Shh! I'm breaking the rules....and need some help!

[onthespot]

I would say fight the fight first. Get them aproved. With your luck, they will approve five and you will have eight and have to re-home three or something equally sad. I know you want to "just do it" but if you want to "just do it" then you may as well move somewhere that it is legal, and "just do it" because you will be bringing a huge fight and stress on yourself doing it the way you are. If you can't have chickens where you are, and you MUST have chickens, move where they are legal. Then you don't have to apologize for noise, eggs, feathers blowing to the neighbor's yard, a coop that looks too rural and is "dropping property values" all over the place. You have no idea how hard set against chickens some people can be, and to what lenghts they will go to brutalize you into getting rid of your birds.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

I know you want this project but may I make a suggestion?. Why not start with three or four hens? You could explain that they are pets. I think 8-10 hens can raise quite a racket! Just a suggestion. Also, we went to the only two neighbors that we thought would be able to hear the hens to get their input. They were delighted and they get my extra eggs when I have them. It's called politics! Good luck!

 

[MomtoSyd&Emma]

We have 6 hens outside (10 chicks in a brooder too) yesterday even over the whirring of the pool pump, sawing of mdf and hammering we could hear our hens singing the egg song! We were laughing about it because we are allowed to have 10 hens in the city, we bought extras just in case of death or imposter hens lol but if they all end up all being hens (doubtful) then we will keep them all and just hope for the best because all our neighbors know we have hens, and have had no complaints! (we wont keep any cockerels though)

Just wanted to let you know that hens can get noisy too lol (oh and we have almost an acre lot)

 

[chick1150]

I have a black japanese rooster that sounds like a seagull. None of my neighbors has said a word about mine. I was like you, I said no roosters. When to a swap meet and came home with two hens until one started crowing. My grandkids were so attached to it I said I would keep it until someone said something. I belive that if anyone who wants to raise chickens, keeps the pen clean and makes sure that no varmits start hanging around, noboby should care. Good luck

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
I say go for it... as long as they have a home to go to if it comes to it. I do not recommend people breaking rules/laws when animals are involved if they don't have a good home already lined up if needed. Glad to hear you are responcible enough to think of that. I don't follow rules either!

 

[pretty_chicken]

My cochin bantam roo crows very loud, any time of day he wants! At least he waits for my alarm to go off in the morning first though. Such a gentleman.

 

[ChickenMama18]

We have buff orps that are very quiet except when they lay an egg. Then the whole flock seems to get in on the celebration! We also live in a residential area, but we can have up to six (we're a bit over but hey...) and so during that little egg laying celebration it gets very loud. Nothing stops them either...unless I pick them up then they will stop. Also, of all our birds our bantam is the loudest. She is more high pitched. The rooster would have to be out as others suggested...that's a sure way to draw attention to you and then you have a homeless bird. I can hear two roosters over at the fams quite a way out of our sub-division so your neighbors would definately hear a roo.

 

[feathered fannies farm]

Whew!! I'm always complaining to dear hubby that we live to far out in BFE West Virginia. We have 40 acres and our closest neighbor is almost 3/4 of a mile away. But after reading this post I'm glad I live where I do.

I don't have to worry about any of the laws and ordinances. Never thought about them really. I've always lived in the country and when I seen a roo or chick that I like I just get em. Lots of people call me to take their extra roosters, which often I do so that they will have a home. I'm sorry that your having to go thru this and have to sneak around just to own a few chickens. As tnchickenut said the hens can make a lot of noise also. If one of my BR hens goes to cackling , its not long and they are all doing it.
Good luck with your decision, and my fingers are crossed that you are not found out..

 

[bakerjw]

Quote:
A bit off the main topic, but this reminds me of when I spent some time in Ecuador a few years back. I coined the term "Los gallos del Diablo" which means "The roosters of the devil. In the fishing village where I was staying they had never heard of nor considered windows or screens so you heard everything that was going on at all hours of the night (including occasional machine gun fire). It was not unusual at all for the roosters to crow at 3:00 AM.

So I guess my advice is to steer clear of roosters.