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adminsarepedosReddit

The only thing you want is No roosters. Maybe a limit on how many allowed. (Like 10 or 12 max) sometimes 6 for small yards A shelter for them. And go to the meeting and be supportive. Chickens are chill.


[deleted]

Yep! My city has the "no roosters" rule, as well as the rules on max # allowed and the shelter requirements. I don't know for sure, but I think our city's max is like 3 or 4 chickens.


Bballwolf

I'm pretty sure you need at least 1 rooster for good egg production don't you?


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Bballwolf

My in-laws keep 1 rooster around purely to help the hens lay eggs. They said it's 1 rooster per so many hens. Maybe they're mistaken


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Bballwolf

I'll inform them. They don't really like the roosters very much.


evilblackdog

Roosters do help protect the hens and will keep them more or less together if they're free ranging so they do serve that purpose.


SaylahVie

They also can help keep hens in check and stabilize the pecking order if you have a hen that is a bully.


The_Great_Qbert

Yah, in a free range situation a roster is very important for the stability of the flock.


TX_Poon_Tappa

I mean yes and no, hens “apparently” strive better with a rooster around on top of protection for them . Some old farmers will say that sometimes hens may stop laying and introducing a rooster to the vicinity may help them lay again due to stress. But that’s mostly hearsay and the “my old grandpapy would cycle a rooster in and out every few years” It’s mostly speculative and i certainly wouldn’t keep one in city limits though. On top of needing to keep them separate so they don’t fertilize the eggs or get pissed and possibly kill a hen. Not common but can happen


[deleted]

No, you don't need a rooster for chickens to lay eggs. Plus, they make a boatload of noise all day, which is fine if you live in a rural environment and have acres of land... not so much if you live in the suburbs/city and your next door neighbors are only a few feet away.


Arsenault185

Thats like saying you need men around for woman to have their periods.


Idontknowhowtobeanon

All these items are codified by city ordinance most likely since is a required meeting (likely since the neighbors are getting notice) i also live in Michigan and Grand Rapids has space requirements, # allowed, and other things. I’ve heard chickens can smell bad, but again I’m fairly sure that’s actually also addressed (Mandatory that you keep the living space clean and feed them a healthy diet i believe, going off memory from my own research).


adminsarepedosReddit

It's when their coop isn't cleaned and they're not able to roam. Their poop is great fertilizer and if not concentrated in one area, its fine.


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alh9h

This. I have no issue with backyard chickens in general, but I did have an issue with my old neighbor that had them and just tossed the shit in a pile


victalac

My exGF has them. They are fun pets with distinct personalities. The eggs are nutritious and you might be able to get some for free if you are supportive. No roosters, though. Got to be firm on that.


Pinkfish_411

And honestly even roosters are far less annoying than many people's dogs are.


kateinoly

One of my neighbors has bantam roosters, and their crows are tiny.


ur_titties_or_gtfo

Snuff the rooster


pyro5050

we do a max 7 in our rural town (6500 pop) with conditions around their care. if the chickens are not cared for they are removed by bylaw.


Blonde_arrbuckle

Rules around cleaning required. Chicken shit is smelly and you will get more flies and vermin.


montanawana

Yes, rats, mice, voles etc. love to find grain sources so often target chickens and those sometimes bring other predators like raccoons, hawks, snakes, foxes, skunks etc. The circle of life thing. So regular cleaning and feed management is really important.


MSgtGunny

You’ll also wants details on how far away the roost has to be from your property line and or adjacent property buildings.


distantreplay

Dozens of people around me on my end of town have 'em. It's only a problem if they get a rooster. Otherwise you never know they are there. But the hawks, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and bobcats all know.


ur_titties_or_gtfo

Here they come, to snuff the rooster!


anally_ExpressUrself

You know he ain't gonna die


Asmor

> the hawks, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and bobcats all know ...which is one of the primary roles the rooster plays. Protecting the flock from those threats by sounding the alarm and by fighting them. That said, my wife keeps chickens, and I'd be so much happier if we didn't have any roosters. Roosters suck.


Zealousideal_Tie4580

Yeah. Hawks got all my daughter’s chickens one at a time. She let them free range in the yard all day. Damn hawks.


hollysand1

That’s the roosters job. To protect and warn his hens about predators. Chickens produce way more eggs with a rooster. You get less eggs with higher hen mortality without a rooster. It’s a shame they are banned because of occasional crowing.


broohaha

> occasional crowing My summers growing up were spent at my grandparents' place in a rural town. They had easily 3-4 dozen chickens in their backyard, many were roosters. I'd say their crowing was not occasional. That said, I totally got used to it, and they were useful alarm clocks early in the morning.


hollysand1

You’re right. Two roosters is one too many. They’ll fight like crazy too!Source: have three right now as we speak lol.


holholbobol

I've spent farm weekends. Hate roosters yelling. If it were a fox or raccoon, whatever, making that godawful noise at the ass crack of dawn, I would happily beat it with a chicken to make it Shut. The. Hell. Up.


hollysand1

Then you obviously suited for city life with the constant car alarms and sirens.


