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Mercersburg, PA

anyone have any advice on fighting a borough regarding chickens being kept as pets? i thought i found some loopholes in their ordinance so they sent it off for a legal review. anyone want to weigh in, let me know. and yes, i have chickens currently and they are trying to make me get rid of them.
jjlorson at yahoo.com

5/20/2013 2:19:52 PM

NE Kansas

I am against those types of ordinances. But, if you did bring the chickens in knowing it was illegal, then you are in the wrong.

Your time would be better spent petitioning the city council to change the ordinance. Meanwhile the city will be using this opportunity to strengthen the clause wording, making the ordinance more ironclad and thereby setting you up for future fines and removal of your chickens.

Find out what your city requires for submittal of a new ordinance. This will normally require names addresses and signatures of a significant number of people in favor of keeping chickens, agreement of number and types of chickens, hens vs. roosters, size and quality of coop and run, possible annual maintenance inspections, etc.

Take the high road and beat them at their own game. Go this route and you will lose, it's just a matter of time.

5/20/2013 4:56:05 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

Kill, roast, then eat all chickens.

Move to a new place.

Raise More Chickens. Repeat kill, roast and eat process repeatedly.

:D

5/20/2013 6:14:15 PM

organic alarm clock

5/20/2013 7:23:47 PM

Cummington, MA

Sorry I don't have any advice, but I hope you get to keep them! Good luck.

5/20/2013 9:45:29 PM

Alaska

OH MY GOD! Now there are coming for our chickens! What's next? Our wrist rockets?

5/20/2013 11:47:45 PM

Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

Just purchased five chickens. Got a double yoke yesterday.

5/21/2013 6:09:01 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

There are groups out there that have websites that will help..if you have a chicken tractor your odds are better. No rooster

5/21/2013 7:38:30 AM

Mercersburg, PA

no, i didnt think it was illegal to have them. nelson-pretty much on the path of what you said right now. awaiting legal review. kevin, not quite big enough yet, but when they are, that is what will be done, except for a couple layers. the latest argument they gave me is that chickens are not in their definition of domesticated animals. what it comes down to is that their definition is crappy.

5/21/2013 7:46:39 AM

Mercersburg, PA

by the way, this "city" is only a couple thousand people, not that it makes a difference in the ordinance.

5/21/2013 7:47:33 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Is Judgehal out there??

5/21/2013 9:21:25 AM

Mission Viejo, CA

Domesticated? Hell that's easy. Give them each a name, a collar, take them to the mall in your purse and walk them in to your local PetsMart once a week to play with the other pet chickens.

5/21/2013 10:30:08 AM

Springfield, VT

Wikipedia definition of domesticated
The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003,[1] there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird. Humans keep chickens primarily as a source of food, consuming both their meat and their eggs.

In the end it depends on the ordinances and how the definitions are written and state law definitions. Your ordinances for the city are on-line and do not appear to mention chickens.

A link to laws http://thecitychicken.com/chickenlaws.html

5/21/2013 11:15:22 AM

Nottingham, UK

You need to send them a nice letter like this one: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=198526

5/21/2013 11:24:00 AM

Mercersburg, PA

borough definition for "keeping of pets": "The keeping of domestic animals that are normally considered to be kept in conjunction with a dwelling for the pleasures of the resident family. This shall include dogs, cats, small birds, rabbits and other animals commonly sold in retail pet shops." it continues with other things that are "permitted by right"

5/21/2013 11:24:27 AM

Mercersburg, PA

thanks everyone for the replies....keeps me entertained anyhow. also, i found 5 stores within 15 miles that have chicks available and have pet supplies. it is easier to bend the definition of retail pet store in a rural area.

5/21/2013 11:29:07 AM

NE Kansas

My town says. No domesticated animals that are normally considered 'livestock'.

