Permission to keep chickens in a less than one acres lot in Howard County

[JacinLarkwell]

Because you question what gives anyone the right to say you "aren't allowed them". No progress is made without people pushing back against unreasonable and immoral restriction.

That doesn't make any sense. If you aren't allowed to have them, don't get them and then have a problem with not being allowed to actually have them

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Why get chicks if you know you aren’t allowed them?

Inquiring minds want to know?!

Dear all:
I have baby chicks and would like to keep them on a single family house with a lot size less than 10,000. Any suggestions to get a variance?
Thanks,

Hi there and welcome to BYC!

Ordinances exist with GOOD reason.. just because many of us are conscientious keepers doesn't say anything for the lot of them.. higher human populations equal more rodents and other issues that come along with adding chickens.. it adds cost to city abatement efforts and so on.. so IF you truly cared about getting anything changed WOULD have gone about the whole situation differently.. Now what you're asking is help to get away with what you've already done..

This being the helpful community that it is.. I'm sure you'll get lot's of valid input and help!

My personal input.. Get rid of the chicks and start over making all the right contacts and getting things drawn up and presented from a law abiding and concerned citizens point of view!

As some have noted.. it's unfortunate that America is largely divided between money and lack and SET up in FAVOR of the all mighty $ of course. America doesn't SEEM to be about inclusion to me??

There are many MANY threads on here about changing local ordinances with TONS of useful advice from folks who have done as you seek to. Try using the search button in the upper right corner! No personal ugliness intended, despite my intense gut reaction to what I consider a poor choice.. I recognize it's YOUR'S to make!

Best wishes on your adventure, changing ordinances IS a a worthy and doable thing in SOME instances.

 

[cheepteach]

Because you question what gives anyone the right to say you "aren't allowed them". No progress is made without people pushing back against unreasonable and immoral restriction.

protest, or get a variance, THEN get the chicks---they should not be at risk during the process

 

[jakedaniel]

Where’s the “pushback”? You’re “pushing back” by knowingly breaking the rules? If so, then you are left with no recourse when the HOA and/or City show up. If you really wanted to “push back”, you’d organize and get the laws changed and THEN you’d get your chickens. Failing that, you could always move. But just saying “I don’t like the law so I’m not going to follow it is worthless. All that ends up happening is that you fly under the radar for a while until you get busted and then they “push back” against you.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Where’s the “pushback”? You’re “pushing back” by knowingly breaking the rules? If so, then you are left with no recourse when the HOA and/or City show up. If you really wanted to “push back”, you’d organize and get the laws changed and THEN you’d get your chickens. Failing that, you could always move. But just saying “I don’t like the law so I’m not going to follow it is worthless. All that ends up happening is that you fly under the radar for a while until you’re busted.

And a bunch of birds are left with no home.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

And a bunch of birds are left with no home.

Or euthanized at over ran county animal shelters.

And "oops" cockerels are dumped at county waste sites to eek a meager survival from the refuse.

 

[Atiq]

Where’s the “pushback”? You’re “pushing back” by knowingly breaking the rules? If so, then you are left with no recourse when the HOA and/or City show up. If you really wanted to “push back”, you’d organize and get the laws changed and THEN you’d get your chickens. Failing that, you could always move. But just saying “I don’t like the law so I’m not going to follow it is worthless. All that ends up happening is that you fly under the radar for a while until you get busted and then they “push back” against you.

 

[Atiq]

I had only half of the information when I got them which was to register them with the department of agriculture.
has anyone in Howard Country was able to get an exception for a lot which is less than 10,000 square feet? If yes what is the process?
Thanks

 

[Justicedog]

Have you called the zoning board? I'm in the county north of you and there seemed to be an ordinance that would have prohibited me from getting chickens. I think it said something about the housing for farm animals must be 150 feet from the neighboring property line. The with of my back yard is less than 150 feet. I called our zoning office and was told that the unpublished rule is on my sized property, less than 2 acres, I can have 6 chickens, if I have a rooster and neighbors complain, then he's got to go. Now, if you're in Columbia, good luck. You have to get permission to cut a tree down there.


Where'd you get your chicks?

 

[MissE]

Push back shouldn't be done at the expense of an animal. Research needs to be done BEFORE getting chickens. Variances need to be obtained BEFORE getting chickens. Doing backwards hurts other chickens owners, makes it more difficult for others to get a variance, and gives no thought to what will be done with the chickens when you are forced to get rid of them.