Question about keeping chickens in the front yard.

[Kaligh]

hi guys, I really want chickens, but have no viable place in my back yard to put the coop. This leaves me the front yard. My friend says if I put the chickens in the front yard, the traffic from the road and the noise from the neighbors will be to much for them and they will be to stressed to lay eggs?
Is this true? Or if raised from chicks will they be fine in this type of environment?

 

[SueT]

They'll be fine. Mine are unfazed by things like noise and activity.

 

[Teila]

I agree that they should be fine and will get used to the traffic noise. Before we moved, my gals were in the back but there was a road behind and in front of the house; they were OK with that.

Neighbours' lawn mowers and other noises occasionally freaked them out but only temporarily and chickens will get that whether they are in front or back.

My only concern would be security if they are able to be seen from the road. You do not want people keep walking up to them or walking off with them! Also, they may be more visible to wandering dogs etc than they would be out back. However, if you have a front fence, no dramas!

 

[IamRainey]

If it were me, I'd talk to the neighbors before I spent money on a coop, chickens and supplies. I think there's a good chance people will object to it and you could be forced to remove it all without any option about relocating it.

 

[bobbi-j]

Do you live in town? A city? First you need to check your local laws. Is your front yard fenced? That might be a good plan if that's where you want to keep your chickens. You don't want them wandering into the street, or people or dogs wandering into your chickens' area. I agree that checking with the neighbors would be a good starting place. Chickens can be loud. Sometimes stinky. You'd have to find a way to keep them home and out of your neighbors' yards. They are hard on landscaping.

 

[Kaligh]

Do you live in town? A city? First you need to check your local laws. Is your front yard fenced? That might be a good plan if that's where you want to keep your chickens. You don't want them wandering into the street, or people or dogs wandering into your chickens' area. I agree that checking with the neighbors would be a good starting place. Chickens can be loud. Sometimes stinky. You'd have to find a way to keep them home and out of your neighbors' yards. They are hard on landscaping.

Here is a picture of my yard. It’s fully fenced with a 6ft fence.
From what I can find online I can keep chickens no problem. Just has to be so far from the neighboring building. So it’s lokning like the coop would go in the front near the fence, and then they could roam the yard durring the day.

 

[lazy gardener]

As long as your city zoning laws allow chickens, you should be good to go. You should no more be required to talk to the neighbors to get their approval for getting chickens than you should be required to talk to the neighbors for their approval before you get a dog. Obey the letter of the law regarding numbers, and distance from neighbor's property. Don't get a rooster. Build your coop and run to keep them secure (do some thread searches regarding predator proofing).

Human nature being what it is, you might want to be sure that your run is not directly accessible from the street or sidewalk. Some humans have a cruel or stupid streak, and will harass animals simply b/c they can get away with it. An other poster had chickens at a school, and had issues with the kids tossing dangerous objects into the chicken run, and harassing them. I would build a completely enclosed run out of 1/2" hardware cloth. Be sure you follow the recommended coop run space of 4 s.f. in coop and 10 s.f. in run minimum per bird.

 

[moniquem]

I cannot keep chickens in my front yard, per city ordinance, regardless of the height of the fence.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as your zoning ordinances say it's okay then it's fine - it sounds like you did your homework and should be clear on that front. As someone with only a front yard, and no back (which is goofy, on 4 acres, the house is in the furthest back corner!) I can only have a coop in the front.

 

[aart]

Here is a picture of my yard. It’s fully fenced with a 6ft fence.
From what I can find online I can keep chickens no problem. Just has to be so far from the neighboring building. So it’s lokning like the coop would go in the front near the fence, and then they could roam the yard durring the day.

Don't see a pic?
I'd double check on the front yard location