and our community at large, and that my neighbors are supportive of my flock.The HOA has had 4 days to respond to that email (they never responded to the other two I wrote)... I have the media and a lawyer all primed up and ready to pounce to pressure the HOA to reverse its threats to fine me $50/day for keeping my flock. I'm ready for this fight... and at this point, it looks as though I'm likely to win. Burn candles for us.... I would be completely devastated otherwise.
