Reporting violations of city ordinances

[joan1708]

I think I might be inclined to leave an anonymous note suggesting that an illegal roo and coop could be overlooked if the roo didn't crow at night (10 pm to 6 am). Attach the city ordinance.

 

[ChickAficianado]

As long as there is no possible compromise (moving the coop, etc), I'm going to agree with the suggestion to leave an anonymous note. You'd be informing them of your annoyance and giving them a chance to correct the issue. In my area I'm allowed to keep a rooster and I don't. When I purchased fertilized eggs, I had a baby chick that my hen hatched and raised. Her little feathered friend turned out to be a roo, and now he lives with another wonderful home. It just wouldn't have been fair to my neighbors to keep him.

Facing someone face to face about an issue is usually the best route. However, the neighbor surely knows that having a rooster in a neighborhood is going to bother people. If there's no possible compromise, the rooster either stays or goes. An anonymous letter allows them to make the appropriate choice, and you wouldn't have to worry about backlash in the event that a complaint was made.

 

[pdp1]

As long as there is no possible compromise (moving the coop, etc), I'm going to agree with the suggestion to leave an anonymous note. You'd be informing them of your annoyance and giving them a chance to correct the issue. In my area I'm allowed to keep a rooster and I don't. When I purchased fertilized eggs, I had a baby chick that my hen hatched and raised. Her little feathered friend turned out to be a roo, and now he lives with another wonderful home. It just wouldn't have been fair to my neighbors to keep him.

Facing someone face to face about an issue is usually the best route. However, the neighbor surely knows that having a rooster in a neighborhood is going to bother people. If there's no possible compromise, the rooster either stays or goes. An anonymous letter allows them to make the appropriate choice, and you wouldn't have to worry about backlash in the event that a complaint was made.

You would think so right? But, I'm not sure if this is the case though... To reiterate, I'm not hell bent on the coop being relocated, that is a very small problem compared to the noise output and frequency of the rooster. I can't imagine why in a suburban neighborhood like ours where the home lots are at most 1/4 acre in size, and that is a HUGE lot compared to most of the newer housing developments, anyone would even consider having a rooster out in the open backyard, never mind the ordinances, it just seems like common sense. You might as well have an air horn go off for 5-10 min every hour, for 12 or more hours a day. I honestly don't see any resolution besides either getting rid of the rooster or putting it in a sound proof room.

Sorry for the rant, it was especially bad this weekend considering the fruitless encounter with the neighbor and all. Plus it was the first really hot weekend of the year (over 100) and we had to leave the windows open to make it bearable. Needless to say we got very little rest.

Knowing now how anti-social the neighbor is makes me hesitant to deal with him directly, but the anonymous note is worth a shot, thanks for the input!

 

[ChickAficianado]

Good luck!

 

[goldfinches]

I feel your pain. My new neighbors moved in with a dog who lived outside and barked day and night, waking my children up. I finally got fed up and left them a note and they came over and talked to me about it. They were very nice and started doing things to keep him quiet, like give him attention and bring him inside.

And, you are being very patient, after the dad was so rude to you. I would knock again, try to tell him again about the roo. If he continues to be indifferent, all you can do is call the authorities. There's a reason there is an ordinance against roosters, and you've learned that reason...

 

[annewandering]

Is the person who answered the door the only adult in the household? Have your other neighbors ever dealt with them?
When you knocked at their door it may have been a very bad time. There are a lot of reasons they may have not wanted to talk. Only one is that they are rude neighbors.
I would talk to a neighbor or two and ask if the chicken owning neighbor is always 'reserved'. After that I would perhaps call and ask if you can come over to visit. Many people actually consider it rude to just appear at the door and want to talk without calling first.
Mostly just give the guy the benefit of the doubt because you just do not know his motivation. He may just be a twirp but maybe not. So far you have made one attempt to talk and that did not go well. That is not even a good start. ^^

 

[Northie]

Ok... Just out of curiosity, can you do anything to keep a rooster quiet? With our budgie I stick him in the bathroom at night so he doesn't wake us up before 6:00am. It's dark in there and he usually sleeps or at least is quiet until we bring him out in the morning. Can you do that to a rooster?

Anyway... I'm thinking along the lines of explain your situation then ask if they could lock him up somewhere at night... I'm a chicken noob so someone else will have to let us know if that would even work. It's a decent compromise between no rooster and noisy rooster. If they don't care how their rooster affects your life and can't be bothered to try to make things work I'd let the city deal with it. I'd assume that if the rooster was a treasured pet they would want to make sure they can keep him by keeping him quiet right?
But... Like I said, I'm no expert yet...

 

[katbriar]

pdp1- you're being very thoughtful and trying to understand. You deserve a lot of credit.

I'd make an excuse to go over and say hi to the neighbor again, but not to talk about the rooster. Something neutral.

If he still is unsocially abrupt and closes the door in your face, confronting him about his rooster may not be good for you to do yourself.

He may deserve be the benefit of the doubt like another poster suggested, but if you get any creepy feelings, I'd suggest the anonymous note or someone with authority to enforce ordinances or even the police.

You sound like you're trying to be a good and peaceful neighbor. Maybe I'm just too suspicious of other.

 

[joan1708]

I've seen on you tube where a women brought her roo in at night (put him in a dog crate), to spare the neighbors. You've got to get the word to these people that the roo crowing at night is not going to last much longer - one way or another - Their choice. It's this kind of lack of neighborly consideration that makes keeping chickens and changing ordinances harder for all of us.

 

[Chikenbutwut]

I've seen on you tube where a women brought her roo in at night (put him in a dog crate), to spare the neighbors. You've got to get the word to these people that the roo crowing at night is not going to last much longer - one way or another - Their choice. It's this kind of lack of neighborly consideration that makes keeping chickens and changing ordinances harder for all of us.

That sounds like a great idea! I agree 100% with your last sentence as well...people should take their neighbors into consideration and because some don't, it does make things difficult on everyone.



A lot of people don't like confrontation, so I like the idea of leaving a note and seeing what they do about it too. If that doesn't work, maybe bake or buy some cookies, bring them over and say you just wanted to introduce yourself as their new neighbor. I know that giving cookies should be the other way around, lol, but it may soften the blow. Then nicely mention that their rooster is keeping you up at night and ask if there's anything they could do about it. Explain that not only has it got you exhausted in the mornings, your wife is pregnant and your little one is being woken up at times too. Most people should be willing to do something about it. Then again you will have the occasional butt head for a neighbor. They could have been socially abrupt 'cause they've had complaints from other neighbors (??). I hope this isn't the case though.

I have to say, it's really awesome of you to be so nice about this. I really hope they do the right thing.