Outlaw Chicken Owners - How many are out there - Promise I won't tell.

Illegal as all get out here too! My ACO stated that they don't care if I've got chickens, its just they have to follow up on any complaints. I've been quite lucky though, I haven't had anyone call the ACO since May of 2009. I am always keeping my fingers crossed.
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Legal as far as the law is concerned. No HOA, thankfully. Deed restrictions allow 1 horse, but no poultry or "livestock." I figure that a handful of laying hens isn't gonna make half the noise, smell or trouble of one horse..
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All my neighbors are ok with the chickens and get eggs periodically. Next door kids do my chicken sitting when we have to go somewhere for a weekend.
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Thanks for sharing.

My situation is a bit strange: I reside just outside the city limits of Tampa, FL. If I lived IN the City proper I could have four hens. But, I live in the County (further out in the country) and my house is on a parcel of land which I am not allowed poultry. Funny, one would think that if you get out of the city you can have chickens; here is a bit backwards.

In my defense; before I endeavored with this project I spoke with my closest neighbors and let them know what I wanted to do. They did not object. So with my neighbors on board I feel there is little chance code enforcement will be notified. And if they are; I can always move the flock out to my wifes boarding stables.
 
I live on a private street, I have 2 acres of land, all my neighbors have 1-2 acres of land. My neighbors love my chickens, especially the extra eggs that they receive.
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I talked to several neighbors before I got the chickens and I had several neighbors help me build the coop, which I have been told looks more like a kids playhouse than a chicken coop. When I received the letter from the county's Division of Subdivision Preservation saying that I was in violation by keeping livestock. I made a petition and went and asked all my neighbors to sign it. Everyone not only signed it but told me how much they enjoy seeing the chickens running around in my yard. The most surprising responce and the most common was most people said thet they really enjoyed hearing my rooster. Several even said that they will sit out on their porch to listen to the rooster. When I went to court I had five letters written by neighbors in support of my chickens. The only one to speak against my chickens was the Prosecuting Attorney. He objected to my letters and to my petition saying that they were "hear say". The Judge sustained that but he said he would take the letters under advisement. I had two neighbors go with me and I was able to interview them on the witness stand. Of course the Prosecuting Attorney objected to me asking them if they thought my chickens were livestock. They were only allowed to say how much they enjoyed the chickens. In closing the Prosecuter said I thumbed my nose to the law and that I could have filed for a variance or sought to change the law. As I said earlier I now have to wait for the Judge to make a ruling.
 

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