Welcome New Section: Local Chicken Laws & Ordinances!

[HeatherHillary]

Dear fellow Canadian with outlaw chickens,

Sounds like its time to change your local animal laws. The times are a-changin, and it is a good time to jump onto the urban chicken, law changing, parade bandwagon.

There is a lot of good advice how to do that here on this site. I am trying to get the law changed in Surrey (only allowed on acre lots), and many of us are trying to change the laws in Vancouver and surrounding cities. Victoria has already changed their laws.

Good luck! Lets get these out of date and counter productive laws changed!

 

[HeatherHillary]

I'm compiling a detailed list of North American cities, and their pro and con chicken bylaws (including the bylaw or code # and a website linking to that code), as part of our fight in British Columbia to change our chicken bylaws.

I see that there is this new section that says it has various city chicken bylaws, but I'm not seeing it here. Could you please help me and tell me what I'm missing?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Bhudgens]

To the Readers and, especially Writers, on this post, there is a young man who needs your help!

I had sent the following message to the people elected/appointed to office to SERVE the PEOPLE...and I haven't, yet, received a response from any one of them.

Would you, if you are so inclined, email an impassioned plea to:


People to Contact to get this Law Changed and to start making a difference!

UPDATE1.Zoning Divisions Manager- Mitch Gordon-Email: [email protected] (Contact him FIRST because he is the one that will take this further!) UPDATE We do not need to contact him anymore until futhur notice....he tells us to now just contact the board of directors below......PLEASE DO!

2. Legislative Senator of the State of Florida- Mel Martinez-
http://martinez.senate.gov/public/index … ontactForm
PLEASE CONTACT HIM TO ADD THIS POULTRY LAW CHANGE TO ALL OF FLORIDA!!!!!!! AND FOR HIS SUPPORT!!!


BOARD OF COMMISIONERS THAT WILL GET THIS PASSED!

District 1 commisioner- S. Scott Boyd Email: [email protected]
District 2 commisioner- Fred Brummer Email: [email protected]
District 3 commisioner- Mildred Fernandez Email: [email protected]
District 4 commisioner- Linda Stewart Email: [email protected]
District 5 commisioner- Bill Segal Email: [email protected]
District 6 commisioner- Tiffany Moore Russell Email: [email protected]

AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HELP..........................................

9. Mayor Richard T. Crotty Email: [email protected]

And, finally, I know there are excellent links out there to newspapers (USA Today, for example) that have run similar stories to this, but if someone has the technical skills to navigate the Orlando Sentinel's website to submit a story, PLEASE, take the time to do so.

Here's what I wrote, and to whom -


Dear Mayor, Richard Crotty, Zoning Division Manager, Mitch Gordon, Zoning Division Supervisor, Carol Hossfield, and distinguished Commissioners -

I am sitting here with my daughter, Madeline, age eleven, and answered her question, "why would this young man ask you to help him?"

My response was, "If you know something about a topic, and can share that information with the right people to correct a wrong, don't you have the responsibility to do so?" She agreed, but wondered what the "wrong" was.

I asked her, "Which smells worse: dog poo or chicken poo?" She replied, "They both stink about the same."
I asked her, "Which is louder: a barking dog, or a clucking hen?" She laughed, and said, "The dog...duh!"
I asked her, "Which poses a greater danger to a child on the sidewalk: a pit bull terrier, or a hen?" She giggled, and said, "The pit bull."
I asked her, "Which animal contributes more to a family's well being: a dog or a chicken?" She thought about it for a moment, and then quickly replied, "A chicken can lay eggs and fresh eggs are great for breakfast. Fried chicken is good, too!"

Orange County, Florida, has ordinances and zoning regulations that make it illegal to keep chickens, even in limited numbers, according to a very nice young man who recently was visited by the police due to a neighbor (presumably) complaining about five hens. He would like to be able to keep his small collection of five hens. As a resident of Lake County, and living on five acres surrounded by orange groves, he asked me to make an appeal on his behalf, and weigh in on the pros and cons of domestic fowl.