5/21/2013 1:32:39 PM

BC, Canada

B Bear
I have been involved with this for a long time. I have lots of chickens. I actually just this minute returned from getting 20 of my fresh hatched chicks form the club incubator.
There is a very good documentary video about this subject. We have a poultry club exec meeting this afternoon and I will get the name of that video for you. I know it is available on the web, can't remember the name right now.
Zoning as a fact is well established and has strong legal precedent. As example I don't want someone to buy the property next to me and build some sort of large industrial plant. I am zoned agricultural, so if that new neighbor wanted to put in a hog barn they could and I knew that when I bought my property.
However; there is a strong movement to get zoning rules changed to allow for backyard chickens (no roosters) across North America. Some cities even allow beehives now. OMG can you imagine! Yeah, I think it is stupid, especially with people going hungry but the change we need is a change in social understanding and public education and that takes a long time. That is why forums like this are important.
Good luck.

5/21/2013 2:48:18 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Isn't PA runnung neck to neck with NY when it comes to marriage laws...can't you marry just about anything these days and claim it as a dependant?......just trying to help..

5/21/2013 4:27:25 PM

Duxbury,Ma.

whats up Ned?

5/22/2013 5:44:25 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Hi Judge. I just thought maybe you had some legal advice for bigbear.

5/22/2013 10:02:17 AM

Mercersburg, PA

UPDATE!!! I just got a letter that says i convinced them that these animals are our pets so we can keep them. My photos of the kids holding them helped. Now i hope to educate others on this subject. Goes to show that a well thought out letter and good organization with some backing goes a long way.

5/22/2013 1:21:56 PM

Sourthern Utah

congrats bigbear.. well done,, here in this little burg we live in ,, ,, the only thing we are not allowed to have is pigs, bovine,, eques.. beragas,, and even chickens yes,, just not swine , lol,

5/22/2013 1:47:58 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Good For You !!

5/22/2013 1:56:15 PM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Chicks Win ! congrats..

5/22/2013 2:18:54 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

awesome!!! Way to fight the MAN!

5/22/2013 8:49:26 PM

Bottom of ohio

Nice

5/22/2013 8:54:04 PM

Northern Cambria, Pa.

That made my day Justin.

5/23/2013 8:15:23 AM

Omaha, Ne.

teach your chicken to fetch. and you'll be home free:)

5/23/2013 8:19:16 AM

Mnt.pleasant ,tennessee

Well played justin

5/23/2013 8:26:25 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

the reverse has been happening here, many towns that had banned chickens in the past have been allowing them, more and more communities have overturned the no chicken ordinances, the guy down the street from me thats sells picnic tables and swing sets is having a banner year selling coops!

5/23/2013 8:44:04 AM

BC, Canada

http://saltspringpoultry.com/
Borer, the above link is to a little video made at our farmers fall fair held by the local farmer's institute. To abide by new meat processing regulations we had to build a local abattoir. A long and expensive process!! But they did it. I volunteered to make a chicken tractor for the fund raiser. I could have sold a dozen. We raised over $2000.00 on it. Backyard chickens are popular. Now I don't have to butcher my own or drive for an hour to get it done.
Congrats bigbear on the victory.

5/23/2013 6:31:03 PM

Ohio

This is probably a stupid question but Is the reason behind no roosters because of noise?

5/24/2013 9:23:26 PM

Ohio

Also, my neighbor down the road has chickens and I love to hear that Rooster in the morning, only thing I dislike is the chickens getting into my garbage and spreading it around the yard! Chickens are worse then any coon or dog Ive seen as far as that goes!! lol

5/24/2013 9:27:57 PM

BC, Canada

Yeah, it's a noise issue. Also roosters never lay too many eggs. But did you know that a hen can crow? It is mainly to call the rooster if they are separated. Also, there are people who raise a type of rooster for its loud and frequent crowing. We had one person here who had several dozen and they were finally shut down by zoning rules as they were not agricultural zoned.
Don't let the chickens in your garden!! We had one we named Henzilla because of her particular ability to stomp and mangle the plants.

5/25/2013 2:40:48 AM

Alaska

Roosters may not lay any eggs but that white stuff on the yokes makes me a bit curious and nauseous.

5/25/2013 3:22:21 AM