Keeping Your Chickens Save and Healthy

If the place you are staying does not allow you to raise chicken, you can confront this restriction by finding out the procedure for amending the law or zoning in your location.

Sometimes, all you need to do is a request a zoning variance. Doing so will allow you to keep the chickens based on your particular circumstances.

Sometimes, getting the permission to raise chicken at home is just a formality. If you are unlucky, it can turn into a major court battle. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to go that far because of all the hassle. In other cases, you’ll probably be required to attend a commission meeting and state your case.

Go to your local town office and check with the city clerk, the township supervisor or other local government official in regards to your request.

They will advise you whether a planning commission meeting or other committee meeting is required. Find out the date, time and location of the meeting. You want to make sure you attend the meeting to present your case. Sometimes, you need to make an appointment to speak at the meeting or to bring up certain issues.

What do you need when you want to raise chicken at home and you are confronted with local restrictions?

You will need lots of patient. Some of the zoning changes can take months of discussion and mulling over. If you do not succeed the first time, ask what you can do to change the outcome the next time.

Then try and present your request again. It will take some iron will on your part. Sooner or later, you will get what you want if you have a compelling case.

Here’s the thing about raising chicken at home. Just because your next door neighbor has chicken in their yard, that does not mean you are allow to keep chicken at your home.

It’s strange isn’t it?

There may be a few reasons for this. Your neighbor may have gotten a zoning change for their property. Here’s another thing, your neighbor may be keeping the chicken and unknowingly breaking the law!

So, how would you know if you are allowed to raise chicken at your home?

You can start by looking at your property deed. If you recently purchased your home, your deed and your sales agreement should have your zoning listed on them.

Here’s a tip. If you are unable to locate the record of how your property is zoned, then head over to your city, village, or township hall and ask whether you can look at a zoning map. Some county offices will have a copy of the map you can purchase.

If you stay in a large urban area, it will take you a bit of leg work. Firstly, go to the planning board or office to check if your property is allowed to keep bantams.

Sometimes, you can also get your questions answered by the county clerk or an animal control officer.

If you don’t want to get yourself in trouble for keeping chickens at home, don’t just take the word of your neighbors or people not connected to local government that it’s alright.

If you’re in the midst of buying a home, don’t even take the word of the real estate agents about being able to keep chickens or even about the property zoning.

You have no way of knowing if the information you’re getting is legitimate. Make the effort and find the answer yourself.

Trust me, it will worth your while.

You don’t want to have all your chickens confiscated and you are being issued a fine six months down the road.

Related web pages:

1) Building A Chicken Coop Plans Guide By Bill Keene Review

2) Mary Nelson Chicken DIY Guide And Plans Review

Why do you want to raise your own chickens at home? Chickens are very colorful and they make very pretty moving ornaments for your yard. Chickens can also furnish your breakfast with fresh organic eggs. Not a lot of other household pets can do that.

Raising chickens at home does require a lot of care and attention. Not to mention some monetary expenses. But the most important issue you have to consider when planning to raise chicken in your backyard is the legal aspect.

It is not uncommon to see chickens running around in a suburban area. People want to raise the bantams at home and many communities are bowing to public pressure and allowing chicken keeping.

Unfortunately, not all communities have such ruling.

Does your neighborhood allow you to keep chickens at home?

The family raising chicks in their backyard may be breaking the law unknowingly.

Therefore, before you head out to buy some chicken for your backyard, make sure you check with the local county and verify if there are any laws forbidding you to keep the bantam.

If you look into the local land code, almost all properties are classified into zoning areas. The only places with no zoning are undeveloped areas.

Each type of zoning has laws which state what can and cannot be done in that particular zone. This is to regulate the growth of the community and to keep property use in an area uniform.

Zoning classification is the responsibility of local governments. Hence, the best place to check on local ordinances is at the county office.

This is highly recommended just in case your neighbors complain about the noise made by your chicken. The chickens can be confiscated and you may end up with a hefty fine.

Related blog post:
1) Bill Keene’s chicken coop plans review

2) Mobile chicken coop design – Portable chicken coop that works