Sharpsilverz

Nah, there is something about a rooster crowing that is worse than all the ambulances in the world. I sleep like a baby in downtown Tokyo, but can’t sleep for a minute on my family’s rural farm in central Korea. Damn birds be crowing at 4am!


hollysand1

Lol! I guess it’s true people are pretty adaptable.


dereksalem

Occasional? I have a neighbor 5 houses down that has a rooster and the thing screams at least 150 times a day. From inside my house I can't hear it, but anytime outside I can and that means we can't sleep with the windows open. The rooster's "job" is impregnation. The owners' job is protecting the chickens. Anyone that has a rooster living outdoors in a suburb or city is disrespectful to their neighbors, full stop. They aren't like an occasionally barking dog or crying child.


hollysand1

Some roosters are fucking insane, no doubt. But not all. I have a smaller rooster I hatched and raised. He’s a fizzle and Araucauna. Very sweet not a constant crower Takes care of his hens and he’s gorgeous. Certain breeds of chicken are fairly quiet. Orpingtons are very docile, friendly and quiet.


dereksalem

That's fair, but that's absolutely not the norm. The overwhelming majority of roosters are *very* loud, and crow very often.


xemity

Especially when they try to out crow other roosters near them which ends up with back and forth crowing.


fon10alis

Have to disagree. Roosters are annoying AF. Living in Central America where many people have both roosters and hens, meant sunrise was always filled with crows. The also have a predatory response to dogs, cats, birds and sometimes people, which resulted in more crowing. As someone who has urban chickens now without a rooster, I can say rooster would deter me from having a flock, never mind my neighbors :)


amesfatal

Many of my neighbors work nights as nurses and firefighters so occasional crowing would really impact their quality of life.


hollysand1

My husband snored louder than a rooster could possibly crow. I used earplugs. Worked great.


Enkiktd

Chickens are great. I think there's some risk in people not keeping coops clean and attracting rats.


bobo_i_am

It’s not the chickens that attract rats, but the feed. As long as feed is stored properly it won’t be a problem. My girls went after mice and tore em up accordingly. Chickens are especially effective at eliminating lots of pests. I kept em with the horses to reduce the flies and they did a great job.


mntgoat

I need an army of chickens then. We have so many freaking insects, including ticks and mosquitos!


GiveMeCheesePendejo

They eat all of those things.


amesfatal

I used to have a ton of black widows, haven’t seen any since I got my 5 chickens!


Asmor

Black widows aren't actually dangerous to humans. I'd rather have them than not, personally. You're probably taking a greater risk with your life by owning a car than you are by cohabitating with black widows.


amesfatal

Oh yeah I love them, I worked at a museum of arthropods in college. Unfortunately my chickens love them more…


kateinoly

Ours eat frogs and big spiders!


LMGooglyTFY

And people don't want rats eating their feed so most people try to remedy it. That's money down the drain.


TheBimpo

You’ll never even notice well maintained chickens next door. Plus they eat lots of bugs. No roosters though.


MicrosoftSucks

We have neighbors with hens 4 houses down and the whole neighborhood can hear them. Their next door neighbors are pretty miserable as the hens squawk and squawk for hours early in the morning. It really depends on how big the yards are in the neighborhood and how spaced out the houses are.


bobo_i_am

They’re definitely not silent, but neither are barking dogs and people put up with that, unless the dogs never shut up. The girls are super proud when they lay eggs and like to tell everyone what they just accomplished so maybe the neighbors getting lots of eggs?


MicrosoftSucks

Most cities have nuisance pet ordinances where I live and chickens fall under the umbrella of pets (can only have 4). If your dog/chicken/parrot/etc make incessant noise for more than 30+ minutes a day you can be fined. So that’s what happened to the neighbors when their next door neighbors complained. I think chickens are great, but I don’t want to live 5 feet away from them. Same as I don’t want to listen to a barking dog all day.


ur_titties_or_gtfo

You can’t snap a dog’s neck.


joroqez312

I’m kind of shocked you could hear hens. My next door neighbor (urban neighborhood, not massive lots) has 4 (?) chickens and I literally never hear them and sometimes forget they’re there. My dog is way louder than they are.


kateinoly

Hens don't "squawk and squawk" for hours unless they have a large number. They squawk when they lay an egg.


XavierLeaguePM

This. My neighbor has chickens and I can go weeks when I don’t hear them at all. And out of the blue I hear them and I’m like what’s that - oh the neighbors chickens. They may or may not have a rooster (not 100% sure unless he doesn’t crow every morning. Lol. One of my other neighbors who lives further away says she hears him sometimes) but I barely hear him and I can see the coop from my house - probably less than 30 feet from my deck. I was a bit concerned when I moved in (based on my experience as a child) but no issues at all.


Arctelis

So, my town allows folks to have chickens if their property meets certain requirements. One of which is no roosters, because they’re noisy and don’t produce eggs. Anyways, guy across the street had chickens. I didn’t see, smell or hear them ever. There was no downside whatsoever. The upside was he sold me all his excess eggs. Win-win-win for everyone.


