Backyard chickens-who has them and do your neighbors care?

[Anonymous]

Op, I also live near SF in a home that is small but also almost worth half a million and we have due hens. 3 red island reds and 2 Orpingtons. Many of our neighbors have chickens as well. We have fresh eggs, funny pets that produce something, and a way cute chicken coop:

http://dcchickencoops.blogspot.com/2008/11/chicken-coops-homes-for-poultry.html?m=1

(we have the red barn style)

Chickens are not smelly or dirty if you maintain them and provide gold for the compost and hours of entertainment. When DH and I are in the backyard the chicken run to us to beg for treats and be pet.

I'm going to quote LHOTP:
(referring to chickens)

"Folks only smell bad to some folks who have nothing better to do than stick there noses in the air."

[Anonymous]

PP here, that is *five and *their. Damn phone.

[Anonymous]

Some people do - after all, they're just really large birds - but they need space to move, and unlike dogs and cats, they can't be trained. I'm not really interested in changing chicken diapers when my deep litter run works so well. Plus, foraging is their natural behavior.

No I think you can train them to use the toilet or a cat box.

[Anonymous]

OP-i too live in moco and have chickens. i used to volunteer at calleva's organic farm in poolesville, and i helped take care of the chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl. it was fun and the chicken tasted so good, so dh and the kids and i got some to raise ourselves. it's been great. the neighbors love them (we don't have a rooster) because we share our eggs and fertilizer and the kids love going to feed them/collect the eggs. dh and i built the coop ourselves because dh has carpentry experience and it looks great. it matches our house too! it's funny that all these people probably wouldn't blink an eye at someone who mentioned growing their own vegetables, but mention chickens and all the sudden it means you're poor and a redneck.

[Anonymous]

OMG this is the best thread ever! 2 00+ responses!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP-i too live in moco and have chickens. i used to volunteer at calleva's organic farm in poolesville, and i helped take care of the chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl. it was fun and the chicken tasted so good, so dh and the kids and i got some to raise ourselves. it's been great. the neighbors love them (we don't have a rooster) because we share our eggs and fertilizer and the kids love going to feed them/collect the eggs. dh and i built the coop ourselves because dh has carpentry experience and it looks great. it matches our house too! it's funny that all these people probably wouldn't blink an eye at someone who mentioned growing their own vegetables, but mention chickens and all the sudden it means you're poor and a redneck.

ILLEGAL
Aviaries -(Montgomery County Code, Sec. 5-203(a)(8) -
An owner must not allow a domestic or exotic bird, including a homing pigeon, to be in an aviary within 100 feet of any structure used for human habitation or work. This does not apply to a bird inside the owner's dwelling, in a pet shop, in an agricultural area, or in a market for less than 24 hours for sale for human consumption.
Penalty for Violation - $100
http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/poltmpl.asp?url=/content/pol/districts/MSB/animal/summarylaws.asp

[Anonymous]

Thanks for continuing to quote misguided laws. It's so helpful.

Many cities have changed their laws after violators demonstrated just how moronic they are.

Note: laws that allow them in the house allow a coop in an attached garage. If you have space between garage and house, fence it. I know one person with the "coop" in the basement and the run opening through a basement window. Boom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP-i too live in moco and have chickens. i used to volunteer at calleva's organic farm in poolesville, and i helped take care of the chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl. it was fun and the chicken tasted so good, so dh and the kids and i got some to raise ourselves. it's been great. the neighbors love them (we don't have a rooster) because we share our eggs and fertilizer and the kids love going to feed them/collect the eggs. dh and i built the coop ourselves because dh has carpentry experience and it looks great. it matches our house too! it's funny that all these people probably wouldn't blink an eye at someone who mentioned growing their own vegetables, but mention chickens and all the sudden it means you're poor and a redneck.

ILLEGAL
Aviaries -(Montgomery County Code, Sec. 5-203(a)(8) -
An owner must not allow a domestic or exotic bird, including a homing pigeon, to be in an aviary within 100 feet of any structure used for human habitation or work. This does not apply to a bird inside the owner's dwelling, in a pet shop, in an agricultural area, or in a market for less than 24 hours for sale for human consumption.
Penalty for Violation - $100
http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/poltmpl.asp?url=/content/pol/districts/MSB/animal/summarylaws.asp

too bad i live in an "agricultural area." more than 1/3 of moco is some sort of agricultural preserve or farming area. i don't know why you're so concerned about this as i'm not doing anything illegal and you are definitely not my neighbor. we've spoken to the zoning board.

