New to forum, thinking about raising backyard chickens in the city

[kgawley59]

Hi everyone,

I live in Fairfield, CA, which is app. 1 hr north of San Francisco. I am interested in raising backyard chickens for the eggs, manure, and for the fun of it.

I looked my city's ordinance, and it states that 3 hens are OK within the city limits on less than an acre. There wasn't anything that stated how far from the house, or from a neighbor the coop has to be. All it stated is that it has to be sanitary, and they can't be a nuisance.

Besides chatting with my neighbor, and offering occasional eggs, is there any way I can be sure it will be OK to have a coop on the side of my house? I would be sad if I set it all up, and had to tear it all down.

Thank you so much, Kathy

 

[Adalida]

Do you have any kind of homeowners association? They usually put restrictions on chicken keeping, from what I've seen here on the forum.

 

[drumstick diva]

Some insurance companies will not cover a house if a chicken coop is attached or near them - due to fire risk in chicken coops. It would still be wisest to go to your city hall and find all the stuff you need to be legal. Or have plan B in place if you have to get rid of the birds pronto. Most places will NOT allow roosters due to their noise.

 

[whoop whoop]

Regulations yuk, luckily we don't have any - well any, that are followed up by the authorities. I expect though in the US they are on the ball I would follow drumstick divas advice.

 

[N F C]

It's nice to have you here! If you would like to chat with others that live in your general area, you can find them on your state thread (CA has 2, one for the north and one for the south). Here's a link to take you there: post #1

Good luck getting a backyard flock of your own!

 

[redsoxs]

Hello from Kansas, kgawley, and ! It's great to have you in our flock! Great advice already so let me just say best wishes and thanks for joining BYC! :cd

 

[CuzChickens]

Hello there, and welcome to the coop! I am so glad you decided to join the flock and I hope you'll make yourself at home here!

~Cuz

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under Kathy

Welcome!

You have received some great advice already but I will just add that I have 5 x bantams on a residential block and close to the house but I live in Aus, so our regulations will be different.

However, issues with chickens and neighbours will be the same. As you mention, sharing of eggs can be helpful [not that my little freeloaders lay enough to share

]. Chickens can be quite noisy sometimes, singing the egg song, raising the alarm when they are excited or upset about something etc. But, this is not usually an all day every day thing and in my opinion, no worse than dogs barking when they are upset or excited.

I check in with my neighbours often to see if the gals are annoying them at all and it is always a “No” and most of the time “we love hearing them”.

Best wishes to you and your flock should you decide to give it a try .. chickens are so much fun!

I hope you enjoy being a BYC member. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun. Unlike non chicken loving friends, family and colleagues, BYC’ers never tire of stories or pictures that feature our feathered and non feathered friends

 

[kgawley59]

Thank you so much for the hospitality and great advice.

 

[Bee and me]

Hi!
I'm new to this... like day #2 new. In Enumclaw, wa, we can have up to 6 and no roosters. Our home insurance did not care as long as the coop was not attached to the house.
I have to say. I love my chicks already.
I am looking forward to the eggs and the compost. I will have questions on composting later. Right now thier poops are tiny.
Good luck!