FAQs on Raising City Chickens
Many questions are asked about raising city chickens. The most common question is whether it is legal to keep chicken in the city. The answer to this is that different cities have different rules. You should therefore go through the city bylaws this and other relevant information such as the number of chickens allowed, the type of chicken coops that you can have in the city and their specifications, the type of chicken you can keep, rules on disposing of the droppings, etc. However, even in cities that allow you to keep chicken, you have to look at your lease to see if you are allowed to keep chicken, the number allowed if you can keep them and the specification on chicken coops and other relevant factors.
Another frequently asked question is what to do about the neighbors. Even in cities and buildings where you are allowed to raise chicken, you will still have to deal with the neighbors. If your neighbor sued you because of noise pollution from the chicken or because of foul smell, or for any other reason that is distressing his/her, he/she will probably win the case. It is therefore important that you talk to your neighbors first before building the coop. You should do this before the actual building to prevent such problems as building the coop and then having to demolish the structure to incorporate the demands of the neighbors, building the coop and then being denied permission to raise chicken, etc. If the neighbor is just being stubborn, you should seek guidance from the relevant council office.
A frequently asked question about raising city chickens is the requirements for the chicken coop. The requirements vary from city to city, but the common requirement is that you cannot have a chicken run inside the city — all chicken have to be housed in the coop. However, you may be allowed to have a chicken run in the suburbs. A common requirement in most cities is that the chicken coop should have aesthetic value. For aesthetic value, the chicken coop has to be painted, the wood or other material has to be finished well and the coop must have a reasonable shape. However, you should not sacrifice functionality for aesthetic value.
For functionality, the chicken coop should have elevated nesting boxes because hens are uncomfortable laying eggs where they eat. The chicken coop should have bars where the chicken can rest and sleep. The floor of the coop should be slightly slanted to make sweeping and hosing easy.
Apart from the functionality and aesthetic value, the chicken coop must offer comfort and security to the chicken. The chicken coop should be weatherproof to protect the chicken from extreme weather conditions such as heavy downpour. The coop should have windows facing the direction of the sun that are opened during the day to bring sunlight into the coop and to aid in ventilation Chicken FAQs. The door should always be locked to prevent theft and droppings should be removed regularly for comfort. Comfortable chicken are happy and they are more productive.