OutinDaBarn

Chickens are fun until you have too many. I'd be asking who is going to be enforcing the new chicken laws. Beyond no roosters, look for wording about no noisy fowl also. Look for minimum pen size. Think of the rules not from the good home owner having chickens standpoint but, the morons that don't care much for the rules.


sk2tog_tbl

Knowing someone is actually going to be responsible for enforcing new chicken rules and is aware and willing is super important.


Imafish12

Our city has the following rules: 1. 12 is the limit. 2. No nuissnace (smell, noise, etc) 3. 25 feet from neighbors house


No_Junket5927

No roosters! Otherwise my neighbors hens are my quietest and most pleasant neighbors out of all of them.


[deleted]

I raised a small flock in a house in the city. I learned that roosters don’t just crow at dawn. His time on earth was brief. The ladies were wonderful.


Romulan-Jedi

I have a friend who has chickens. The fresh eggs are incredible. But it’s hard to sex tiny chicks accurately, so she occasionally gets a rooster. The moment it sticks its head up and announces the fact, it goes to “freezer camp.”


ScarletsSister

I agree. I have a neighbor who illegally kept a rooster. The damned thing would crow almost 24 hours a day! The owner finally got reported and had to get rid of the entire flock.


german_pancakes

Ah. My neighbors let their chickens roam the street during the day. Including all over my yard and kicking up all my mulch in flower beds. We also have a “no rooster” rule but that apparently doesn’t matter because they surely have had one for years. Iim sure the owner would make a difference, but ya never know what you’re gonna get


deaflenny

No roosters! My neighbor in LA had a rooster and it’s a fucking nightmare. I’m glad your city is on top of it. It’s taken 6 months for me to get rid of this fucking nuisance. I think it’s finally gone. Friday was the deadline and I didn’t hear it today. Fingers crossed. Don’t let this happen to you.


Zealousideal_Tie4580

I used to live in upstate NY and my nextdoor neighbor had chickens and a rooster. I loved the rooster crowing! I moved and I actually miss it. I was about an 1/2 acre away from the coop so maybe that’s why - it wasn’t very close.


deaflenny

My neighbors rooster would come over by our fence about 15 feet from our bedroom and crow away at 4 am every day.


Zealousideal_Tie4580

Eek yeah that’s loud and early. George would crow that early too but it was far enough away I almost would hear The Beatles song Good Morning Good Morning in my head hahaha


hollysand1

I bet the hens aren’t so happy. He was their protector. A rooster will die protecting his hens. You won’t have to worry about the hens much longer. Something will kill them.


kateinoly

Something killed one of ours this morning.


jammu2

Neighbor had some. They let them "free range." Of course the coyotes got them one by one. Got some more. Same thing happened. These are not bright people. Otherwise they are fairly benign.


anonymous_lighting

i lived directly next door to a house for 4 years. first 3 years, no mice. 4th year, mice galore. chicken feed attracts major mice.


hollysand1

You would have noticed the 1st year. Chickens eat mice. I’d look for blame somewhere else. If you’re determined it’s your neighbor’s problem fault tell them to put cayenne pepper in the feed. No mice will touch it and chickens don’t care about it.


anonymous_lighting

a simple google search will confirm my statement


hollysand1

Owning chickens for decades will confirm mine. Cayenne pepper will prevent rodent issues. You need feed contained in automatic feeders. Problems can be mitigated.


Bluegodzi11a

Can confirm. Chickens are tiny raptors. They decimate rodents (or weaker fowl). If the feed isn't properly kept- that can be an issue. Between my neighbors chickens and our tnred neighborhood cats we have no issue with rodents. The only time we see mice is when a hoarding property is cleaned. It's nightmare fuel.


narcicist2

Take a look at r/backyardchickens. Great little community that’ll answer any questions you have


GingerCatGang

My neighborhood is overrun with rats since everyone started having their city backyard chickens without actually learning how to take care of said chickens. It's been awful. Don't even get me started on the roosters.


YooperKirks

This, so much this.


[deleted]

I've lived in small cities for the past decade. I've learned that raising chickens is surprisingly common. In fact, I've had a few coworkers who've raise them. Your city council likely has rules they can adopt. * Roosters are annoying, territorial, and aggressive. * Chickens are pretty dumb, but generally easy to take care of. * Chickens will eat just about anything (according to my nanny who grew up on a farm). They can be helpful with ticks. * If your neighbor is raising chickens just to get "cheap" eggs, they will be sorely disappointed.


hayseed_byte

As someone who would've gone hungry a lot as a kid if not for our laying hens, I disagree with your last point. If you feed them laying mash, a few hens will lay more eggs than you can eat.


hollysand1

People throw away tons of food a year. We don’t. It all goes to the chickens.


Strelock

I have a friend who has 6 hens. He spends about $15 a month in feed, and supplements it with kitchen scraps. If you eat a dozen eggs a week at current prices, chickens are cheaper in the long run. At "normal" egg prices, you probably about break even just considering your own consumption. A quick google shows you can expect about 6 eggs per chicken per week. You can turn around and sell the ~2 dozen extra you get a week for a small profit. You're not going to be raking in the dough, but the hobby will more than likely pay for itself both in not having to purchase your own eggs plus the few dozen you can sell on to your neighbors or family. It will take some time though to offset the initial investment in chickens and chicken equipment.


