poll: are you legal or an outlaw?

[JLS]

I am legal.

Before I even got my chicks I called the town office to see. I am in rural mixed use zoning. Therefore I can keep all types of farm animals but I cannot have a pig farm. If I wanted to get into commercial egg/meat farming I would have to apply for a permit.

Just to avoid any problems with my neighbors I even applied for a building permit in order to build the coop and run. I made sure that the coop is pretty to look at and I keep it clean so it doesn"t smell. I also make sure to keep them fenced in so they wont go into the neighbor's yard.

To be sure I would not have bought any chickens if I couldn't have them legally. I am SO glad I can have them!!!

 

[kimbobim]

Legal. We moved to this community specifically because we wanted a lot big enough for chickens, a huge garden, and fruit trees. It's a semi-rural community, zoning allows up to 12 small animals (chickens, rabbits, ducks, etc.) on 13,000 + sq ft lots. We have 22,000 feet (roughly half an acre), but are still limited to 12 birds. I suppose I could petition the city to have more, but 12 are plenty to keep us and our friends in fresh eggs. Roosters aren't prohibited, but we don't have any at this point. Someone about 1/3 mile away has one that we can hear occassionally. A few other neighbors have told us they hate that bird's crowing at 4:30 am, but he's far enough away that we hardly ever hear him.

Depending on the lot size, you can have just about any animal here - except hogs. Pigs/hogs are prohibited, regardless of lot size. Our neighbors across the street are on 2 and 5 acre lots - they both have horses. Within half a mile, we have neighbors with cows, lots of horses, alpacas, llamas, peacocks, chickens, ducks, and goats. Everyone takes good care of their animals and fences them, keeps their lots clean, etc.

Any coop has to be 25 feet from your house, and 40 feet from any neighboring house. Our back yard is 85 x 150 feet, so our coop is about 100 feet from the nearest house.

Since it is raised up on concrete piers and technically is movable, our coop is not considered a permanent structure and did not require any permits. We are going to a lot of trouble to make our coop/run look nice and fit in the neighborhood. Our subdivision actually requires half brick or stone on all buildings, so we're finishing our coop with stucco in the Spring. It looks like a nice little shed/outbuilding, and all of our neighbors have told us how nice it looks. Our subdivision 'committee' has visited our coop/run and approved all our plans (he brought his front end loader over and moved all the dirt for us!).

 

[chickerdoodle]

L E G A L

 

[buck-wild-chick]

We are legal because we live in the country. BUT if I did live in the city I would defiantly be an outlaw

 

[Della333]

outlaw here ...... right in the thick of getting a variance to our zoning by law$



I live in the country but I guess the costs of making changes (as well as the time)
is prohibitive so people haven't done it - and I know of many many many "outlaws" around me.

I may not have decided to look into changing the laws myself except for an unknown neighbour
made a complaint about me having "loose chickens" I assure you they are fine upstanding
proper ladies and they were free ranging in my front garden!

When the process begins the unknown complainer will have to be a MAN and fess up if he has a beef
or otherwise get used to having chickens around. The chickens have since had a huge grassy area sectioned and fenced
out back and will never bee seen in the front of our house again where nosey uneducated neighbours pass.

(me upset? oh yah.....)

 

[doubled]

with the chickens and dogs - legal
with the buffalo calf - outlaw

 

[fla_native]

27 pages of "legal" or "illegal"......... The fact that this is even a topic for conversation is sad.....

 

[horsejody]

I'm legal. I don't live within any city limits. If we ever get annexed by the nearby city, I will move before I submit to their Nazi city council and ordinances.

 

[gailsmile]

Not legal

Did have a problem with the city a few years ago when an employee heard my rooster, had no complaint from neighbors, got lots of signatures from neighbors on a petition to change the ordinance, but when the city realized I was prepared to fight, they dropped it.

Now I do have only hens.

 

[FireTigeris]

Not sure, maybe 'yes' by State, 'no' by zoning...