Vet News Residential chicken-keeping means more henpecked politics on the homefront

You might find it distasteful for your neighbors to keep a backyard flock of chickens. What’s next, you muse, goats and pigs? A line for air drying laundry? Vegetable gardens in place of front-yard annuals? Work trucks in the driveway? What’s your neighborhood coming to?

Environmentalism, health and gastronomical concerns should only go so far, you say. Animals have their place and it’s as traditional pets or on farms, not in residentially zoned areas that deserve their protections from property value-dumping elements of the avian variety.

We hashed out all the pros and cons on Dolittler not too long ago in the context of what is legal and what is not on my residential acre in suburban Miami. At the time, we determined that where I live, horses are legal but goats and chickens (indeed, anything that deserves the title “livestock”) is not.

Therefore, you can keep all manner of fancy “fowl”: an aviary of finches, roving peacocks, a cluster of cockatoos, a gaggle of fancy pigeons, a breeding pair of Macaws and almost any other kind of bird. but when it comes to chickens, their ‘livestock” designation does them in. Once you can expect to eat off their backs, all bets are off.

But an increasing number of municipalities are choosing to throw off the mantle of anti-gallinaceous racism in light of the increasing popularity of backyard flocks––not to mention the vociferous cluckings of their keepers. Here’s a Wall Street Journal article from a couple of weeks ago to prove just how far the movement’s come.

There are too many benefits to keeping birds in this way to ignore, say the ones who have chosen to cross the feathered line. The ones who toe it, claim these progressive zones, risk offending minority groups whose cultures successfully integrate flocks into the smallest of spaces. They risk staying behind the curve on the modern movement that reaps the rewards of a grow-your-own philosophy. And they lose nothing in allowing these citizens to care for pets little different than others residential inhabitants are allowed to maintain.

Sure, there have to be some ground rules. But these are easily laid down and enforced: No noisy birds that crow 24/7. No chicken coops integrated into your neighbor’s fence-line. A policy of basic containment. A set number of feet to separate any aviary or coop from your neighbors’ structures. These are simple rules that keep a neighborhood feeling neighborly and a tony residential burb from losing its fancy flavor.

For my part, I’ve recently had cause to become especially vigilant of how neighborly I behave with respet to my own flock. That’s because I’ve come to learn that keeping this avian species flies in the face of my zoning regs––despite the fact that every other species of bird is allowed, along with pet equids (yes donkeys, too). It’s also because my backyard flock managed to swell from three hens to twelve over the past week.

Yes, twelve. And before you lambast me on how anyone already informed of her neighborhood’s regs could flout the law so flagrantly, consider that I had already ordered three of these birds before I became aware of the avian double-standards in place around my parts. Sure, I knew I’d get noise violation action for keeping a rooster––but for hens? I truly thought I’d be defensibly raising birds just like my neighbor, whose cockatoos I can hear from more than a block away.

Moreover, I never ordered nine more birds. I ordered three. I was sent nine on the heels of a simple mixup, one rendered irreversible by virture of the stressful nature of the shipping process. So now––count ‘em––I’ve got nine Red Star pullets (five weeks old) and three Barred Rocks prepped and ready to start laying any day now.

Here are the "babies"(being watched over by a curious Poppy):

And here are the three "Furies," as I call them (hanging out with their beloved Poppy and Tulip):

So the new coop we’d planned to build over the weekend? Throw the plans out the window because Houston...we’ve got a problem. We need new plans, new wood, a new location, new everything. And here’s a shocker: we also need more money.

Hiding birds from prying eyes and animal control becomes a much more expensive proposition when you’ve got double the number to conceal. Luckily, I’ve got plenty of unused terrain and lots of vegetation on my wooded acre (and no nosy neighbors on the far end of my property). Here's the little goatpen in the woods, to give you an idea of the habitat:

But enough about me, already. Here’s where this movement is headed: A simple search for “politics” on the popular BackyardChickens.com website shows just how much change might be afoot where you live. Here’s just a taste: a link to their message board on the subject.

In case you’re not impressed by the dedication in evidence here, recognize that every pet has had to make strides in the US by starting somewhere. Remember there was a time when indoor dog-keeping was considered unsanitary and when bed-sharing with cats was the height of eccentricity.

We’ve come a long way, baby. Backyard chickens here we come.

July 27th, 2009

Add Comment41 Comments

Of two minds on this one. As a vegan (ethical grounds), not thrilled with the idea of making it handier for people to raise cuts of meat in their backyards. But, those backyards -- and presumably the trauma of backyard/private slaughter -- are probably tons better than conditions imposed on factory-farmed animals.

I just wish we'd all stop eating animals, so they'd really be companions, not commodities ... simple and elementary-schoolgirl as that may make me seem.

Lastly, if any red pullets must go astray, glad they landed on Dr. K's doorstep. If all bound-for-food animals had it as nice as those in her yard, there'd be a whole lot less for us vegans to protest.

oh holland July 27th, 2009 07:24:34 PM

Chickens have been permitted for years in Victoria British Columbia, the capital of the province and the city council of Vancouver, BC voted unanimously to allow backyard chickens in March 2009. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+latest+municipality+allow+urban+chickens/1358260/story.html Hopefully other cities will follow and that this will help curtail the factory farms (of chickens, at least).

