Virginia is For BYC Lovers

[RSK8888]

I used heavy plastic to line the outside of the coop to prevent any possible draft. Also using extra litter inside... but my chickens seem oblivious to the weather. We have had some nights in the 30s but days here are still sitting in the 50s or higher. This week we are supposed to hit 70 one day!

 

[Thunder344]

I'm no chicken expert, but everything I read says roosters don't do well together unless they have a lot of hens (like, maybe 7 each) to tend to. Mine was a Columbian Wyandotte and he would have been GORGEOUS but he was also getting aggressive. I am definitely a proponent of "being a good steward" of the resource, and that may mean letting go of some of the Roos. For me it did.

Yeah, 6 hens to a rooster. But, I have exactly 6 hens to each rooster

 

[buckock]

Any thoughts on raising chickens in and around RVA?

Are you in the city or outside? I'm about 45 minutes outside and we don't have a zoning restriction here in Amelia (hence the rooster and our first bunch of chicks).

 

[RSK8888]

I'm in a small rural county that only recently approved chickens in the town limits. Lots of rules about how many, how large a lot, and fencing. No roosters allowed. Mine routinely escape the fence and free range, but the neighbors think they are cute (so far) and don't complain. I am trying to get better fencing installed because right ow I am tempting fate.

 

[buckock]

Are you in the city or outside? I'm about 45 minutes outside and we don't have a zoning restriction here in Amelia (hence the rooster and our first bunch of chicks).

Here are some of the rules for different cites in Virginia.


VIRGINIA
Alexandria, VA. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or allow to be kept within the city, within 200 feet of any residence or dwelling not occupied by such person, any fowl, a provision that essentially precludes chicken keeping.
Fairfax County, VA. Fowl, such as chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese, may only be kept on lots that are two acres or greater. They shall not exceed the ratio of one bird unit per one acre, with a bird unit defined as: 32 chickens = 1 bird unit;16 ducks = 1 bird unit; 8 turkeys = 1 bird unit; 8 geese = 1 bird unit. Only fowl six months or older are counted in the ratio.
Falls Church, VA. Chicken keeping falls under requirements for stables, which must be 40 feet from a residence and have the written permission of the city manager, said Becky Keenan, the city's animal warden.
Frederick County, VA. Frederick County, Virginia laws only say you must keep fowl fenced.
Henrico County, VA. Poultry permitted if kept 400 feet from adjacent property.
Montgomery County, VA. A chicken coop can be no closer than 100 feet from neighboring structures where people live or work.
Newport News, VA. A chicken coop can be no closer than 175 feet from neighboring structures where people live or work. And 300 feet from any school. So as you can imagine, not many city lot owners can keep chickens *legally*.
Richmond City, VA. No person shall keep, place or maintain fowl on any parcel of real property in the city which contains less than 50,000 square feet in area.
Richmond, VA. Can only keep chickens if your lot is 50,000 square feet or larger.
Fairfax City, VA. Chickens are allowed in residential districts R-1 and R-2. Animals can be kept no closer than 100 feet from a property line.

 

[Whittni]

One thing that sucks about Virginia and West Virginia is the over-regulation of chicken ordinances. They're outdated and were created when poultry farms were common (they aren't any longer). From an outside perspective, it seems like poultry farms had FAR too much sway. Many deeds and HOAs in Virginia and West Virginia heavily restrict and usually completely deny the ability to own poultry. When we were searching for our homestead, we even looked at a 15 ACRE farm that wasn't allowed to have anything besides cats ans dogs. Pathetic and anti-freedom if you ask me. It's nothing like the West.