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Anyone raise chickens? In an urban setting?; Hens, eggs, urban farming
Topic Started: Jan 13 2012, 11:10 AM (2,070 Views)
BillHoo
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I called my town zoning board and they say they don't allow urban farming, but will allow two hens for pets as long as they do not lay eggs. and NO Roosters.

I told them, that's fine. I'm just going to get two South American Sterile Hens from Southern Sri Lanka, a breed that never lays eggs. The zoning manager said that's perfect.
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idmetro
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We've had chickens in a semi-urban setting. The restriction on roosters is typical (no doubt to avoid the crowing...) Chickens will still lay eggs without a rooster and I highly doubt the zoning board would know a South American hen from a Canada Goose. What they will know is if eggs show up in the neighbors yard/flowerbed. My recommendation is to completely enclose a small chicken shed/run area in the back of the yard. Chickens can fly, just not all that well so you will want to keep them corralled. If you get them as chicks and hand feed them each day they will become quite tame and truly will be pets. You will have to watch out for pests - feral cats, dogs, snakes will all want to make your chickens into a snack.

Over the years we have purchased a number of chikcens from Murray McMuray http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html They come via the US mail, I always get a laugh when the postmaster calls and says "PLEASE come down and pick up you chicks". Good Luck
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me2


A country that does not allow its citizens to have chickens to lay eggs will be a country that will know hunger. You can quote me on that in a few years - or maybe sooner.

Heaven forbid we should be allowed to have the means of producing our own food. If there was a dog that peed oil you can bet they would be forbidden too.

Ask for a written copy of the rule that says you can't have hens that lay. That sounds outrageous to me but I live out in the county where we tend to have fewer rules.

People addicted to crack can have as many babies as they want right next door to you but you can't have two laying hens?

As the economy circles the drain these are the rules they want to enforce?

What a country.

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me2


I think IDMetro makes some good suggestions.

Even without the issue of bothering the neighbors you would want to keep your pets in a well enclosed space to protect them from urban racoons and possum.

Chickens roost right before dark so you can let them into the yard at that time and enjoy them wandering around eating grass and bugs right before they go in and you lock them up.
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bansheetaz


BillHoo
Jan 13 2012, 11:10 AM
I'm just going to get two South American Sterile Hens from Southern Sri Lanka, a breed that never lays eggs.
where do you get baby south american hens if they dont lay eggs????

Edited by bansheetaz, Jan 13 2012, 12:42 PM.
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BillHoo
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bansheetaz
Jan 13 2012, 12:42 PM
BillHoo
Jan 13 2012, 11:10 AM
I'm just going to get two South American Sterile Hens from Southern Sri Lanka, a breed that never lays eggs.
where do you get baby south american hens if they dont lay eggs????

Heheh

That was my play on South Park's deadly Mexican Staring Frog from Southern Sri Lanka that can kill with a glance!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mexican_Staring_Frog_of_Southern_Sri_Lanka

Edited by BillHoo, Jan 13 2012, 01:42 PM.
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idmetro
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BillHoo
Jan 13 2012, 01:27 PM
bansheetaz
Jan 13 2012, 12:42 PM
BillHoo
Jan 13 2012, 11:10 AM
I'm just going to get two South American Sterile Hens from Southern Sri Lanka, a breed that never lays eggs.
where do you get baby south american hens if they dont lay eggs????

Heheh

That was my play on South Park's deadly Mexican Staring Frog from Southern Sri Lanka that can kill with a glance!
:gp :thumb
Edited by idmetro, Jan 13 2012, 01:36 PM.
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dayle1960
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Fastest Hampster EVER

Billy don't go the city council from a food raising perspective. Tell them you want to get back to nature and go green. Fayetteville AR will allow 4 chickens but to have to be a tree hugger to qualify. Plus naming your chickens with pet names is a big plus. Don't forget to curb your chicken while walking her on a leash.
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3tech
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I have chickens, but I'm in the sticks. Just get a few laying hens. Nobody will know the difference, and you'll get a few eggs every day. Generally they're quite tame, even if you get them ready to lay. Mine come when my wife calls them. They learn in ahurry who has the food.
Once you've done that for a while, you might want to get a half dozen meat birds. You get them as day olds, and raise them for 8-12 weeks, depending on the size you're after. Keep them inside, and nobody will know. idmetro's advice is right on the money.
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BillHoo
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I have a nosy neighbor on the right side of the house.

