Permit to keep chickens ... MOBILE, ALABAMA

[AlabamaSweetpea]

I live in the city limits in Mobile, Alabama and I just got 4 pullets(?) last month that are 3 weeks old. I knew that up to 25 hens were allowed in the city limits and they are to be kept 40 feet from my neighbors. There is also an 8 ft set-back for all structures. Just to make sure I would be within compliance of city ordinance on housing requirements, I checked to see what the dimensions were for an appropriate chicken house. Well, the ordinance holds that


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There are a lot of people that keep chickens in the city limits, and I can't imagine very many being able to comply with the 20 ft set back. My lot is only 68 ft wide so that would almost be the middle of my yard.

I called the city and got transferred around several times and when I asked about the permit to keep chickens you would have thought I was asking to keep water buffalo in the backyard and never got an answer to my question.

Is there anybody here in the City of Mobile? And how strict is the city on the 20' set back?

thanks

p.s., I didn't want to invest in building the coop and then forced to remove it

 

[Shamrock75]

We are here in the city of Mobile. I don't know how strict they are, our coop is about 6 feet from the property line. The way I understand, if a neighbor complains its the animal control people who come and they will make sure you have 25 hens or less, no roosters and that the area is clean. We tend to give eggs to the neighbors and they don't seem to mind the chickens at all. We even give them chicken poo composted dirt for their gardens and plants. Good luck - you should look into joining the Mobile Bay area Backyard Chicken club!

 

[AlabamaSweetpea]

We are here in the city of Mobile. I don't know how strict they are, our coop is about 6 feet from the property line. The way I understand, if a neighbor complains its the animal control people who come and they will make sure you have 25 hens or less, no roosters and that the area is clean. We tend to give eggs to the neighbors and they don't seem to mind the chickens at all. We even give them chicken poo composted dirt for their gardens and plants. Good luck - you should look into joining the Mobile Bay area Backyard Chicken club!

thanks for the reply. I asked my neighbor on one side if she had any problem with me getting chickens and she said no. If all these chicks are pullets, which I think 3 of them look like roosters, I would have eggs to spare. And I know she would love the composted manure.

I was planning on a 10 x 12 pen/house for 4 chicks, so I thought that would be plenty big, but wanted to make sure beforehand.

I talked to my niece about joining the Chicken club and she thought it would be a hoot! Do you know when and where the next meeting will be?

 

[Shamrock75]

thanks for the reply. I asked my neighbor on one side if she had any problem with me getting chickens and she said no. If all these chicks are pullets, which I think 3 of them look like roosters, I would have eggs to spare. And I know she would love the composted manure.

I was planning on a 10 x 12 pen/house for 4 chicks, so I thought that would be plenty big, but wanted to make sure beforehand.

I talked to my niece about joining the Chicken club and she thought it would be a hoot! Do you know when and where the next meeting will be?

Its on April 29. If you are on facebook, search Mobile Bay Area Backyard Chicken club. You have to ask to join the club, someone will let you in - its easy. I have eight Rhode Island Red "pullets" (that's a hen under one year old) and they have been steady laying eggs since they were 4 months old!

 

[AlabamaSweetpea]

Its on April 29. If you are on facebook, search Mobile Bay Area Backyard Chicken club. You have to ask to join the club, someone will let you in - its easy. I have eight Rhode Island Red "pullets" (that's a hen under one year old) and they have been steady laying eggs since they were 4 months old!

thanks I found it. I hope I have pullets and not roosters!

 

[Slotred]

The Mobile Bay Area Backyard Chicken Club was formed last August for the purpose of sharing ideas and solving problems relating to the responsible ownership of backyard chickens. The club now has over 85 facebook members. Monthly meetings have been very productive, and we are continuing to grow. Most of us who live in the City limits do not comply with the 20-foot setback rule, but as long as our coops are kept clean, and we don't have roosters, we get by the ordinance. If someone challenges the rule, we may open a can of worms, so we tread carefully. The momentum is growing rapidly, and I expect in a year or so we'll be strong enough to win a fight with City Hall.
Backyard chicken clubs are popping up across the country, and if most of them are like ours they are providing an excellent resource for families who want to experience the joy of keeping chickens but aren't fully knowledgeable on the subject. That's where I was when I started my small flock. I had more questions than answers. Backyardchickens.com has been an outstanding resource for me, but the local club has been an ideal addition to my own learning experience.

 

[AlabamaSweetpea]

Considering all the egg recalls lately, it's gonna be hard to prove backyard chickens pose a health risk. So I guess I can just build a coop/run and wait to see what happens.

 

[GulfBamaChick]

As long as you do not have a hateful neighbor or a rooster, it's like a leash law. They will only investigate if there is a persistent complaint.