We are blessed in Chicopee, MA

[epeloquin]

I spoke with our health dept before beginning construction on our coop/run. They asked how far the nearest dwellings are. Our coop is between two garages so there is one dwelling to the back and another diagonally to the front and they are about 75 ft. away. I explained that to them, showed them my drawings and they said it was fine. Next week they come out for an inspection, to be sure everything is as I said, I pay $25 and get my permit. The only real restriction is 'no roosters'. I can deal with that because I didn't plan to have any.

I did speak with the neighbors who will be able to see the coop which the health dept. was glad I did. They were both excited and were not opposed to the coop in the least. I sweetened the deal by promising them some eggs.

I think part of the reason we are so blessed is because the ordinance we do have is from 1957 and is so vague as to be useless so as long as things are 'reasonable' by the health department standards they have no complaints. The only thing she was stern about was keeping it from smelling. i told her the poop will go into my composter and she said that was fine and if they got a complaint they would as that I put the poop out for pick-up with the trash.

I read the nightmare scenarios some have dealt with and I can't believe how blessed we are!

My city has been so easy to deal with. Thank the Lord!

 

[reptilepat]

It's always good to know there's other people in Chicopee keeping chickens! So far none of my neighbors have complained about smell or noise (even when we had a rooster, which we gave away recently). All my neighbors know of the coop and chickens and the only house that you can actually see them from is currently unoccupied.

I actually know of a few houses that I heard roosters crowing from in Chicopee, one right by Szot Park's basketball courts and one in a neighborhood off of Granby Road, (that rooster is actually a nuisance and I don't know why nobody has said anything about it yet!)

 

[epeloquin]

Quote:

Yeah, I remember seeing the coop next to the b'ball courts at Szot. Actually, after I wrote that post I had a small issue with the Health Dept. I had met with Tammy and told her that I was planning on having nine chickens and showed her the plans for my coop/run. She said that was fine. Then after I ordered my chicks (I ended up only getting six) I had gone back down and she told me that they have new ordinances and we are only allowed 5 chickens if you're on less than an acre. I reminded her that she had approved me for nine even though I only had six and I was not getting rid of one. She said "okay, just don't get any more" which I am fine with.

My neighbors have been good. Of course they girls have not started laying yet so there is no "egg song" yet. I am not worried though. The neighbors are good. As for the smell, I keep my coop and run very clean. I rake up the poop 1-2x per day in the run and I put pieces of plywood under their roost in the coop to catch their nighttime poop. I scrape the poop into my composter every day and check the rest of the coop for poop. They don't really spend much time in the coop except for nighttime.

Anyway, I am anxiously anticipating our first egg. Our girls are fifteen weeks old tomorrow. One of them has her full wattles and comb in and two others are not far behind.

The third pic is an old one, they were six weeks there. The first two pics are about 2 weeks old.

Glad to meet another Chicopee resident in here too!

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Quote:

Yeah, I remember seeing the coop next to the b'ball courts at Szot. Actually, after I wrote that post I had a small issue with the Health Dept. I had met with Tammy and told her that I was planning on having nine chickens and showed her the plans for my coop/run. She said that was fine. Then after I ordered my chicks (I ended up only getting six) I had gone back down and she told me that they have new ordinances and we are only allowed 5 chickens if you're on less than an acre. I reminded her that she had approved me for nine even though I only had six and I was not getting rid of one. She said "okay, just don't get any more" which I am fine with.

My neighbors have been good. Of course they girls have not started laying yet so there is no "egg song" yet. I am not worried though. The neighbors are good. As for the smell, I keep my coop and run very clean. I rake up the poop 1-2x per day in the run and I put pieces of plywood under their roost in the coop to catch their nighttime poop. I scrape the poop into my composter every day and check the rest of the coop for poop. They don't really spend much time in the coop except for nighttime.

Anyway, I am anxiously anticipating our first egg. Our girls are fifteen weeks old tomorrow. One of them has her full wattles and comb in and two others are not far behind.

The third pic is an old one, they were six weeks there. The first two pics are about 2 weeks old.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/82286_dscf0144.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/82286_dscf0154.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/82286_dscf0114.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/82286_dscf0064.jpg

Glad to meet another Chicopee resident in here too!

I love that second hen she is so pretty! Hope you get some eggs soon! Just a word from the wise though, your coop is FAR from preditor proof..coons (and dogs) can break in through that "chicken wire" in no time flat and anything can dig under and get in....and hawks can drop into the run for a snack also. Just trying to save you some grief.

 

[reptilepat]

My girls are 20 weeks old now so I'm checking for eggs every time I'm outside!

 

[epeloquin]

That picture of the coop/run is before it was completed. The bottom is all enclosed. The coop is in a fenced yard. We've never had a raccoon in our yard (not that it is impossible). The girls sleep in their coop every night which is very secure. They are quite safe.

 

[annie3001]

awesome news!! congrats !!

 

[laughing man]

sweet other massachewy people

 

[Chris413]

Hi, I am from Chicopee, Ma. too. Can any of you give me some advice on how to get started?

 

[Sheilamommy3]

Has anyone else tried to start with chickens lately in Chicopee? Does anyone have the old regulations for them? The only thing I can find now says not permitted unless given permission from the board of health!