Faith July 27th, 2009 07:54:17 PM

The places where I raised chickens (northern California, including the middle of Berkeley, which is pretty urban) allowed it from old Depression-era and before laws. Generally, no roosters were allowed and there was a limit as to the number of hens. I, and most of the people I've known who have raised chickens, did it mostly for the eggs, not the meat. This was before the eggs-will-kill-you-with-cholesterol myth was pawned off onto the public as official nutritional dogma.

I never ate any of my chickens. I had to get rid of the birds when I left the country for a while. When I put up notices that I was giving birds away, I think I met most of the Moslems in my town; they wanted them so that they could be "halal", which meant the chickens were killed according to their religious rules.

Dr. Khuly, I don't know if you've ever been fined by MDAC, but I have, for not having my dead dog vaccinated. Since I thought this was fairly silly, I sent them a letter explaining that my dog had died and that I had had him cremated. The fine increased to $300, which I didn't want to pay. However, they refused whatever documentation I provided, eventually put a $3000 lien on my house. I finally got the citation voided by going to the county courthouse and being as charming and pleasant to a clerk as possible (a stretch for me on a good day). So, good luck, but beware.

And, since I'd also like to have a chicken or two, I've also been thinking of trying to change the county ordinances. Peacocks OK, but not a hen or two? If you need a committee member, I'll help.

Heather in Miami July 27th, 2009 08:22:20 PM

Heather: Luckily, the head of Animal Services has become something of a personal friend-slash-colleague. But I love that I can count on your support. Even if I have more than just a "hen or two."

Dr. Patty Khuly July 27th, 2009 09:09:51 PM

The crowing can be heard from coast to coast: Let us have be backyard chickens! Liberate your zoning! Fresh eggs for all!

Signed,

Gina's chickens

Gina Spadafori July 27th, 2009 10:30:38 PM

As a parrot owner who wants to someday own chickens, I do feel it's appropriate for regulations to be different for chickens and parrots. Parrots are typically kept indoors (in the US) and most species cannot survive as ferals in most parts of the US (mitred conures in southern California and Quakers in NYC being the two exceptions I know of). Chickens are usually kept outdoors and therefore are necessarily more intrusive on the neighborhood, they are easily capable of surviving without human care, and they are disease vectors. Rules are different for cats and dogs as opposed to for hampsters or chinchilla; this is no different.

zandperl July 28th, 2009 12:19:59 AM

Dr. K, Do you just have zoning/ordinances to deal with or is there also a set of HOA governing documents (matter of contract rather than ordinance)? I'm just curious.

"Sure, there have to be some ground rules. But these are easily laid down and enforced" After serving 3 years on my condo board recently, I'm sorry but... ROTFLMAO. It looks soooooo easy but it ain't! I could write an entire book on the difficulties of setting and interpreting the pet provision ("Not more than two (2) small dogs, cats, or other usual small household pets... Except as hereinabove stated, no animals, livestock, birds or poultry"), restriction of "unsightly" items, and prohibition against dusting or beating of rugs in our governing documents :) Couple of my favorites: Is airing out a futon on one's porch "unsightly"? If not, how about the mattress after the home birth (and, given Houston humidity, it will need to be on the balcony for at least a week)?

There's the "widow's brigade" who wanted us to enforce this provision: "Children under the age of sixteen years of age are not permitted... Any owner who subsequent to purchase of a condominium unit has a child born to her, must vacate her condominium prior to the child's second birthday." And the foreign nationals who put small "greens" gardens in the commons near their entries... I'm sure this place will be up to chicken issues soon. I'm so glad I won't be on the board when the topic comes up!

I'm all for bringing the "food" closer to home and there's definitely a lot of absurdity in the current "rules" in most areas. Good luck Dr. K and you and Heather should really start up a local advocacy and support group immediately. You can fight city hall (and the HOA) but it ain't easy.

PJBoosinger July 28th, 2009 01:46:22 AM

zandperl: In Miami parrots and other birds often live out of doors. It's extremely common for them to live in aviaries or poolside cages. It's partly climatological, but it's also a cultural thing. Most Hispanics come from places where these birds are almost invariably kept outdoors. This is why we have a thriving community of escapees of all stripes in these parts. Imagine watching Macaws fly in groups. It happens all the time here in Miami. I have a blue-and-gold pair that uses my house as a flyover spot almost every day. Beautiful...but sad.

Dr. Patty Khuly July 28th, 2009 07:04:04 AM

PJB: Just zoning. I don't live in a gated community or any such extra-restrictive kinda place. Helps. Also helps that my neighbors LOVE my animals. Also helps that I've been putting up privacy fencing and beautifying my exteriors. Making the place more attractive makes all the difference in my neighborhood of McMansions.

Dr. Patty Khuly July 28th, 2009 07:09:06 AM

Faith, one more reason to love Vancouver, keep meaning to get there. I went to the HSUS conference this past weekend and met a former-vet-tech-turned-lawyer who has 14 chickens, she said the eggs have a taste that is completely unlike that of storebought. I have encountered quite a few people who have chickens for eggs but not for meat. Seems like a growing movement . . .

Stefani July 28th, 2009 05:30:33 PM

A neighbor has birds and dogs, kept in a divided backyard, and this is in Iowa. Those birds can be heard frequently, they sound like crying babies. I would much rather have chickens or a rooster or any farm animal than a fancy fowl. Something practical, and I would want some eggs for my trouble. :-)

Still, I am glad it is not an adjacent property, with two hunting dogs it would be chaos. Our back yards are not quite as big as yours. People should be required to have common sense and empathy when acquiring any animal.

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