Hi
I am new here. I've always wanted a backyard "homestead". I would be satisfied with bees and chickens. I called the zoning board in my area and they informed me that I need 1 acre minimum to have chickens. I have 1/2 acre. Also, my neighbors on both sides are virtually NEVER in their yards. My 2 neighbors in the back are fenced and also don't come out too much. In other words, if I only had 2 chickens, I think I could probably get away with it. I would have an EGLU or some other low profile coop and screen my yard with shrubs or a fence. If anyone asked me what the coop was, I would just tell them that my kids were keeping a couple of bunnies. Oooh, I am sooo bad!
I want to let them out to free range in the yard, also. At night they will be locked up tight because Mr. Fox is a very busy customer around here with all the wild bunnies.
I realize that I must minimize the smell, too. My plan is to figure out how to make some kind of sliding poop tray in the coop (like the Eglu) and dump the poop into these large wire bins I have set up already (for compost) filled with shredded leaves. I can dump some poop and cover it up with a layer of leaves and just do that until the bin is full.
I am going to forego the bees because I think they will attract too much attention to the chickens.
So, do you all think I can get away with a couple of laying hens? I really don't give a hoot about the "zoning". I think most of the neighbors' dogs are at least as much of a nuisance as my chickens would be. Please advise.
Thanks,
KV
I am new here. I've always wanted a backyard "homestead". I would be satisfied with bees and chickens. I called the zoning board in my area and they informed me that I need 1 acre minimum to have chickens. I have 1/2 acre. Also, my neighbors on both sides are virtually NEVER in their yards. My 2 neighbors in the back are fenced and also don't come out too much. In other words, if I only had 2 chickens, I think I could probably get away with it. I would have an EGLU or some other low profile coop and screen my yard with shrubs or a fence. If anyone asked me what the coop was, I would just tell them that my kids were keeping a couple of bunnies. Oooh, I am sooo bad!
I want to let them out to free range in the yard, also. At night they will be locked up tight because Mr. Fox is a very busy customer around here with all the wild bunnies.
I realize that I must minimize the smell, too. My plan is to figure out how to make some kind of sliding poop tray in the coop (like the Eglu) and dump the poop into these large wire bins I have set up already (for compost) filled with shredded leaves. I can dump some poop and cover it up with a layer of leaves and just do that until the bin is full.
I am going to forego the bees because I think they will attract too much attention to the chickens.
So, do you all think I can get away with a couple of laying hens? I really don't give a hoot about the "zoning". I think most of the neighbors' dogs are at least as much of a nuisance as my chickens would be. Please advise.
Thanks,
KV