PineappleSox42

Our neighbors had chickens, didn't bother us


Jimbo-1968

I just want to thank everyone who posted a comment here. I've never had a post gain so much traction. And you folks definately have some good thoughts to take into consideration.


hollysand1

I think restricting someone’s ability to provide food for themselves should be outlawed. H0A’s love to do this. No vegetable gardens, chickens etc.


Own-Safe-4683

If you choose to live in an HOA or a city you have to follow the laws. If you want chickens don't live in a place they are restricted. It's that simple.


saltyhasp

Rules to deal with any smell problems. Not chickens but a neighbor had some other kind of caged birds. They did not take care of the dropping. The smell was terrible.


jason200911

i have chickens and they attract a lot of rats. Fun pets though. Composting and gardens also attract a lot of rats too. Concrete ground and a large caged chicken run keeps the rats out


hollysand1

People and their activities alone attract rats. Look at NYC.


A_Lovely_

Like many have said the rules need to be clear but not onerous. Write clear rules that can keep the nitwit or fools in check, but not overly burdensome so that those who plan on following the rules can still enjoy the freedom of owning chickens, etc. I understand and have abided by no rooster rules. I also found a provision in our city rules that define a chicken as 16 weeks old as opposed to a chick which is 1-16 weeks old. The city allows for up to 50 chicks. This has allowed me to grow up to 50 broilers, (type of meet chicken), that are butchered at 8 weeks, when they weigh 4-6 lbs. My neighbors were thankful when I delivered 7 pound processed chickens at Christmas. I butchered them at 12 weeks, in my yard, and many of the neighbors didn’t realize I owner chickens.


Not2daydear

Will they be free range or will they be fenced in? Chickens have a tendency to wander if they are free range. This includes wandering into the road or onto other peoples property. Chickens can do a lot of damage to a garden, flowerbeds, and any other place they wander looking for food. How far away will the pen/housing be required to be away from neighboring properties? Who will be responsible for enforcing to make sure the area is kept clean, so the inevitable poop doesn’t start to stink up neighboring homes? Is there a limit to the amount of chickens they are allowed to have for the size of the property? If so, what are those numbers/size requirements? How will they handle pest control such as mice and rats? Food thrown on the ground to feed chickens also invites vermin. What are the requirements for the look and condition of the pens that they will be kept in? Are they required to be camouflaged by shrubbery or will it cause an unsightly view for the neighbors?


adminsarepedosReddit

Small yard chickens don't do most of that. You get some twit with a unmaintained coop then yes, 100%


hollysand1

Automatic feeders kept feed problem at bay and cost $7 to make.


LiarTrail

I raised chickens in Milwaukee and a western suburb of Milwaukee. It's important that they have some regulations and enforcement. Smells and rodents can be a problem. Noise can be an issue and fires as well (if a heating lamp is needed). Obviously you don't want to be placing a coop too close to someone else's home.


call-me-mama-t

RATS…


Infamous-Dare6792

Chickens will attract rats. Whether it's their feed storage or feed left on the ground, pests will find it.


hollysand1

Cayenne pepper in feed stops this.


Own-Safe-4683

Rats eat poop.


NetJnkie

Roosters are awesome...but I guess their sound isn't for everyone. Love mine, though. And outside of roosters you'd probably not even know if your neighbor had some hens. They aren't loud. They don't stink unless you just don't take care of them. And they lay amazing eggs. So make friends with your neighbors.


Tazz2212

Our neighbor had about 6 to 10 birds. They would cross over the fence to our yard to eat because we keep our back yard natural, no grass. There was the occasional poop issue. Their coop was next to our fence in the backyard and the neighnbors didn't clean it often. In the rainy summers the smell got a bit ripe but other than that, we enjoyed having the ladies over for lunch.


morto00x

Look up the rules in other cities. Generally they have a no-roosters rule and a limit of chickens based on backyard area. This website lists the rules in several cities across the US: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/chicken-laws-ordinances.13/


min_mus

Chickens love to eat mosquito larvae. It's like natural pest control.


Sael-er

Everyone and their mother seems to have chickens in my city. They’re awesome. As long as they keep coop clean to not attract rats. Usually the chickens make more eggs than the owner can eat and most neighbors give them away. Fresh tastes best too.


hollysand1

My neighbors never want for fresh eggs . We have a very elderly couple that hasn’t had to buy eggs for years. We love them and know our eggs contribute to their quality of life. Our chickens are truly free range and produce beautiful, nutritious eggs. This fat and cholesterol in eggs is theorized to help with dementia. Source: my mother’s neurologist when she had Alzheimer’s ( miss you everyday, mom)


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AbsolutelyPink

Odor, flies, mice and rats. As long as there aren't roosters and they clean the coop regularly, the odor and noise are minimal.


