Chicken Free Zone

[pukka.tukka]

Hi

How do you find out if you are in chicken free zone.

My neighbours has told me we are not allowed to keep chicken in the area where I live, but the local councillors has them, she lives in the same area, although I do not want to get her in to trouble for keeping them.

Many thanks

[Nicos]

If you own your house it will say on the deeds.
We weren't supposed to hang out washing to dry on a Sunday!!...bit out of date eh?..but could still be enforced if the neighbours complained!


I'd ask your councillor if it's OK!

[Hilary B]

Isn't this covered by the famous Allotment Act? (ie, yes you can as long as they don't cause a nuisance, no cockerels, etc......)

[tlck9]

the best idea is to contact your local parish council. My deeds have a covenent saying I cant keep chickens, however the allotment act sorted that one out, so the convenant isnt worth the paper its written on.

As long as they are kept clean, do not smell then the neighbours wont complain

[Suechooks]

I'd speak to the lady who has them! It's the Allotment Act 1950 which overrides all local bye-laws covenants etc. There's a thread (or several) on this which quote the Act. On another forum (Poultry chat I think) there's a sticky on it by the folk who took legal advice.

[HeyWayne]

We're not allowed to keep livestock - t'was in our deeds.

Along with not being able to plant a tree in the front garden.

[womble]

I'm not sure this is right, but I remember reading, if there is a covenant in the deeds, most of the time it has to be enforced by the builder that built the house.
i.e. Forget about it.

[Glutton4...]

Some laws are very out of date - like the one about eating Mint Sauce with Roast Lamb!!!!

[womble]

Having to practice with a longbow every Sunday. Although obviously I do that out of loyalty to the crown anyway

[Bramble-Poultry]

ANYONE can keep poultry - regardless of your deeds - deeds and covenants are NOT statue law but acts of Parliament are and therefore statute law will always trump non statue - the Allotment Act states that ANYONE can keep chickens regardless of deeds or covenants to the conterary as as teh act is statute law nothing can be done about it!! - if you search allotments act on here you will find the exact legislation and its wording! The trick is overcomingthe nuscience clause so no cockerels, a sensible amount of girls for the land you have and obvious rat control - then not even environmental health can stop you keeping them!

[Sopho]

I bet there weren't chicken free zones during the war when almost everyone had them in their backyards for eggs and meat! All I did was check my house deeds and there was no mention of not keeping them. Probably best to mention it to your neighbours and assure them you will not have a cockerel, most people think you need one for eggs. and offer a reduced price for 1/2doxen eggs. They'll soon shhh once they taste them!

Sopho

[Liza]

I think I read somewhere that chickens count as pets and not livestock as long as in a small amount and for non commercial reasons.

I would be inclined to get them if you want them, let anyone who objects chase around to find all the laws that don't count anymore.

I live next door to Victor Meldrew and Mrs Bucket ( Bouquet ) didn`t stop me getting my girls.

[Sopho]

Well said Liza... stuff them all! Getting my girls was the best thing I ever did! It's addictive tho... I now have 10 chooks and 4 ducks!! all on my allotment tho not in the back garden!


Just go for it and enjoy Pukka Tukka

[MrsC]

Go for it. Let the neighbours try and find the so called laws/acts etc. I was going to get only 3 under 1 year ago, I now have 18

[Liza]

As Bramble said !

As to your neighbors they are just saying it to put you off, having livestock in your garden (ie: cows,sheep,goats etc) I can understand maybe a problem in a built up area, but chooks are pets like wabbits and dogs, from my experience not half as noisy as my JR.