[Anonymous]

I had chickens growing up. To do it right is a ton, ton of work. You need to have a plan for how you will keep them warm in the winter. They will get frostbite on their Combs if not kept warm enough. Water also must be kept warm enough not to freeze. Many solutions for this are not suitable for a small backyard so you are looking at heating the structure. You need a vermin plan. The feed and straw and eggs attract rats, mice, raccoons, foxes, etc. no responsible seller will sell you 2. 4 or 5 is the usual minimum. They are happiest in flocks and you need to be realistic about predators. You may wind up with 2-3, but shouldn't start with 2-3. Plan on collecting eggs, mucking, changing feed/water, etc at least twice a day. You need a good plan for if you ever need to go away. Most vacation pet sitters are not equipped to handle these needs. You also need to find a vet that knows what he/she is doing.

I enjoyed having them as a child. It was a ton of work. I will not have them as an adult because the benefits do not outweigh the hassle for me personally.

[Anonymous]

Reading the responses makes me feel like I am living in the most uncool city ever! Raising chickens now is totally hip! Literally, where have you been? For God's sakes, even Tori Spelling is raising chickens. Get with it people. It most certainly does not say poverty anymore.

[Anonymous]

PP, I disagree about chickens being a ton of work. At least in CA it is a good temperature for our breeds year round and we clean the chicken coop once a week. We have feeders we refill every 3 days or so. Food is kept in animal proof steel containers inside the mud room. We collect eggs on daily basis (usually) but have no snakes or other animals that would eat them since the coop is completely predator proof. When DH and I go on vacation a neighbor's kid who also has chickens locks the coop every night and lets them out in the morning. We pay her $10/day and she also changes the food. Personally I'd say our chickens are way less work than our dogs.

[Anonymous]

Mmmmm, chicken drumsticks grillin' next door...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had chickens growing up. To do it right is a ton, ton of work. You need to have a plan for how you will keep them warm in the winter. They will get frostbite on their Combs if not kept warm enough. Water also must be kept warm enough not to freeze. Many solutions for this are not suitable for a small backyard so you are looking at heating the structure. You need a vermin plan. The feed and straw and eggs attract rats, mice, raccoons, foxes, etc. no responsible seller will sell you 2. 4 or 5 is the usual minimum. They are happiest in flocks and you need to be realistic about predators. You may wind up with 2-3, but shouldn't start with 2-3. Plan on collecting eggs, mucking, changing feed/water, etc at least twice a day. You need a good plan for if you ever need to go away. Most vacation pet sitters are not equipped to handle these needs. You also need to find a vet that knows what he/she is doing.

I enjoyed having them as a child. It was a ton of work. I will not have them as an adult because the benefits do not outweigh the hassle for me personally.

Never have to muck the coop because of the way it's designed. Underfeed and let them forage for the rest so there are no vermin. Coop has proved predator proof (we have raccoons, foxes and feral cats with or without chix). A dog bowl water heater keeps the temps safe. Others just use a light bulb. Check in twice a day, extremely quick. Friends volunteer to care for them, swap with other keepers and hire a young teen to fill in. They can be put on autopilot for 3-4 days, but I prefer not to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP-i too live in moco and have chickens. i used to volunteer at calleva's organic farm in poolesville, and i helped take care of the chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl. it was fun and the chicken tasted so good, so dh and the kids and i got some to raise ourselves. it's been great. the neighbors love them (we don't have a rooster) because we share our eggs and fertilizer and the kids love going to feed them/collect the eggs. dh and i built the coop ourselves because dh has carpentry experience and it looks great. it matches our house too! it's funny that all these people probably wouldn't blink an eye at someone who mentioned growing their own vegetables, but mention chickens and all the sudden it means you're poor and a redneck.

That's awesome, PP! I love hearing other stories from people who are doing the same thing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had chickens growing up. To do it right is a ton, ton of work. You need to have a plan for how you will keep them warm in the winter. They will get frostbite on their Combs if not kept warm enough. Water also must be kept warm enough not to freeze. Many solutions for this are not suitable for a small backyard so you are looking at heating the structure. You need a vermin plan. The feed and straw and eggs attract rats, mice, raccoons, foxes, etc. no responsible seller will sell you 2. 4 or 5 is the usual minimum. They are happiest in flocks and you need to be realistic about predators. You may wind up with 2-3, but shouldn't start with 2-3. Plan on collecting eggs, mucking, changing feed/water, etc at least twice a day. You need a good plan for if you ever need to go away. Most vacation pet sitters are not equipped to handle these needs. You also need to find a vet that knows what he/she is doing.

I enjoyed having them as a child. It was a ton of work. I will not have them as an adult because the benefits do not outweigh the hassle for me personally.

Never have to muck the coop because of the way it's designed. Underfeed and let them forage for the rest so there are no vermin. Coop has proved predator proof (we have raccoons, foxes and feral cats with or without chix). A dog bowl water heater keeps the temps safe. Others just use a light bulb. Check in twice a day, extremely quick. Friends volunteer to care for them, swap with other keepers and hire a young teen to fill in. They can be put on autopilot for 3-4 days, but I prefer not to.

+1