I have a small municipal park and creek on the left side of the house.

4 foxes, 2 raccoons, 1 possum and several deer traverse the left side of my house coming from the creek.

I plan a 4 x 4 x 8 foot high coop and a 4 x 4 x 8 foot long run.

Inside the coop will be two 1 x 1 foot nest boxes and an easy access door. Coop will be hardware cloth with a matrix of steel wire hooked up to an electric fence charger designed for cattle.

There's a lot of growth in the spring/summer/fall on the left side of the house, so the coop will not easily be seen. I'll still keep it padlocked.

When the zoning guy emailed me back, he asked for my address to keep their records updated. I didn't answer him back. The house is in my wife's maiden name, so they won't be able to look me up!

In the summer, I'll build a moveable 3 foot high by 5 x 5 foot COVERED chicken tractor to put the hens out on the front lawn to scratch and eat grass. I hear the eggs are higher in Omega-3 if they eat grass. Move the tractor every few days, as they scratch it down. I won't need to mow the lawn!
Edited by BillHoo, Jan 13 2012, 04:56 PM.
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billy508
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billy508

A few houses from me, a Vietnamese lady has some chickens. I think it is a good thing but some in the hood dosent. She speaks very good English and i have seen her reading the newspaper. When the code enforcement people come talk to her about the chickens, all of a sudden, She cant speak or understand a word of English. It is a great show. So far it has worked as she still has them. :banana :banana :banana
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idmetro
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BillHoo
Jan 13 2012, 04:51 PM
I have a nosy neighbor on the right side of the house.

I have a small municipal park and creek on the left side of the house.

4 foxes, 2 raccoons, 1 possum and several deer traverse the left side of my house coming from the creek.

I plan a 4 x 4 x 8 foot high coop and a 4 x 4 x 8 foot long run.

Inside the coop will be two 1 x 1 foot nest boxes and an easy access door. Coop will be hardware cloth with a matrix of steel wire hooked up to an electric fence charger designed for cattle.

There's a lot of growth in the spring/summer/fall on the left side of the house, so the coop will not easily be seen. I'll still keep it padlocked.

When the zoning guy emailed me back, he asked for my address to keep their records updated. I didn't answer him back. The house is in my wife's maiden name, so they won't be able to look me up!

In the summer, I'll build a moveable 3 foot high by 5 x 5 foot COVERED chicken tractor to put the hens out on the front lawn to scratch and eat grass. I hear the eggs are higher in Omega-3 if they eat grass. Move the tractor every few days, as they scratch it down. I won't need to mow the lawn!
Be sure to include a roosting area is your coop (can be simply a piece of 2X lumber 2 to 3 feet above the floor). Hens will go into the nest boxes to lay but often like to roost. A heat lamp will be enough to keep the coop warm in the winter and a 5 gallon self waterer is a good idea, just don't put it right under the roosting area (chickens are only slightly smarter than a box of rocks and will foul their own drinking water...). Keeping the chicken food feeder outside the coop will help to distract some of the pests that otherwise might work harder at getting into the coop. I haven't tried your method of pest detterent but I like the idea a lot!!! Good Luck!
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me2


Sounds like you have a good plan. If you are looking for coop designs or tractor designs here is a great weg site (it is the Geo Metro Forum of its kind) The site is searchable and ther people are very helpful and knowledgable - just like here :


http://www.backyardchickens.com/f/

And remember, practice saying "I do not have chickens sir, I have an endangered species of
Sri Lanken yard parrots"
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greggholmes


get this book

THE book

This guy knows his chicks. I went to a seminar he did at a local collage and it was great. You don't have to go to these extremes but he discusses food and care.

Posted Image
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Bigshane90


Ive had up to 300 at one time. They get pretty out of hand. And require a lot of care!
I suggest you don't buy a rooster, because your not hatching and you waste money on feeding them. Also your neighbors probably won't like them crowing all day long.
There's also always the chance of little kids or animles messing with the rooster,they will get mean and they aren't like a mean dog. There mean all day everyday. Until they die.
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