Poultry or Not Poultry?

[FarmerGirl101]

I personally don't recommend it. Not saying they're all bad, like some are fairly hands off, or use the fees wisely to pay for neighborhood maintenance, from landscaping to snow plowing, but others are very nitpicky and strict.

Some of the eyerolling moments for me:
- I got fined for a neighbor having a basketball hoop (obviously I refused to pay and told them off for not bothering to check which house it was).
- I had to get signed permission from multiple neighbors to landscape my back yard, and then had 2 months to complete the work exactly as specified.

I'm so not moving into a neighborhood with an HOA

 

[BleuSaphir]

I personally don't recommend it. Not saying they're all bad, like some are fairly hands off, or use the fees wisely to pay for neighborhood maintenance, from landscaping to snow plowing, but others are very nitpicky and strict.

Some of the eyerolling moments for me:
- I got fined for a neighbor having a basketball hoop (obviously I refused to pay and told them off for not bothering to check which house it was).
- I had to get signed permission from multiple neighbors to landscape my back yard, and then had 2 months to complete the work exactly as specified.

Yikes!
Funny, being a real estate agent. I talked to a pool contractor. He had a client who wanted to have a treehouse with swing set on a island of the pool. The client is in HOA neighborhood. The plan was shot down by the HOA. Both the homeowner and the contractor were so upset with their desision. He shared to his followers what it look like as of now. Boy, it look plain without it. It made the island look out of place and boring. Compared to the concept and the finished product, I much prefer the concept art. I cannot laugh at his commentary about the people in client HOA...lot of badmouth about them. lol

 

[Floof]

If you just want eggs on the sly you could consider coturnix quail or muscovy ducks. The quail start laying at 8 weeks and will lay as regularly as a chicken, but smaller eggs, and females make soft noises where the boys will make a pleasant trilling sound. As for the muscovy, they will lay seasonally but makes nearly no sound. For your situation I would vote for the quail. They can live quite happily in a bunny cage.

 

[NatJ]

Is Red Jungle Fowl considered poultry? Poultry by definition are domesticated.

If you can keep it in a coop or pen, and it doesn't kill itself trying to get out, then I would consider it domesticated. So yes, I would consider Red Jungle Fowl to be poultry. (Possible exception if there are some in a zoo that do act wild, but I assume you would want to get them from a hatchery or a breeder, where they are being raised the same way as domestic chickens.)

I have a HOA which prohibts keeping poultry. My city allows up to five chickens without any kind of permit....I don't have any chicks yet. I admit I am looking into getting around the HOA rules...I am willing to try to change the HOA rules too.

Good thinking, to look into it before gettting them!
For changing the HOA rules--maybe look up whether they made the no poultry rule BEFORE or AFTER the city made the rule that allows chickens.

If the HOA rule came first, maybe you could convince them with "the city changed, and the HOA should too."

But if the HOA made their rule after the city allowed chickens, then the HOA was probably reacting to the city rule, and it would be harder to convince them to change their rule.

Also, look into how one changes an HOA rule. I've seen some that require more than half of members to sign something or vote in favor of it--even if the members do not object to chickens, they may not be willing to sign something or vote for something, because they just don't care enough.

 

[BleuSaphir]

If OP is very active with her neighborhood community, it be more wise to gather around homeowner to change a new rule. It doesn’t hurt to ask. But I would precaution about who she approach.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I only want hens. I am willing to try to change the HOA rules too. I'm just looking at my options. Thanks!

Hi there and welcome to BYC!

I'm gonna agree that ANY red jungle fowl you can get in the US.. IS domesticated.. and very likely not the best choice for eggs in a so cal city. Also keep in mind that some folks who were keeping their own birds during the pandemic couldn't find chicken feed.. The desire for self sufficiency is a good one.. but heavily misunderstood.. wild fowl.. forage far and wide.. If YOU are feeding it.. if you are housing it.. it's domesticated.. is how my brain reasons it out.

Trying to change your HOA rules.. is the most honorable even if not the easiest choice.. and will impact everyone.. so also the most valuable choice really..

