Should I break the law??

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

When i called Animal Control, they said i could have as many chickens and roosters as i wanted as long as they were housed 25 feet from our residence and 100 feet from any other residence. But i have also heard/read that it is 20 feet from our house and 35 feet from any neighboring residences for hens, and then 100 feet for roosters and any other loud type of animal (ducks, geese, etc).

Behind us, we might have 90 feet, but we haven't spoken to them nor they to us, except over the fence when their kids pitched balls into our yard. They seem like really nice folk, though. To one side is 60 feet. That neighbor knows about our chickens and is fine with them. On the other side we are close, maybe 15 feet. i caught him outside one day and told him we have chickens, and a couple roosters, but trying to find homes for the roosters, and i hope they aren't bothering him. He said he has not heard a thing, and asked if he could see him. i was rushing out to a doctor appointment, but told him to come by anytime, or peek over the fence. i have another neighbor two doors down with a son who knows about the chickens and LOVES them.

Zoning, ordinances, or what not, i think most people would be delighted to have chickens in the neighborhood. As long as roosters are not crowing at 3am at ear-shattering decibles, and you keep your coop nice and clean, what's the big deal?

 

[southernsibe]

You may want to check the ordinances as well for exotic pets. For instance, you may not be able to keep a "regular' chicken, say a RIR or leghorn, but if you did have a silkie or polish or something that was different from what most people expect to see as chickens it could eliminate your problem all together. It could all be in the way it is perceived. Exactly like the ground dwelling parrots! A fancy exotic bird may pass through the ordinance rules, where a plain 'ole chicken wouldn't.
Rachel

 

[bantymum]

Yes, Ive heard that Silkies are not looked apon as a chicken!!!what are they? a walking powderpuff!!!

 

[horsewishr]

OK, I guess I'm going to be the only wet blanket in the crowd.

I, personally, think it's irresponsible to acquire a new pet knowing that there's a good possibility you won't be able to keep it. At the very LEAST, please make sure you know someone who can take the birds when and if you're forced to relinquish them.

I think SeaChick is an excellent example to follow on this issue. Why don't you educate and petition the zoning board FIRST, and then get your chickens. Same goes for your neighbors. They'll probably be a lot more cooperative if their opinions are considered.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Nothing beats the knock on your door, get rid of your birds in 2 days!

Sort of ruins your experience with chickens.

All it takes is one nosey rosey or a neighbour who thinks they're Goddess' gift to the block to rat you out. Then you're SOL with crying you and crying kids...while the ACO or Health Dept hands you the summons and the citation.

As much as I'd like to go with the crowd and say, "Yeah, sure, go for it", it's not fair to the birds, the kids or to you to grow attached to your pets, then have to scramble around finding homes.

Do a truckload of research BEFORE you get anything! If you can go to the Registry of Deeds, do that. Most towns, cities or counties have their property records on-line. Looks through there. Call the head of Animal control and find out what they say.

If I had done all of this before I got chickens, I might have not had all the problems that I did...

 

[kv]

The online zoning regs are a dead end for me. I can't get any info on"grandfathering" or anything like that from them, just the basic regulations. Maybe I should get a lawyer! There was an article in the paper recently on someone in my area who had a couple of pygmy goats and they had a zoning hearing and everything. However, there had been several complaints from neighbors, so no way were they ever going to get an exemption. As a matter of fact, they were denied. They had 2 pygmy goats on 1/10 of an acre!!!! They were in a much more urban area than me, also.
If I had complaints from neighbors, I wouldn't bother trying to go against the zoning regs.
Don't worry, I am definitely not rushing into this. And I appreciate the naysayers too. I need to hear all sides.

KV

 

[kv]

Hi everyone,
thanks again for all your well thought out responses. I think I may have a solution to my problem. My good friend Kathy, who has 5 hens, lives in the city where chikies are a no-no. Her son is in 4-H and they keep them at a farm 5 minutes from my house. My 7-yo son is interested in animals and was very excited about the idea of keeping the hens. (He loves sunny-side-up eggs too)
I am going to enroll him in the 4-h group and he'll probably only get to have one chicken. It's a start, we'll learn by doing rather than theorizing.....and hopefully even get some eggs. I know I can buy any extras from Kathy. She might even sell me a chicken or two (to keep out at the farm). I grew up in Supermarketville so we didn't have 4-h and I am really looking forward to this.
Plus, I won't be a scofflaw (for now). I'll see and smell the whole picture so that if I decide in the end to be under the radar I will be better informed. I feel that I would only have one chance to get it right (in my backyard) so this would be the practice run.

Karen V

 

[Wanda]

Can't find the Maryland thread so thought I would post this here. This makes me mad, seems like they recently changed the law in Jan. 08 for the 40,000 sq ft needed to have chickens at all. I just read an article last week where people in Ann Arbor,MI are now allowed to have 4 backyard hens. This is from the MD Gazette:

Family loses case over pet chickens

BROOKLYN PARK - A Roland Terrace family's flock of pet hens must go, a county administrative hearing officer has ruled.

Stephen LeGendre denied a variance requested by Sandy and Andrew Kobus, which would have allowed them to keep their pets despite a county law passed this year that prohibits livestock on land smaller than 40,000 square feet.

The couple bought the hens for their children several years ago for Easter, They plan to appeal the Aug. 12 decision to the Board of Appeals.

When they applied for the variance, the family had five of the birds living behind the house. One has died of old age, Mrs. Kobus said Monday.

"Now it's become a real commitment to keeping them," she said of appealing the board's decision. "If we didn't, I wouldn't feel like I was doing everything I could."

Applying for a variance cost the Kobuses $180, and an appeal will cost them $280. About 40 neighbors have signed a petition promising to chip in money so the family can appeal the ruling.

 

[stacym]

I have five illegal chickens in my backyard. I am still working with my village board on changing their ordinance. I am on a third of an acre and you can only smell my hens if you go right in their pen. (I like to keep it clean as possible)
One thing that I will give you a heads up about is that 1) Chickens are addictive and you may want more(self control is a must!) 2) you may feel sorry for them as they stare at your lush lawn. I couldn't stand it anymore and have a moveable pen that I use. So, my flock is no longer a secret anymore. Which leads to 3) You may find that you can't stand having to keep them in secret. Tiptoeing around and being secretive is not my thing.
These are some of the things that I have discovered on my journey into chicken ownership!

 

[bluey]

Quote:
I absolutely agree with SpottedCrow's assessment. Let's face it, just about everybody has rosey noseys in their neighborhood (even if they are unaware) who has limited responsibility and too much time on their hands. And they always think that they are "saving the neighborhood" with every pet project they undertake, namely something inane like making sure the color of your children's swingset matches the color scheme of the neighborhood or that other people's kids are wearing bicycle helmets to ride their tricycles in their own driveways. And they usually have many public officials on their speed dials.