Chickens are no more "dirty" than dogs, cats, or some people unless they are neglected, crowded, or abused. Chickens are not loud. Chickens are not destructive. Even the argument that chickens will destroy us with Avian Influenza doesn't hold much sway as every winged bird poses the same risk; will we kill every chickadee and shoot at every robin? Chickens are a little different for people who have been seperated from the reality of food production for a generation or two, but people in cities, towns, and villages all over the world keep chickens for some very obvious reasons. I admire this young man's desire to try to be a little more self-supportive. I also admire his attempt to lower his "carbon footprint," by keeping some food production in his own backyard. More Americans should be like minded. "Victory Gardens" were all the rage when America needed to conserve and reduce energy and supply inputs in the U.S. to support a campaign abroad; what makes keeping small livestock...a few rabbits, a few hens, a beehive or two, so radically different. The keeping of backyard chickens also creates a "gene bank" for the future. I feel confident that the major poultry houses will one day need those heritage breeds of chickens, in the many shapes and colors, to keep industrial food production possible. Please, advise us as to what needs to be done to get a variance for this gentleman?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Sincerely,
Brandon Hudgens

 

[Melonee]

Hi: Does anybody know what the local ordinances are for Jacksonville, Florida? I would like to start keeping chickens. Thank you.

 

[tigger13]

Hi does any one know the laws to have chickens and roosters in Saint Johnsville New York?

 

[Brooklinechicks]

I'm thrilled to find this section just after I was notified that I am not in compliance with zoning here in Brookline, Massachusetts. While other local towns allow chickens within 30 feet of a residence, in Brookline we are required to situate them 100 feet away from all residences. This is virtually impossible in most of Brookline and completely impossible where I live. I could pretty easily move them so that they are 50 feet away. Any suggestions anyone has about what kinds of arguments I might use before the zoning board will be VERY appreciated.

I plan on bringing children, photos, and letters from neighbors, but this isn't a cheap proposition. I'll have to pay $350 simply to file for an appeal.

Thanks again for being out there and looking forward to hearing from anyone that sucessfully applied for a zoning variance.

I hate the idea of giving up the first ladies of my white house...jackie O, lady bird and Mamie.

Best to all you chicken lovers.

 

[chickie momma di]

Hi i'm trying to find out the exact laws of my town of attleboro ma
i called city hall annomously and asked if you could keep chickens and they said yes but had to have a meeting and get a permit. then talked to a friend with connections and was told it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. not comfortable with this.
love my birds dearly and will not part with them but would like them to be legal but not sure what to do .
please advise or tell me where i can find the law.
i went on line for my city hall and could find anything

 

[lunkerchicken]

Anyone familiar with local MA laws, especially Cape Cod? Or do they vary by town?

 

[Ivy]

I have raised backyard chickens for almost 30 years with a few years that it was Muscovy ducks- not chickens. I live in Sacramento CA- and I have a question about what happens if you are raising hens- for eggs, of course- and the hens begin to age? Now in my Grandma's day, they went into the stew pot- but I can't eat anything who's name I know..... if there is a limit to how many hens one family can keep, what is happening to the old lady hens?

In my case, I just picked up a few pullet chicks every year or two, and added to the flock- what are others doing?

Ivy

 

[[email protected]]

I received a code enforcement letter today and I'm hopping mad. I painted a big sign and put in it in front of my coop that says"Mind your own business". I have a gorgeous coop and only 6 chickens. I have only had the coop 2 weeks and have cleaned it 4 times. I can't have a garden because the deer are so destructive in my area. I hoped the chickens would give me and my kids a chance to enjoy a nice hobby. My husband is an attorney and is willing to help me. Is there anyone in central Ohio, or Licking County, Ohio that has tried to change the local ordinances. I have two acres, but am technically in the city. The zoning is PUD. Each of the chickens has a name because they are pets. Letter refers to them as poultry husbandry. I don't eat meat so that's not why I have them. Does anyone know where to start to get this changed?