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Barnyard Buddies:  Hens in the City  |
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TJinMT
True Blue Farmgirl
211 Posts
TJ
Billings
MT
USA
211 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 08 2011 : 11:45:50 AM
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While that subject sounds like the fun title to a new book, it's actually more of a question...
Our town (Billings) has a city ordinance against having poultry inside city limits (lumping them in with their larger barnyard companions such as sheep, goats, horses and cattle). Well of course that's just silly, because you can't have an adorable twee little cowhouse painted to look like a victorian manse, now can you? At least not in a regulation-sized city backyard. Not that I wouldn't love to have my horse at home with me, but I digress.
How many of you gals are in city limits and found the same problem? What did you do about it, if anything, if so? It took several phone calls to the city Administration to even DETERMINE this case, for me... they had to look it up and call me back, then discuss it again with the City Administrator... so it's probably not really ENFORCED. However I hate to break a law if I can just start a revolution and CHANGE the law instead!! 
I've emailed my two city councilpersons and am awaiting their thoughts. I'm prepared to get petitions, standing in front of our local Ag supply stores if necessary! How can they deny a farmgirl mama her Rhode Island Reds for pete's sake! The inhumanity!!!
Crusadingly,
~TJ of Green Willow Place
www.MyWesternHome.wordpress.com
"We make a living by what we get, but we build a life by what we give." ~Thomas S. Monson |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2011 : 5:03:18 PM
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You go, girl! Maybe it would help if you explained to them how much healthier fresh eggs are. there are some websites dedicated to backyard chickens--I hope you get your chickens and city hall gets a clue!
Cindy
"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead O'Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
Posted - Apr 10 2011 : 10:26:01 PM
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Well, I don't know if this helps TJ, but I'm in one of the most metropolitan areas in the country --NYC--and the law allows for any number of HENS (no roosters, for noise ordinances)---so maybe you can also bring that up. Hey, if a large city like New York can do it, why not a city in Montana?
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View My Work:
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www.beyondvagabond.blogspot.com
View the blog and radio show!
Renegade Farming!: www.therenegadefarmer.com
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2011 : 05:42:39 AM
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TJ,
I live in a small city and they don't allow chickens. Many towns and cities around us do including Madison, WI. Madison is a very large city and they allow 4 hens. They even have chicken coop tours! Go to MadCityChickens.org and see what they did. They also have a movie that they show around the country to city councils and such. We tried to change our ordinance here and lost by one vote. We will try again...have to wait 6 months. We also have 4 new city council members so who knows!
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922
Happy to be a "Raggedy Ann" in a Barbie World!
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22944 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2011 : 06:00:43 AM
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TJ- I ran into the same issue here in Laurel. I thought about "just doing it anyway" but decided that wasn't the lesson I wanted to teach Nora. If we owned a house instead of rented I would go to the Laurel City Council and talk to them about it. However since we don't want to pay an exter $35 a month for additional "pets" we decided to wait until we get our own property.
If you need any support with the Billings City Council- let me know! I think we could probably put together a pretty good presentation supporting hens in the city!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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TJinMT
True Blue Farmgirl
211 Posts
TJ
Billings
MT
USA
211 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2011 : 06:50:40 AM
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Sweet! Thanks for the support, gals! And Alee, I might take you up on that! I'm waiting to hear back from the two councilmen I emailed on Friday... it really sounds like "hens in town" are going the same way as community gardens, as in, COMING ON like a storm! Which is too cool!! I can't believe that NYC allows them, but a 100k person "metropolis" in Montana does not! Wild. Next you're gonna tell me you don't have to get your pet Moose licensed! :)
It's killin' me... our local ranch supply store has peeps for sale... and like you, Alee, I seriously considered just, well, breaking the law. But it's a bad example for the kids and not a good thing to do as a Christian either, even if the ordnance is not actually 'enforced'. It just definitely needs changing!! I just hope the experience doesn't grow my kids up to want to be in politics!!! ( )
Hen Power, Activate!!! (grin)
~TJ of Green Willow Place
www.MyWesternHome.wordpress.com
"We make a living by what we get, but we build a life by what we give." ~Thomas S. Monson |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2011 : 07:09:23 AM
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lol it is insane, especially considering many people have pet tigers, lions, bears, and boa constrictors, but a witty bitty chicken wouldn't be allowed? lol haha Funny!
However, for some reason I thought in Brooklyn you were only allowed 6 or 10 hens for some reason. For some reason that is what my grandmother in laws impression was, maybe that's a old law though or something.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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Barnyard Buddies: Hens in the City |
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Hens in the City
