Consider the Neighbors

While you don’t need your neighbor’s permission to keep chickens, it’s good practice to inform them of your intentions and get their feedback. Zoning laws may allow you to have a flock of hens, but many neighbors are skeptical of outdoor birds as pets – especially if they’ve never been around chickens before. As a common courtesy, talk with your neighbors before bringing your chickens home – but first, familiarize yourself with these common concerns that your fellow homeowners are likely to present when you bring up the subject of your backyard flock.

Check with your neighborhood first

Before going to your neighbors with your intentions, make sure that you’ve consulted with your state, city, and any other local offices that your property may be subject to. Even if keeping chickens is legal in your state and city, your neighborhood’s homeowners association (HOA) or zoning board may have rules or regulations about chickens. And, if chickens are permitted under these entities, there may be additional restrictions or requirements. The most common laws concerning chickens will be in regards to:

• Restrictions on number of chickens within a flock
• Size, type, or location of your chicken coop
• Forbidding roosters

If you find that there are laws or rules in place to prevent you from keeping chickens, the same facts that will help win over your neighbors can be employed at the next HOA or city zoning meeting. As a resident who is subject to these governing bodies, you have the right to attend their meetings and appeal or propose changes. If you get your neighbors on board with your efforts, you’ll have a larger driving force to help promote change.

The Eglu Go UP chicken coop is the perfect solution for city living and small backyards.

Chickens in the city

The most common concerns homeowners who share a property line with chickens raise are: noise, smell, vermin, and decreased property value. But, these fears stem from a lack of understanding or knowledge, and can be put to rest with these truths about flocks in the neighborhood. Keeping chickens in the city is growing in popularity – and with the right setup, can be accomplished without disturbing your neighbors.

Chickens aren’t noisy

At least, not all of the time. The majority of the sounds chickens make are brief, and won’t be audible to your neighbors. A flock of chickens are far less noisy than a barking dog, the sound of traffic, children playing outside, airplanes flying over, emergency vehicle sirens, or other common urban sounds. Still, you should be considerate when considering the placement of your chickens’ setup. Make sure it’s a good distance from neighbors on either side or behind you to minimize the noise factor when your flock does decide to sound an alarm or gets into a scuffle.

Chickens aren’t smelly

It’s their droppings that smell. Chickens themselves are very clean animals that will keep their feathers tidy through dust bathing. An easy-to-clean chicken coop makes all the difference in reducing odors from chicken droppings. Wooden chicken coops absorb moisture (and smell) and have to be scraped clean frequently to avoid emitting odors. But plastic chicken coops with pull-out droppings trays can be thoroughly cleaned in just a few minutes with a water hose or pressure washer, virtually eliminating smells before they can take hold. Be sure to keep your compost pile or waste receptacle far away from your neighbors so that they don’t catch a whiff of your chickens’ discarded droppings.

Chickens don’t attract vermin

But their eggs and their feed might. Some precautions you can take to reduce the likelihood of vermin visiting your chickens’ setup include:

• Keeping your flocks’ feed in airtight containers
• Removing any spilled or leftover food at the end of the day
• Serving scratch grains or fresh foods in chicken treat dispensers to reduce waste
• Raking out the run regularly and refreshing the substrate
• Collecting eggs daily to minimize the temptation for rats to raid the nesting area

Through these simple practices, you’ll greatly reduce the draw that your chickens’ setup has for rodents. And, preventing vermin is twofold: it not only maintains the cleanliness of your flock’s space, but reducing the rodent population around your coop will help curb the curiosity of other chicken predators that feast on vermin as well.

Chickens don’t decrease property value

Unkept, wooden chicken coops might. These coops are smelly, unsightly, and will most definitely be off-putting to onlookers. But, a well-kept chicken setup made up of a rot-free plastic chicken coop vs a wooden coop will age well, and keep odors at bay. And, with an accompanying chicken run, your flock will have designated areas that won’t detract from your home’s curb appeal. Since your local ordinances allow chickens, your property is within a chicken-friendly part of town that appreciates them as backyard pets that supply families with fresh eggs.

Create a chicken community

Even if your neighbors aren’t totally convinced that chickens won’t disrupt their daily activities, offer to give them some fresh eggs from time to time. After the first sampling of your flock’s contributions to the neighborhood, they’ll be sold on the idea. Or, you can offer for children (or curious adults) to come learn about chickens and how to care for them. Most children that are raised within city limits will have never seen chickens up close and personal – so you’ll have the opportunity to make a lasting impression. Be sure to send them home with a small carton of fresh eggs as a memento of their visit. Just don’t be surprised when your neighbors contact you as the resident chicken expert once they’ve decided to start their own backyard flock.

Sharing your chicken keeping experience with your neighbors is an opportunity for you to eliminate any concerns they may have.

Omlet and your neighborhood chickens

Keeping chickens in urban areas doesn’t have to be a burden on your neighbors. With sophisticated chicken coops, stylish walk in chicken runs, and customizable chicken fencing, your flock will be the talk of the neighborhood. And, show off your hens’ best sides with chicken perches to display their natural beauty.