Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[LaughingFeather]

Unfortunately your intentions aren't going to matter. You will need to complain and get the law changed. Similar to how you couldn't have an illegal weapon of some sort and just claim "but I'm not going to use it".

No matter how much people try to make them pets, the facts are chickens are food. The code cited in this thread for your city prevents you from raising livestock for food. It's stupid yes for multiple reasons, but you're going to have to get a group and change that ridiculous code before you'll convince the city to let you have your chickens.

Thankfully with urban farming and backyard chickens being so popular right now, city governments all over the country are changing their laws and codes. There's and entire section of the forum here devoted to the topic but I'd start with a letter writing campaign, use social media to find like minded people an support within the city and force them to change it.

I hate cloths line laws. They have taken us so far from our roots and reality. Conform to robotic, identical lives or you don't belong. Utopian cloud life. Sorry to draw from Sci-Fiction but it fits.

Down in Fairfield, CA there was a case quite a few years back where a disabled kid had a pot bellied pig as a service animal. They wouldn't let her keep it. Even with outcry from the town. No precedent setting.

 

[cmoore333]

We have had chickens for about a year, but last night a nice couple stopped at our house to give us all thier old egg cartons. I of course offered them some eggs, since they where all blank cartons and very nice, they declined. They did stay and look at the baby ducks we have, as she's never seen runner ducks any way I just had to post that there are still some nice people out there.. My neighbor on the other hand is a jerk, always complaining about my kids motorbikes, my chickens, the traffic, the highschool down the road, just about everything Ohhh don't get him started on the socccer fields (he complains to me, I think he is lonely ...)

 

[BGMatt]

Chickens are NOT food, if they aren't raised for food. They are not raising chickens for food purposes! City says they can be raised for pleasure or Utilitarian purposes (utilitarian can cover the raising of chickens to eat eggs). They can have livestock, but not to be raised for food. I think the ordnance means commercial raising of food.

Sorry, don't care how you dress it up, chickens are food. I understand many on this board do not view them that way but that's what they are.

Yes, I agree, our intentions don't do us much good when push comes to shove with a judge.
Their code specifically defines chickens as livestock. Unless you can find something that says you can keep livestock on residential (R-4) property, I think you're stuck, and will have to get the codes changed.


ETA: I just went and looked at Yelm's definitions again

6.04.010 Definition.
“Livestock” means any horse, mules, cattle, hogs, goats, sheep, rabbits, or other animal stock, and shall include chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and fowl. (Ord. 753 § 2, 2002).

6.08.030 Definitions
F. "Domestic animal” means an animal other than livestock.
S. “Pet animal” means any species of wild or domestic animal sold or retained for the purpose of being kept for pleasure, companionship or utilitarian purposes and not kept as a food source.

So, regardless of how you intend to use your chicken, it doesn't apply because it is not considered a "domestic" animal. It's Livestock.

What Carolyn says right here. Is it stupid? Yeah. I said that before. But you'll have to get the law/ordance changed.

 

[FirewifeJess]

I can't go to the show this weekend unfortunately. Both days are booked solid I'm talking to Kim about getting some chicks or eggs though thanks all.

 

[LaughingFeather]

Here is a video from Terry Golson of Hencam on how to give your chicken a bath.

http://hencam.com/faq/how-to-give-a-chicken-a-bath/

That was a good video. Made it look easy. Not as hard as giving a mad cat a bath.

 

[walady944]

awww just the smile I needed before crashing for the night, thank you

Duckies are sooo cutE

Oh, my, that duck just loves the kitty. So darling!

 

[LyleChickens]

Quote: Now, I can see all of this, and I completely understand. I do see now how this is worded so that no matter what the paper says I can't have chickens. But the man we are in contact with from the code enforcement said "Therefore: If the chickens are kept for a food source, they are NOT a pet and are prohibited in the R-4 zoning district." So I'm holding onto hope that when my husband calls later. We will find out that since we don't want chickens to EAT, but as pets and a hobby, we'll get good news! Hope it's not too late as I'm not seeing many places saying baby chicks for sale anymore!

 

[CarolynF]

Sorry, don't care how you dress it up, chickens are food. I understand many on this board do not view them that way but that's what they are.

What Carolyn says right here. Is it stupid? Yeah. I said that before. But you'll have to get the law/ordance changed.

BGMatt.... Totalcolour isn't one of the people that views chickens as non-food. She processes lots of birds and critters for food. She was looking at alternatives views.

 

[lilfarmmomma]

Quote: Now, I can see all of this, and I completely understand. I do see now how this is worded so that no matter what the paper says I can't have chickens. But the man we are in contact with from the code enforcement said "Therefore: If the chickens are kept for a food source, they are NOT a pet and are prohibited in the R-4 zoning district." So I'm holding onto hope that when my husband calls later. We will find out that since we don't want chickens to EAT, but as pets and a hobby, we'll get good news! Hope it's not too late as I'm not seeing many places saying baby chicks for sale anymore!
Del's in Yelm had some on Saturday when I was there. I know most places will have them usually into May. Otherwise, there are peeps here who can usually point you to good sources for chicklets. Don't give up yet.

 

[motherochickens]

Hey there fellow Maple Valley chicken mom!!

Welcome to the group! I was 30 pages behind- and only missed a couple days reading. Good grief!

I don't have a toddler in the house, but Firewifejess has a couple and she's in Covington area.
My rug rat is a teenager with a hollow leg - and I've got the grocery bill to prove it!

Ya know- It's cheaper at this age to take them to all-you-can-eat buffets!
My son loves the going to Red Robin since they have Gluten free burgers and "bottomless" fries. His personal best record for Red Robin fry consumption was 7 baskets full.

He can eat 2 full plates of all-you-can-eat stir fry at Iron Grill, and I think if we sat there for a few minutess to let things settle in, he could probably get a 3rd plate down.

I'm out by Hobart. Where did you buy your chicks? I think I see barred rock, "americauna" (easter egger), white rock or white leghorn, australoprp (??) and red/gold sex link? What's the black & white mottled one ?

Lots of nice folks on here-- and a couple of cranky ones too- watch out for the cranky ones!!!!!

I was told from the breeder that I have from (left to right) a salmon favrolle, cuckoo maran, americauna, light sussex, black cochin, and a mottled java. Nice to get to know some more neighbors. We are new to the area.