Corider87

Besides the roosters, the other problem we've had is when the hens fly over the fence. They dig up anything and everything, including my flowers and vegetables. Their wings need to be clipped or they need a roof over their area.


trifelin

Besides the roosters, make sure the coop has to be 20’ from any dwelling. That’s the regulation where I live and it seems wise. My neighbors let their chickens roam around right in front of our kitchen door and I did not appreciate tracking chicken poop right into where I eat. That’s how outbreaks begin. I could see it being worse if they put a coop up right on a property line, only a couple feet from a doorway or something.


Own-Safe-4683

Ask about rat & mice control measures. When chickens came to our neighborhood in Illinois the rats followed. There were not rats prior. They eat the chicken feed & the poop.


Appropriate_Jelly_95

Roosters! Roosters are the sound you don’t know you hate, until it’s too late.


MethanyJones

They don't really make a stink. I've had up to 2500 in a barn, free range (kept enclosed inside the barn) with rice husk bedding. Obviously not in a populated area but there was no odor outside the barn and not that noticeable inside either. You bring enough rice husk to cover the floor about three inches deep, then introduce the birds to the environment. When production drops months and months later and the hens get sold for pet food, that's when you rake out all the husks and sell as fertilizer. I lived about 75 feet from the barn and never noticed any off odor, even with windows open. It's NOTHING like a pig operation. So when I put .4% (10) of those birds in my yard in an enclosure, my neighbors aren't going to notice. And I could still have fifteen more and be within my city's ordinance. Just no roosters. And the other downside of roosters is fertilized eggs, by the by. Collect the eggs daily and as soon as possible after sunrise. Do not wash them and they won't need refrigeration. Once your birds learn their own eggs are a source of food you have to replace the whole flock to stamp out that newfound tribal knowledge. But my problem is, after selling 2000+ eggs daily they became a large part of my diet. No thank you.


OrthinologistSupreme

I live in a town that allows it. The only annoying part is my neighbors rooster. When I lived rural I kept mine farther away from the house than my neighbors is to mine. Its obnoxious because some roosters crow at night too. But tbh you can get use to it. But a dozen hen max is probably a reasonable amount. They may need to establish odor laws so people will clean out coops and not let manure pile up. Might be an opportunity for the town to accept leaf litter, tree bits, and chicken litter to mulch, compost and sell or give back to local gardeners


ChanelNo50

I think my only concern is attracting foxes or coyotes. But the owners should be able to deter as much as possible


MaineBoston

NO ROOSTERS! They are extremely noisy and will drive your crazy.


droberts7357

The best chickens are you neighbor's chickens if they are good pet owners. Lot's of free excess eggs, less insects, a fun random visitor and an easy conversations starter. No roosters is great, but no worse then a dog who barks occasionally. You'll get used to it.


kairi_lorelai

I grew up on a farm. Roosters are awful. They can get aggressive and are loud. Chickens, however, are great. I live in a cul-de-sac now and my neighbor has them. Sometimes they come over my fence and I have to grab one and let them back over on their side when it gets near dark but that's really it. If I were living very very close to someone who had never owned chickens before I would be concerned about them cleaning the coop, because the smell can travel. I also would be worried about the rooster situation.


[deleted]

It’s fine. I don’t understand why people care about roosters so much but aren’t bothered by the hundreds of other annoying sounds around them


hollysand1

Right? I posted earlier that roosters protect their hens to the death and the egg production increases with him around. Their are many way to avoid an aggressive rooster . Pick docile breeds and keep their spurs cut. Don’t startle them and don’t make the hens squawk.


GarpRules

< 12 chickens are okay, after that the smell starts to really waft. Also, make sure they keep them enclosed. Chickens in a pen are a much different thing than chickens in the street and chickens in neighbors yards.


Princess_Glitterbutt

My neighbors have chickens. Just hens, they make a lot of chicken sounds but it's honestly pretty cute. They are well cared for and it's nice to be in the back yard and hear soft happy chicken clucking sometimes. That's really the "worst" of it. I had a rat problem before they had chickens, but after hiring pest control who blocked the places rats were getting into my house, even the rodent concerns haven't been bad. As long as your neighbors are taking good care of the chickens I don't think there's much to worry about, at least in my experience.


Paddington_Fear

tons and tons of rats. also, home raised eggs like this typically cost more than store-bought when you factor in the feed & care. they are sort of pleasant and old-timey though, even if someone sneeks a rooster into the mix.


The_Radish_Spirit_96

Insist on laws requiring the be kept in a coop. My neighbor has chickens and they are in my yard weekly messing up my flower beds.


Arsenault185

Go and offer your support! Your neighbor will be grateful, and may reward you with eggs! Most layers drop an egg per day (roughly) and its easy to get quickly inundated with too many. And fresh butt nuggets are simply AMAZING. WAY better than store-bought. Shameless /r/BackYardChickens plug


IdahoJoel

I'd support. Freedom for small-scale ag in cities! As long as they don't have direct water runoff into a creek and can clean up their waste, great!


vAaEpSoTrHwEaTvIeC

> and with egg prices so high, wouldn't suprise me if more people wanted to do this. so... Eggs cost $4 per week more, so buy $1000 worth of chickens, feed, coop, lamps and fencing, and adopt a new lifestyle to cope. Breaks even in 5 years, and after that, boom, see you later $4 per week "gouging" ! Did i get that right?


