Recieved complaints

[Nicos]

The letter they sent to me is quoted as follows

"In your tenancy agreement Section 3.33 to 3.37 states tenants may keep pets, however poultry is not deemed as pets".

A visit to your CAB maybe also????

good luck!

[sheena]

I have found a petition already in place, so if you guys wouldn't mind signing hopefully it can hit home a bit better.
Petition to: abolish all local by-laws prohibiting the keeping of hens in gardens. | Number10.gov.uk

Thank you all, this would mean so much to me and fellow hen keepers on the smaller scale.

[SarzWix]

I've signed the petition Sheena.

[Bephlam]

me too Sheena!

[RedThorn]

Done! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[Flummery]

I've already signed this some weeks ago. I got the link from another forum - the chap who initiated the petition is a member of that and he told us about it. I really hope something comes of it. After all, people keep numbers of cats or large dogs, all of which can cause more nuisance to neighbours than a few well kept hens.

[zanussi101]

there was a report on the news a few weeks ago about an elderly couple who live in a council house and are practically self-sufficient- growing their own & keeping chickens. However the HA told them they had to get rid of the chickens as they were livestock. I didn't hear any further developments about the story but it might be worth having a search in case they were allowed to keep them and you can use that to back up your case. Sorry I can't be more specific about details but it was very early in the morning!

[davefromthechipie]

sighed Good luck Sheena

[sheena]

Righto, every house done and they have all signed my own petition.

Have found out how the HA found out tho... the girl next door who I was dreading going to see has just informed me that she was being investigated for not being at the house enough to say she was living there. Apparently had asked how she was getting on with the neighbours, etc and she had mentioned I had chickens.

So with no further ado, they have apparently taken pictures of my run to send to environmental health etc (not a problem for me, I got nothing to hide), but I do think a run that is 4ft tall, 11ft long and just under 3ft wide is plenty big enough. And out of the 11ft long sits a old rabbit hutch which is used as their home of 6ft x 3ft.
They also get a run in the garden too now OH has softened.

Big enough for 4 chooks??

So with all the neighbours onboard, god knows what my next course of action will be!

[kirsty b]

So maybe she didn't acually complain then? Anyhoo, however this came about I really hope this goes well for you, have signed petition too.

[carlseawolf]

petition signed

[Eyren]

So with no further ado, they have apparently taken pictures of my run to send to environmental health etc (not a problem for me, I got nothing to hide), but I do think a run that is 4ft tall, 11ft long and just under 3ft wide is plenty big enough. And out of the 11ft long sits a old rabbit hutch which is used as their home of 6ft x 3ft.
They also get a run in the garden too now OH has softened.

Big enough for 4 chooks??

If it helps, tell your OH that the "run in the garden" bit could make the difference between keeping them and not - 5ft x 3ft isn't enough for four hens, even if it feels like a palace to ex-batts! EU regulations for free-range poultry require one square metre per hen of run space:

In addition, the birds have had during at least half their lifetime continuous daytime access to open-air runs, comprising an area mainly covered by vegetation, of not less than:
* 1m² per chicken or guinea fowl

That said, fingers crossed that you get to keep them!

[sheena]

Sorry Eyren.... I'm am completely useless at describing things.

If you can think of a big rectangluar cube, and divide it in 4 like say every 15 mins of a clock face... the house takes up a 15 minute section (the first 15 mins of a clock) if you can understand what I am saying.

So the run is 11ft long, and 6ft of the upper part of it is the home, but their food and water are hanging from the bottom of their home in dry and shade. So that they have room for exercise whilst also having a shaded area to keep dry in the rain, and out of the sun should they want to.

It is also east facing so they can benefit from as much sun as they would like, whlst keeping the home out of direct sunlight after the heat intensifies during the afternoon (should we get any that is). I'll pop some pic's up later so you can see exactly what I mean.

There are also 5 doors on the run in which we can gain access to the run to clean it, but also that they can come out from to enter the fenced off garden.

Anyway... today is the start of my battle.
I'll let you know how I get on after my days events.

Fingers crossed

[MaureenHall]

Good luck Sheena, I've signed the petition too

[sheena]

Thanks to all those who are signing!

Today has been a very weird day to say the least.
I called the lady who sent me the nice letter on Saturday... not entirely sure she was involved at all, as she tended to pass the buck onto her manager. (Her exact term's were "You'll need to speak to my manager as I am leaving in the next couple of weeks" seems like she don't want the paperwork to deal with before leaving.
However she did mention that in a neighbouring town, there was a situation about a cockeral... and closer to home in Huntingdon, someone had let their run get filthy and it had attracted rats. (I thanked her for this information, seeing how she was supposedly sitting opposite her manager at the time.

I then spoke to her manager who knew absolutely nothing about the situation, and I had informed him of how many I had, that inspections were welcome anytime and that I would be the first one to be jumping up and down should I see a rat, not that you would with the run being closely monitored by myself and OH. (Good friendly neighbours threathened to come pinch me eggs, so I'm standing my with spade in hand lol)

Local MP has said to give the local animal shelter a call and find out what they know in regards to chicken having pet status. Other than that, he was no help really.

Soooooooooooo....
Looks like I might have to wait til Friday when I get my supposed visit.

And a pic of where the girl's live, comments welcome.


Taken before I blacked out the windows and fitted the door.