No chickens in Oak Harbor, WA - anyone local want some?

[ChiknOfTheSound]

Much to my chagrin, I just found out that, despite much hearsay to the contrary, Oak Harbor doesn't allow chickens. I've got one each of the following (all are about 3 weeks old, except for the Auracauna, who's just over a week:

• Auracana
• Black Minorca
• Jersey Black Giant
• Welsummer
• Buff Orpington

If anyone in the area, say Seattle north to the Canadian border, wants one or all, please call me (Brian) at (360) 682-2445. I've also got feed - two 25lb bags of Purina Start & Grow, medicated variety - one of which is about 1/2 gone. That's what they've been eating since I got them.

Ah, well. My dream of chicken farming & fresh eggs will have to wait a while.

 

[CorinneP]

Ohhh Man I am so sorry .. That truly stinks I hope you can have them some day soon ...

 

[ABitofDirt]

I live in Oak Harbor, and I have backyard chickens. I have 2 friends that do as well. I think it's a "where in Oak Harbor" you live issue. If you live within city limits, yeah, it's a problem.

 

[ChiknOfTheSound]

ya, that's probably the problem. "in oak harbor" seems to have more definitions than it should. "in" means "in the city limits" to me, but probably not to the people that gave me questionable advice. Oh well... just need to find a place outside the limits then.

 

[DamKate]

Do you still have these? I am in Coupeville and could help you out

 

[TrystInn]

That's not accurate, actually. You can have pet chickens, you just can't have roosters. And you have to keep the coop very clean and should animal control come around, you have to cross your fingers and tell them you don't eat the eggs. Its stupid, but that's the deal for having "exotic" chickens as pets.

I've spoken to Oak Harbor's Animal Control Supervisor about this on number occasions. That's the deal. Keep your chickens and keep your neighbors on good terms with you.

 

[DamKate]

I heard this too, somewhere, but I couldn't find the statute to help a friend out. That is actually how I stumbled on this post! I was googling it!

 

[RiddleMe]

I have no personal stake in this, just a weird enjoyment of trying to understand the stranger/more poorly written municipal codes. So I looked up the Oak Harbor codes (http://www.codepublishing.com/WA/OakHarbor/), because classifying chickens as exotic animals just sounded weird. I think the animal control folks are confused and are actually considering them as household pets (which is good for the chicken owners!). Below in bold are excerpts from some of the relevant codes...

7.40.020 Definitions.
(2) “Exotic animal” means any species of animal that is both nondomesticated and capable of killing or seriously injuring a human being. Subject to the preceding sentence, the definition of “exotic animal” contained in this section includes but is not limited to: (they then go on to list animals like nonhuman primates, bears, lions, tigers, venomous snakes, etc.)

7.04.060 Pet.
“Pet” means any animal kept for pleasure rather than utility. (Ord. 401 § 1, 1974). (Probably where animal control is thinking they qualify as long as you don't eat the eggs...)

The hiccup would be that they are specifically banned by name. It's weird they would tuck it under commercial kennels but...

19.08.425 Kennel, commercial.
“Commercial kennel” means any lot or building in which four or more dogs and/or cats, at least four months of age, are kept commercially for board or propagation or treatment. No animals, livestock or poultry of any kind shall be kept, raised or bred on a lot except that dogs, cats or other household pets may be kept, provided they are not kept, bred, or maintained for any commercial purposes. Four dogs, cats or other household pets kept in one place or on one lot, over four months of age, would be considered being kept for commercial purposes. (Ord. 1555 § 4, 2009).

 

[SunnyAlberta]

So people in this area may have THREE household pet chickens?

 

[yakibert]

I moved outside the city limits for this reason. ...I wanted chickens. If you're outside the city limits, you are under the jurisdiction of the county - but inside the city limits you are under the jurisdiction of the county and city.

Sorry to hear about that ...Oak Harbor (city limits) is the only place on the Island in which you can't keep chickens.


"So people in this area may have THREE household pet chickens?"

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Kind of. Maybe, sorta. If you don't keep them for a utility purpose ...eg: No eggs. Then supposedly you *might* be able to keep them. But you might have to end up in court arguing that someday.[/FONT]