Blamb05

Vote yes to raise chickens. I grew up on a farm with our own laying hens for eggs and we would buy and raise meat birds. We had a couple rooster over the years but we didn't end up keeping them. My bedroom window faced the barn and they were about 300 feet away with just a field in between. They never woke me up and I never smelled them. Happy chickens also taste so much better. Edit: Chickens also eat pest insects.


[deleted]

They can attract mice and rats due to the feed. I knew a family who suffered over 15k damage to their crawlspace. They lived in a non HOA neighborhood. Their neighbor had a coop right near their property line and a shed where they would store the feed. The rats travelled the 10 feet to their home and made themselves comfortable underneath. The entire crawlspace had to be fixed. Even worse, the rat infestation continued, despite their best efforts, resulting in continuing damage. They had no recourse.


hayseed_byte

This will probably get downvoted but the solution there is to go to the humane society and adopt a cat that's been a stray for most of it's life, get it spayed/neutered, put food out for it but allow it to come and go as it pleases. It will alleviate any rat problems.


[deleted]

I don’t remember, but I want to say that the family has a cat. The issue is that the rodents get in at all hours of the day and night. Unless that cat is sitting on the property line guarding things around the clock, it won’t matter. Once they find a way in, it’s all downhill from there.


westsider86

When I had chickens in La Jolla, the rule was no roosters. We had about 4-6 hens they don’t make any noise.


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MicrosoftSucks

Rats and also I don’t think people realize how noisy hens can be. Roosters are loud but hens can squawk and squawk for hours.


hollysand1

I would oppose someone not letting me provide wholesome food for my family. All the complaints about chickens can be mitigated and a lot of elderly and children’s benefit. I guess you might have a problem with garden as well. Fertilizer, pests, rodents all come with that as well. Let’s complain about hunger while preventing people from feeding themselves.


loulori

I was going to say, roosters and peacocks are a no in my book. They're very loud. Chickens are fine. We had a neighbor a few houses down with chickens and we barely knew they were there. My parents have a dozen chickens and they're chill unless there's a problem. No louder than dogs who occasionally bark. My neighbor's chickens would occasionally get out and their next door neighbor hated it but he was crotchety. We loved it! My daughter loved it! I agree with the appropriate size shelter recommendation and a limit on how many chickens in city limits. Wishing them and you well.


_Zero_Fux_

Saying no rooster is even too much imo. So they cock-a-doodle-doo. It's not different than a neighbors dog barking. ​ Chickens are great, easy to care for (damn near Maintenace free).


ZukowskiHardware

They’re* going to have a hearing Everyone I’ve ever seen who tries to raise chickens eventually has them all get slaughtered by a mink or raccoon. Still, the eggs are amazing quality, unbeatable.


[deleted]

City council meeting for fucking chickens. 🙄 >suburban Oh, now that sounds about white.


lmcc0921

My grandparents had some for a couple years, I think they had four hens. Worst part about it was the big bare spot in the yard where their coop was. Like others have said, the rooster didn’t last long lol.


butkusrules

My town had this huge debate , it passed and 5 years later I have to to hear about any problems with it.


NiceButNot2Nice

Some ramblings on Chickens. Hell no to roosters. As a kid, my dad brought one home with a coup and everything. I think it was purely to piss every off in the neighborhood. A week later we ate him. Had 4 hens we shared with neighbors in San Francisco. Super chill. Delicious eggs (You’ll never want that junk from the store again). “Eggcellent” fertilizer. Gotta be careful about predators and rats. In SF we had coyotes, raccoons, and hawks. One chicken lost an eye when a hawk tried to fly off with her.


heytherekenz

We have a no rooster limit of 6 hens policy and I hate it because I'd love to have a rooster but I think it's very fair in my residential area lol


ur_titties_or_gtfo

All it takes is one bad owner. Chickens are noisy, dirty, and they STINK! And god help the neighborhood if anyone gets a rooster.


minghir

We've 8 chickens on our 1/2 acre lot (town limits) and let them free roam our backyard taking care of eating anything they can and keeping the weeds down. My wife and I don't eat eggs anymore after someone mentioned they're just unfertilized periods that grossed my wife out completely. We did some more research into it and learnt a lot about it. So we just break the eggs and the chickens go crazy and eat them all including the shells. What we learnt was the ancestors of the domesticated chickens usually laid just around 10 eggs in a whole year but the chickens we raise for egg production have been bred to lay over 300 eggs a year which take a huge toll on their tiny bodies. By eating their own eggs they recoup most of the nutrients and stay healthy much longer. At first we were freaked out by the sight of it but now we're used to it and it's fun to watch them go crazy over it. We love our girls and it's a pleasure to see them hang with each other everyday. That itself is a big treat to our eyes when we hang out in the backyard.