Please also note that during a recent New castle's virus outbreak.. many folks in southern California.. LA and Riverside counties I think, faced mandatory flock euthanasia and thousands of birds were put down. As heart breaking as the whole scenario was.. it's about protecting out national food supply chain. The shipping embargo to the area has just lifted in the past couple months!

As suggested by one poster be SURE to include specific requirements.. like feed storage, etc.. look up other HOA's and ordinances that allow for chickens and try to draft something worth approving that addresses concerns of folks like smell, sound, rodents, flies, etc.

To anyone who is able.. AVOID HOA's.. yes, they serve a purpose.. They're essentially taxing your to police the neighborhood extra.. maybe pay for things like swimming pools.. But when you can't put up a screen door of your choice or Christmas lights.. or whatever type of rules they have.. with a reason.. That's not really home ownership.. to me.. but So Cal is cray cray with HOA.. BUY/rent ELSEWHERE if possible.. Abide by the rules if you're already there.. Get them changed if you can.. Move if you have to.

Best wishes on you adventure!

 

[BleuSaphir]

Hi there and welcome to BYC!

I'm gonna agree that ANY red jungle fowl you can get in the US.. IS domesticated.. and very likely not the best choice for eggs in a so cal city. Also keep in mind that some folks who were keeping their own birds during the pandemic couldn't find chicken feed.. The desire for self sufficiency is a good one.. but heavily misunderstood.. wild fowl.. forage far and wide.. If YOU are feeding it.. if you are housing it.. it's domesticated.. is how my brain reasons it out.

Trying to change your HOA rules.. is the most honorable even if not the easiest choice.. and will impact everyone.. so also the most valuable choice really..

Please also note that during a recent New castle's virus outbreak.. many folks in southern California.. LA and Riverside counties I think, faced mandatory flock euthanasia and thousands of birds were put down. As heart breaking as the whole scenario was.. it's about protecting out national food supply chain. The shipping embargo to the area has just lifted in the past couple months!

As suggested by one poster be SURE to include specific requirements.. like feed storage, etc.. look up other HOA's and ordinances that allow for chickens and try to draft something worth approving that addresses concerns of folks like smell, sound, rodents, flies, etc.

To anyone who is able.. AVOID HOA's.. yes, they serve a purpose.. They're essentially taxing your to police the neighborhood extra.. maybe pay for things like swimming pools.. But when you can't put up a screen door of your choice or Christmas lights.. or whatever type of rules they have.. with a reason.. That's not really home ownership.. to me.. but So Cal is cray cray with HOA.. BUY/rent ELSEWHERE if possible.. Abide by the rules if you're already there.. Get them changed if you can.. Move if you have to.

Best wishes on you adventure!

Unfortunately many SoCal cities have HOA in place.

 

[SueT]

You may be able to get away w quail.....

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Unfortunately many SoCal cities have HOA in place.

but So Cal is cray cray with HOA.

I noted that, sorry if it wasn't quite English.. and for so veme people it may their best/only option. I will ALWAYS recommend AGAINST buying in an HOA.. for ME.. the cons exceed the pros.

Being a California girl myself.. and a good portion of my life spent in the southern region.. I'm fairly familiar with Santa Clarita and the rapid expansion that's taken place.. HOA's are common.. and if that what one has to deal with to live in THEIR desired location.. that's fine.. And.. maybe there will be a day what it's an appropriate choice for me.. For right now, I just offered my best current advice.

Thank you for making sure I was informed!

There is much more I have yet to learn.. all signs say avoid HOA.. and vote with your dollars if you have that luxury.

If kids are living under their parents roof.. they can make other plans for their future and be informed about their options.. MANY options are limited by $$$$ but other only by mindset. There are tons of non HOA homes in So Cal cities too. Depends on where you focus.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Unfortunately many SoCal cities have HOA in place.

Yup, I used to live in Irvine, CA... HOAs on top of HOAs. My family was paying 2 or 3 fees at a time. One's for your building development, then one for the "village" you live in, and there'd possibly be another for membership to use pools or other facilities or things like security gates. I don't miss that at all.