Forums » General Discussion

• toki

  

  • 2 posts
   

  April 21, 2012 8:59:04 AM PDT

  I didn't want to hijack that other chicken thread but...

   

  I live in a fairly rural town in PA, near the borders of OH and WV and most of the areas around us are allowed to have chickens so I thought I'd see if we were. The people at the borough building didn't know so they said they'd ask the animal control officer and get back to me. I asked him myself because he is my neighbor. He said there's only rules about dogs and cats and no ordinances about any other animal so he said he saw no reason why I couldn't keep chickens. If a neighbor were to call the borough to complain, they would call him and since there's no ordinance against keeping chickens, I wouldn't be breaking any laws and he would be okay with it.

   

  However, 2 weeks later, the code enforcement officer from the borough called me back to tell me that no, I wasn't allowed to keep chickens because there's nothing in the ordinances about them. (?!) I asked him if he discussed this decision with the animal control officer and he said no. (The conversation then turned pretty rude, actually, when I brought up that I was told there was no ordinances about chicken keeping and he said, "Well the ordinances were written with the assumption that people weren't going to have farms on their lots. Do you want a COW too?")

   

  Anyway, now I have 2 different answers to the same question. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to proceed?

• Bull100

  

  • 73 posts
   

  May 3, 2012 5:47:42 AM PDT

  If its not addressed I don't see how you could be cited for violating an ordinance that doesn't exist. If I wanted Chickens I would get a few without a rouster and push it. If nothng else you will see what the citys next move is and it will not cost you much.
• Sammer

  

  • 1 posts
   

  May 4, 2012 4:03:21 AM PDT

  I live in an area that's zoned Planned Urban Development (PUD) and couldn't find any information when I looked up whether or not I could have chickens. I finally found that I it was up to the governing board of our home owners association what was allowed here. I read our covenants and it says nothing about chickens or other animals. All it say is no "nuisance" animals. Still, I went with Indian Runner Ducks. They're pretty quiet, friendly, and don't require a body of water (we use a kiddie pool). Just an idea.
• LynnD

  

  • 9 posts
   

  November 25, 2012 9:09:45 AM PST

  I have wondered about this as well. From what I understand, there isn't anything specific against it in the zoning here, but in my town the right hand never seems to know what the left is doing. We even had one city department sue another. LOL
  
  We live in an old home - 100 years old this year! And behind it, there is the original "garage" which appears to be an upcycled old shed / barn type thing. It has a little chicken door in it (boarded up now) and a killing cone nailed to the back. So, I definitely know there were chickens here at one time.
  
  I wonder if prior use is a good defense? I mean this place pre-dates automobiles. Actually, the house pre-dates the use of electricity! We have gas pipes in the walls and ceilings for the original lighting! So, if the early owners of this place raised chickens, I wonder if this give us a kind of grandfather clause to allow it here again.
  
  Anyone know?
• NebraskaDave

  

  • 60 posts
   

  November 26, 2012 5:35:36 AM PST

  Lynn, I don't know for sure but I would say that there wouldn't a grand father clause in the city ordinances. My city will allow three chickens but their coop has to be 50 feet from a human house. That leaves out almost every city or urban property because it's just not possible to comply with that requirement. I kind of think the city council made it that way on purpose.
  Neighbors are another issue when considering chickens. Unhappy neighbors can make life miserable even if the city ordinances are favorable toward chickens.
  Good luck with you venture into homesteading.