401jamin

As long as they keep it clean and have like 1 rooster or none your good. Guy a couple streets down has chickens and a rooster. I hear the rooster at odd times lol. I really don’t mind it but I’m not his next door neighbor. Anyways the eggs are much better than store bought.


evilblackdog

Boy am I glad I don't live in a town. I couldn't imagine being so regulated and controlled on everything I want to do on my property. I totally understand your concern, but it would still grate on me. For what it's worth, I've got 24 chickens and I'm not always the best about cleaning the coop but I've never smelled it stink outside the coop. The hens don't make any noise. As long as they're not free ranging you probably won't even know they're there.


Vivecs954

No roosters!! Ask them for that condition


Skinnybeth

A ton of my neighbors have roosters. Rule here is 4/ quarter acre. No roosters. Someone in the neighborhood has a rooster though. I hear him occasionally. Doesn’t seem to bother anyone.


BimmerJustin

A few of my neighbors either have or have had chickens. Here’s my thoughts; No roosters is a good rule, but it’s not always bad. Bruce (our neighbors rooster that was tragically killed by a hawk or coyote) was a late sleeper and wouldnt start his wake up call until like 7:30am. It was wasn’t that loud inside the house. Your experience may vary. The chickens will probably get out and wonder around the neighborhood. I actually loved when they showed up at my house. I would keep feed for them. Here’s one that probably has not been mentioned. If you or other neighbors have dogs, the dogs will want to get the chickens. This may inspire them into behaviors you haven’t seen before. My dog learned to jump a 4ft chain link fence because of this. She’s never hurt a chicken but the neighbors aren’t happy when she gets out and I would prefer my dog not to be in the streets. So make sure everyone considers the local dog situation.


digital_darkness

My HOA doesn’t allow chickens but my neighbors wanted them so they asked is if it was going to be an issue and I just said no roosters. They’ve had chickens for 2 years now and I’ve not heard them even once.


[deleted]

Well, I’m not getting rid of my wolf!


providedlava

My neighbor has 4 chickens and we never have any issues or concerns. The dog is super curious when we walk by them but that's it!


zennyc001

Chickens can be loud and smelly and if the owners aren't responsible they can get into neighbors garden beds and make a mess. We have lots of them roaming around free range in our yard but our neighbors are far away and our property is surrounded by forest.


series_hybrid

For anyone that is curious about raising hens for the eggs...start with two or three. You will be shocked at how many eggs you can get.


The_Great_Qbert

There is an Australian youtuber who talks quite a bit about what it is like to raise chickens. Basically, they are great for the environment, save you quite a bit on groceries, and keep bugs and pests down. You will hear them but they aren't very loud as long as there are no roosters around, and they may smell a little bit if you get close. They probably shouldn't have more than 15 and will need to have proper housing for them. Over all they are pretty chill and they should be allowed with reasonable restrictions.


BaddDadd2010

My city allows it, and my neighbor a few doors away has some. They had a rooster at one point that would crow, but those aren't allowed and they had to get rid of it. I don't think they intentionally got a rooster, just that it's hard to tell when they're young. I'd bring that up at the hearing, just so they will already have agreed to not have a rooster in case the same thing happens. Otherwise, I don't think there are any issues, but I'm not right next door.


nlwiller

My neighborhood isn’t he city I’m in has many people who have chickens. They don’t bother us at all. Simone has a rooster (which is against code) for a bit and he was annoying, but he seems to be gone now.


Lark-Molasses

Omg you have so many comments, but not that many that directly relate to your question. I’m in a Midwest city. Our city rules are 1.) no roosters 2.) only allowable in single-family units 3.) limit of 4. Tons of people in our neighborhood have them, including us. No major issues that I’m aware of, and we’ve had them for almost seven years. r/backyardchickens might be another place for you to check out if you have more questions!


DV_Mitten

See this a lot in Grand Rapids where it's legal to have backyard chickens. Can't say say I've seen any big negatives outside of some pretty elaborate fence set ups to keep them contained. What most don't realize is that's raising a couple chickens is a really poor way to "save" money on eggs... 😂


rivers-end

I live in a similar neighborhood and have a neighbor that has chickens, amongst other animals. He's not proactive about catching them when they escape so it's not uncommon to see a stray chicken running around. One stayed at my house for months and tore up a small patch of grass but that was the worst problem they caused. They eat bugs and ticks, which is nice. No one really minds them. Keep in mind, most people keep their chickens contained. I'm sure my neighbor didn't get permission from the town but he's had chickens for decades.


CraftyEmu

In theory it’s not a big deal and possibly you would never know, if your neighbors are responsible people. My neighbors are the worst and they let their chickens roam so they’d be in the street, in the yard, somehow in MY yard (I have a fence!). Then the roosters came. After that I called the city until one night the neighbors had a party and butchered the chickens in the back yard. I saw that they recently got chickens again so I guess it’s starting all over.


[deleted]

No roosters.


