poll: are you legal or an outlaw?

[Wooden_Pony]

Legal that I can have 15 hens in town. No roosters, but my Sebright hen crows and is teaching my African Grey to crow.

As for my coop...Pretty sure it is illegal. I never got a permit for it I am sure I needed one since we have to permit EVERYTHING we do here.
My motto "better to ask forgiveness than permission"

Not to worried about getting into trouble though.... I have an "In" on the city counsel. My best friend's dad is our town mayor

 

[CocoNUT]

Ok...as far as the county's concerned, I'm LEGAL. (NO restrictions)

HOA covenants....a little blurry...as it prohibits or "barn animals" w/o really specifying.
NO ONE in our neighborhood (which is not completed nor will be in the next several years - and lots of foreclosures) is allowed to have ANY ANIMALS of ANY KIND allowed outside w/o direct supervision (including cats). Fencing is strictly limited to only one (expensive) style and privacy fencing is NOT allowed unless your property line borders outside properties. (Now mind you, we are completely surrounded by farms, & trailer parks and in the 'country').
I have spoken with my neighbors (whose dogs always run loose, unsupervised of course) and they're all fine with my silkies. And as long as no one complains, my "speakeasy" is cool with them. No one can see my outdoor run from the road and I'm planting 12' tall hedges on my property lines to screen everyone from being nosey.

IF any issues arise, I will pursue them sweetly and nicely, but AFTER consulting an attorney. (There are a lot of legal issues with our powerless HOA and the developer who have failed to deliver amenities we're paying for and continue to pay for but have yet to see materialize.)

We SO want to move out to the 'country-country'...but we can't sell our house in this economy to do so! SOON....SOON!!!

But to stay 'below radar'...I have already rehomed two roosters (our sweetest birds so far) JUST to not draw attention to ourselves. I might be forced to listen to all the dogs barking all day long...but HEAVEN FORBID a cockerel let one slip!!!

 

[KattyKillFish]

i'm legal. chickens are protected both as pets and as livestock here.

mine are pets!

 

[MagsC]

Outlaw for the short time we have remaining here.

 

[hearthnsoul]

I'm in a don't ask don't tell status

 

[codybird]

I won't know until I get caught. Kind of hazy. Pretty sure I'm legal.

 

[Rillion]

Currently illegal, which is the only reason we haven't gotten chickens yet-- and which makes no sense, considering that in the much more urban area south of us it's legal.

I'm trying to work on City Council and get them to make a change.

 

[BigPeep]

CocNUT: There is no such thing as a "barn animal". This would be void for vagueness. The part about "direct supervision" I would think would only apply if you are taking your chicken for a walk. Otherwise you couldn't let your dog out into your fenced yard or with an invisible fence. This would also be exceedingly vague.

I don't think they are going to want to take you to court over this and the city you are in has no authority to enforce subdivision covenants so that's what they would have to do.

I live on my family's original 150 year old farmstead which has since been surrounded by subdivisions but we have never been annexed. We still have the original agricultural zoning with the county so I can have anything I want. With Right To Farm laws they can't even sue me for nuisance. If I am forceably annexed they have to grandfather me in, which is one reason I got the chickens along with rabbits, goats (two new babies this week) and a goose. So I am set.

The mayor, who I originally supported and helped elect, now hates me for successfully orgainizing opposition to a minor league baseball stadium and actually leaves the room when I enter. He knows if they annex me I will promptly run against him and the main street in town, that he also lives on, is named for my family.

I am a lawyer and former planning commissioner so if you need help, let me know.

 

[tbcross]

I'm legal by about a mile or so! And we live in the country in TN the actual town permits horses and cows but not chickens. It's also home to a poultry plant and a whopping population of 1500 people or so. But I am willing to assist those who are illegal. Have given advice on how to hide them and are working on designs for illegal coops! Just hate being told what to do!!
Barb

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

... The part about "direct supervision" I would think would only apply if you are taking your chicken for a walk. Otherwise you couldn't let your dog out into your fenced yard or with an invisible fence. This would also be exceedingly vague.

Some of the retirement communities here have that kind of provision. And "fences" are usually at most about 2 to 3 feet high concrete block walls to give a more open feel to teensy lots. Woldn't keep a chihuaua(sp) from jumping over the fence.​