Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Slinglings]

I'm not sure if this is one of the questions that can be asked but may not be answered but it doesn't hurt to ask---how many people are keeping more chickens than they are legally supposed to? I want more and more hens, and technically I can only have 4 more, however, there are at least 6 more breeds that I would like. I am in Seattle and have a fairly average size, small back yard. They have access to the whole yard and only sleep in the coop. I would need a larger, nicer coop.

How much trouble can you get in? Do the neighbors have to complain before anything happens? What are the consequences?

I would also like to ask for advice about what breeds I should get, but not sure if I should ask here or in another forum.

Nothing will happen until early spring, at the earliest, so I'm just planning right now..

 

[Chicken Rustler]

I'm not sure if this is one of the questions that can be asked but may not be answered but it doesn't hurt to ask---how many people are keeping more chickens than they are legally supposed to? I want more and more hens, and technically I can only have 4 more, however, there are at least 6 more breeds that I would like. I am in Seattle and have a fairly average size, small back yard. They have access to the whole yard and only sleep in the coop. I would need a larger, nicer coop.

How much trouble can you get in? Do the neighbors have to complain before anything happens? What are the consequences?

I would also like to ask for advice about what breeds I should get, but not sure if I should ask here or in another forum.

Nothing will happen until early spring, at the earliest, so I'm just planning right now..

Well I am lucky and don't have to deal with the same limits that many of you have. My advice would be share some eggs with your neighbors to help keep them happy. I would keep a low profile and not make a big deal about the # of birds you have and don't get too carried away with how many you have. And I think ya need some Faverolles

 

[FirewifeJess]

I'm not sure if this is one of the questions that can be asked but may not be answered but it doesn't hurt to ask---how many people are keeping more chickens than they are legally supposed to? I want more and more hens, and technically I can only have 4 more, however, there are at least 6 more breeds that I would like. I am in Seattle and have a fairly average size, small back yard. They have access to the whole yard and only sleep in the coop. I would need a larger, nicer coop.

How much trouble can you get in? Do the neighbors have to complain before anything happens? What are the consequences?

I would also like to ask for advice about what breeds I should get, but not sure if I should ask here or in another forum.

Nothing will happen until early spring, at the earliest, so I'm just planning right now..

I agree with CR. You can surely get and hide more than just the 4, BUT you could be forced to get rid of them if someone turns you in. Another thing to think about is the mess that more chickens makes. I have about half an acre for the chooks to roam (12 of them) and they make a horrible poopy mess all over the backyard. It's NOT kid friendly anymore and unless I were to spend an hour a day outside wandering in the rain and scooping tiny pooplets, the yard will never be kid friendly again. I know you have young kids, so do you really want your yard dirtier than it is with the 4 you have? Just my thoughts!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Also, we don't have chicken limits for our part of town; we can have roosters and lots of chickens as long as they're well fed and things are clean. BUT, I would still never have more than 12 chickens on my half acre, it's just not big enough for more unless I want a huge mess.

 

[Slinglings]

Quote: It's on my list also on my list are

copper black Marans, for egg color,
barred rock,
gold lace wyandotte
welsummer,
black sex link
a blue/green egg layer
olive egg layer
and there are many others I like..

It's too many. I would gladly get rid of the buff orp. She is as old as my white leg horn and red sex link, who have been laying since Sept, and she hasn't laid a single egg. And she's skittish.

 

[itsren]

This is our Turkey, that use to attack me, after I was done with him. He is in a 2.5 gallon tub. Man was he tastey.

That's too funny! Look at those legs sticking straight up. How did you get him in the oven? LOL!

 

[Slinglings]

Quote: I don't have 'little' kids and they don't really go in the back yard much during the school year. They have a busier schedule than I do They have their own area in the yard if they did want to go out, but when it's wet they really don't go outside at home. They have plenty of outdoor time elsewhere though.

Maybe I should just get 4 more in the early spring, see how that goes, and I would fence off the patio. That is the only place the mess bothers me, it gets hosed off weekly.

When you say I could be forced to get rid of them, do you mean just the 'extras', or 'all' of them?

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote: It's on my list also on my list are

copper black Marans, for egg color,
barred rock,
gold lace wyandotte
welsummer,
black sex link
a blue/green egg layer
olive egg layer
and there are many others I like..

It's too many. I would gladly get rid of the buff orp. She is as old as my white leg horn and red sex link, who have been laying since Sept, and she hasn't laid a single egg. And she's skittish.
This is actually to everybody ESPECIALLY newer peeps. Please keep in mind that not all birds get a long well so one should really do yer home work before mixing too many breeds in the same housing.

 

[Slinglings]

Quote: It's on my list also on my list are

copper black Marans, for egg color,
barred rock,
gold lace wyandotte
welsummer,
black sex link
a blue/green egg layer
olive egg layer
and there are many others I like..

It's too many. I would gladly get rid of the buff orp. She is as old as my white leg horn and red sex link, who have been laying since Sept, and she hasn't laid a single egg. And she's skittish.
This is actually to everybody ESPECIALLY newer peeps. Please keep in mind that not all birds get a long well so one should really do yer home work before mixing too many breeds in the same housing.
That's why I'm asking questions now Which four would be best to go with the four I have now--or should I just get more of the two that I really like? (leghorn and sexlink)

 

[itsren]

I'm not sure if this is one of the questions that can be asked but may not be answered but it doesn't hurt to ask---how many people are keeping more chickens than they are legally supposed to? I want more and more hens, and technically I can only have 4 more, however, there are at least 6 more breeds that I would like. I am in Seattle and have a fairly average size, small back yard. They have access to the whole yard and only sleep in the coop. I would need a larger, nicer coop.

How much trouble can you get in? Do the neighbors have to complain before anything happens? What are the consequences?

I would also like to ask for advice about what breeds I should get, but not sure if I should ask here or in another forum.

Nothing will happen until early spring, at the earliest, so I'm just planning right now..

You can get in a lot of trouble... that said said... I have 3 living in a coop outside, 4 hiding out in a brooder in the garage, and 12 eggs in an incubator. I am allowed 6. Right now I just say I have a baker's half dozen.

We will pare down to six - we just have to grow out three more girls before getting rid of any. The extra babies in the eggs already have a home to go to as soon as we know what sex they are. When they are little, they really don't make too much of an impact on the property - especially when they live inside. When they move outside, the neighbors may begin to become aware that they exist.

I thought Seattle allowed 8. Double-check that one. I know, that when I first started researching city chickens about 5 years ago, Seattle only allowed 3 - but I'm pretty sure they upped the numbers of hens allowed. My city didn't allow any until Nov 2011.