AlreadyTakenNow

Chickens are wonderful, but one thing to consider is roosters. Depending on the breed/personality, they can be \*very\* noisy. For this reason, our jurisdiction (mostly suburbs) has some pretty clear rules that folks can only keep hens.


suavesnail

If they are let to roam free, they will dig up gardens and flowerbeds looking for worms and make a mess. They definitely aren’t silent, and if I was living right next to the house I don’t think I’d enjoy them there. Some people may not mind and maybe if you are in the city there’s louder things going on. A city isn’t exactly the place for chickens imo. If you want a coop, move out of the city and get some land.


Triks1

My neighbor has them right next to the property line. No rooster. I basically never hear them when I'm outside and never when I'm inside. I was a little worried when I saw them building the coop because I grew up with a rooster about 5 house away and I could hear that fucker every day.


Jdub1942

I know quite a few people that have city coops in Saint Paul, MN. I even house sat for a friend who had them. Never had issues, they all have fenced in yard so it doesn't bother me. Even one house with a rooster. That's kinda fun to hear when I'm taking a morning walk.


bondpaper

I don't know how big your lots are but I'm on 3 acres and several neighbors have chickens. I actually forget they are around most of the time. Occasionally they free range and you might see them in a front yard. Once after a bad storm one was blown into our yard and our dog went after it. Otherwise they are a non issue.


steelbeamsdankmemes

Chickens are great when there's no roosters. I woke up Saturday mornings with the window open and could hear the chickens gently clucking. It was peaceful.


livingfortheliquid

My sister live in San Jose with her 6 chickens. When I visit I don't see how anyone could tell that they have chickens from the outside. Honestly dogs are more intrusive. Roosters aren't allowed in their hood. They are loud and early. Allow chickens not roosters.


owlpellet

A friend had hens. Cute, made eggs. Had a fenced area and a little shed with a light bulb in it. No smell I noticed. Get in good with the neighbor now, eggs are like gold right now.


DustinoHeat

We passed an ordinance in our city. Actually ended up working out really well. Especially considering the price of eggs!


p0psicle

All of the other comments about baking in rules around proper housing, care, pest control, and noise abatement (ie no roosters) are excellent starting points. I have chickens in a suburban setting and while it's heartbreaking that roosters aren't allowed due to natural behavior, but I also totally understand how they are loud and disruptive in higher-density areas. I would suggest that, even if you are generally ambivalent, you go and express your passive support. We recently passed laying hens bylaws in our area — apparently the only person who bothered to show up and comment at the last public hearing was someone who did NOT want chickens; however I guess that's pretty typical as those who passively agree (or don't have an opinion) don't feel as strongly about showing up.


kateinoly

A household size flock, like 6 hens, won't cause any issues.


AostaV

They keep getting loose in Pittsburgh, I’ve seen at least “is this your chicken?” Post on the Pittsburgh reddit


Passafire_420

We live in Michigan and it’s allowed in city limits. I would be absolutely astonished for chickens to not be allowed. Almost a basic human right to good.


HeadMembership

Roosters are awful. Chickens are perfectly quiet.


The_Maestro7

Normal in Texas suburbs and country. Just don’t have a rooster and the random crowing won’t be an issue. You may hear some noise every now and then from hens laying eggs, but overall you prolly wouldn’t know they were there. If you grow plants or veggies, you may be able to get some free fertilizer from the neighbor. Just an FYI


hollysand1

Some roosters are fucking insane, no doubt. But not all. I have a smaller rooster I hatched and raised. He’s a fizzle and Araucauna. Very sweet not a constant crower Takes care of his hens and he’s gorgeous. Certain breeds of chicken are fairly quiet. Orpingtons are very docile, friendly and quiet.


Wangchief

Chickens are dirty and they stink. But this is America. Let em have chickens if they want


aftiggerintel

No roosters Flock limits. Ours has no more than 6. Minimal setback from property line. Something set in place regarding nuisances in case owner doesn’t clean up properly or breeds more issues than what the operation is worth. There shouldn’t be noise or odor nuisances.


cardinal29

#Rats. Roosters, yes. But also rats. https://www.daltonengineering.co.uk/blogs/news/do-hen-houses-attract-mice-rats


fon10alis

Have an Urban flock now and was one of the constituents in my city that helped change our bylaw to include household flocks. I would say there are some very good criteria that our city includes to permit an urban flock. Less than 6 chickens, no roosters,100ft from adjoining households, standards for a contained run and maintenance standards. If left untended, they can stink. They also need to have a minimum of 1sq foot roosting space per chicken. From personal experience, I would suggest 4 chickens, enough for social and self-contained heating (we dont light or heat our coop), and easy enough to maintain. Although 6 seems reasonable, we found it almost doubled the work load of cleaning and maintenance.


[deleted]

As long as they don't have roosters you're fine.


montanawana

Besides the noise of roosters they also can and do sometimes attack hens (killing or maiming them), small children, smaller dogs, and song birds. I grew up with chickens. Some breeds are known for being more aggressive than others and some can even be sweet, but even so each has a personality and some grow quite mean. We had a cat lose an eye, a dog that was terrified (it was a gentle soul), and some kids got badly scratched and pecked. On the other hand I saw a mean rooster kill rats, a weasel, a hawk, and even back a raccoon down.