Slidell, LA / St. Tammany Parish

[JBugg]

Hello everyone! I’m new here and looking for specifics on the ordinances here within city limits. I’ve read the ordinances and they are so vague, I’m wondering if I’m missing some key information. I found a newspaper article in New Orleans stating that here in St. Tammany, we can have up to 4 chickens without a kennel permit, but when I called the city, the woman I spoke to was of no help.

I just want to know what’s legal and what’s not. And if there’s grey area, I’d like to know how my fellow local backyard chickeneers handle this.

I would be so very appreciative and grateful for any help at all. Truly.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Post your ordinances here so we can see what they say. I wouldn't go strictly by a newspaper article, it's better to look at the actual wording of the ordinances.

 

[JBugg]

I’m going to post a link to the ordinances since they are so wordy, but if you’d like me to post them here and it’s allowed, I can do that.

https://library.municode.com/la/slidell/codes/code_of_ordinances

It says no fowl within city limits, but then goes on to discuss the care and keeping of birds (cage dimensions and whatnot). Nowhere did I find anything about a specific number of birds, as the newspaper article indicated.

Thanks for your help!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I’m going to post a link to the ordinances since they are so wordy, but if you’d like me to post them here and it’s allowed, I can do that.

https://library.municode.com/la/slidell/codes/code_of_ordinances

It says no fowl within city limits, but then goes on to discuss the care and keeping of birds (cage dimensions and whatnot). Nowhere did I find anything about a specific number of birds, as the newspaper article indicated.

I just took a look at that too. Per Sec. 6-88:
The keeping of fowl is prohibited within the city limits.

Exception: A person may keep or possess fowl [to] be used in exhibits licensed under this section.

So possibly you could have them as long as you're exhibiting them? Generally that would include participation in something like 4-H.

The other mention of birds specifically refers to care of finches, canaries, parakeets, and similar types of birds.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think this article is pretty clear. The way i read it the only exception is if you use animals in an exhibit, such as a nativity scene.

Sec. 6-88. - Fowl.
The keeping of fowl is prohibited within the city limits.

I'd still call animal control and ask them.

 

[JBugg]

Thanks for the replies. I agree, it is pretty clear. My confusion came not only from that newspaper article that states I can have up to four, but from speaking to people around town about it, who have said that it’s okay, too. Some of these people are very “by the book” kind of people and so I was trusting that they knew something I didn’t. Well, that’s a bummer.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the clarity.

ETA: I called animal control instead of the city and spoke to a woman who told me that no, unfortunately we cannot have chickens in city limits even as pets.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sorry that the answer isn't what you hoped to hear, but at least by doing your research you didn't commit $$$ to chickens only to discover that you couldn't keep them. I have to wonder how many other people read the same newspaper article and were mislead into thinking that they could have them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That article as about St Tammany Parish. Slidell has their own laws. That's pretty common.

 

[LHB]

Thanks for the replies. I agree, it is pretty clear. My confusion came not only from that newspaper article that states I can have up to four, but from speaking to people around town about it, who have said that it’s okay, too. Some of these people are very “by the book” kind of people and so I was trusting that they knew something I didn’t. Well, that’s a bummer.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the clarity.

ETA: I called animal control instead of the city and spoke to a woman who told me that no, unfortunately we cannot have chickens in city limits even as pets.

 

[LHB]

Hello everyone! I’m new here and looking for specifics on the ordinances here within city limits. I’ve read the ordinances and they are so vague, I’m wondering if I’m missing some key information. I found a newspaper article in New Orleans stating that here in St. Tammany, we can have up to 4 chickens without a kennel permit, but when I called the city, the woman I spoke to was of no help.

I just want to know what’s legal and what’s not. And if there’s grey area, I’d like to know how my fellow local backyard chickeneers handle this.

I would be so very appreciative and grateful for any help at all. Truly.