Chicken Rules for Allotments

[Beetroot Bob]

In our recent AGM a proposal was passed to allow plot holders to keep chickens on thier plots. This was subject to drawing up a set of rules. There are a few concerns which members wold like these rules to address. Mainly RATS and birds escaping and distroying other peoples plots. Guess who's drawn the short starw !!

Our local authority have no guidlines and I've got the RSPCA and DEFRA guidlines but they seem a bit vague.

Can anyone help with examples of rules at your allotments or point me in the right direction ?

Thanks

[MaureenHall]

We're allowed chickens on our plots and our rules state:

"The keeping of hens, rabbits and bees is permitted, subject to the agreement of the site secretary/committee. The keeping of ducks and cockerels is not permitted. Where hens, rabbits or bees are allowed, the facilities must be well designed and constructed, vermin proof against foxes and other predators. The surface area for hen houses, runs and roosts must not exceed 140 square feet in ground area. The height should not exceed 2m. Plot holders must not allow dogs to enter a site unless kept on a lead at all times. Where bees are allowed, experienced advice must be obtained, and full discussions covering all aspects for Health and Safety, ergonomics etc completed before introduction to the plot or site"

Hope this helps Good luck

[Snadger]

You need to do a risk assessment! No guidelines at our plots but heaps of common sense!

[tlck9]

You need to do a risk assessment! No guidelines at our plots but heaps of common sense!

I'm sorry but that last bit, common sense??? doesnt apply on our allotment, as they havent got a clue! first bit, spot on, no rules. Now if you have a free shed going then you can do what you want!

[Beetroot Bob]

We don't have common sense either !! Just lots of grumpy old men and lots of politics !!

[Snadger]

My common sense instincts dictate you shouldn't use more than 1/4 of your plot for chook keeping.
Chooks should be well looked after.Housing should be adequate.Run area needs to be adequate.They need to be attended to every day watered (or breaking ice on water) fed and eggs collected.. No more than 50 (at the very max) to be kept. No food to be left lying around to attract rats. Rats need to be dealt with immediatly.Cleaning out, disinfecting and deodourising of coops needs to be done on a regular basis.Cruelty to chooks will not be tolerated by other plotholders.Cockerels and ducks may be an issue on allotments close to housing.

[allotmentchickens]

Chickens are allowed on allotments - it is a statutory right in the UK, under the Allotment Act 1950. Because so many councils don't know this, or don't choose to know it, I am starting a campaign to disseminate the info. The NSALG have it all down in their literature. Have a look at my Facebook link - allotment chickens | Facebook

[Hilary B]

Chickens are allowed on allotments - it is a statutory right in the UK, under the Allotment Act 1950. Because so many councils don't know this, or don't choose to know it, I am starting a campaign to disseminate the info. The NSALG have it all down in their literature. Have a look at my Facebook link - allotment chickens | Facebook

Surely when you get an allotment you enter into a contract, and the contract can have conditions to it?
If nothing is stated in the allotment agreeent, then the default should be permission as per the Act, but I would think the landowners COULD make it a condition that you don't keep livestock, and if you signed an agreement with that in, it probably takes precedence (unlike restrictive covenants on house purchase). Just guessing as I am not a lawyer, but that is what makes sense to me.

[Snadger]

We are allowed chooks on our plots. Half a mile up the road the 'other' plotholders aren't allowed chooks. (Think it's cos they are next to a Crematorium, but I may be wrong?) Respect for the dead an all that I suppose?

[Bramble-Poultry]

hilary - i see what you are trying to say, however, surely a council imposing their own rules can not take presidence of a statutory legal right?

therefore, a council saying no to chickens is surely only expressing a preference as otherwise they are acting against the law of this country by restricting your rights under the aforementioned act?

[frias]

Since becoming a chookaholic, I can't go past an allotment without looking for chickens. I've yet to see any so thought councils down south had said no to chooks. I haven't got an allotment so know nothing about them but it's seems strange to not see any when I know lots of peeps on here keep their chooks on allotments. Actually it's hard to find supplies or chooks for sale down south and when you do you pay through the nose.

[Paul Wagland]

hilary - i see what you are trying to say, however, surely a council imposing their own rules can not take presidence of a statutory legal right?

That's a good point - I wonder if your rights are different on council-run and privately leased plots?

[SarzWix]

From what I have read elsewhere, I gather that that is correct Bramble Poultry. Whatever the rules say on the tenancy agreement, this law over-rides it. I have read about people whose Housing Association rules state that no chickens may be kept in gardens winning the right to keep them with this law.

[Hilary B]

hilary - i see what you are trying to say, however, surely a council imposing their own rules can not take presidence of a statutory legal right?

therefore, a council saying no to chickens is surely only expressing a preference as otherwise they are acting against the law of this country by restricting your rights under the aforementioned act?

I know council HOUSE tenants have the same rights wrt the garden as owner occupiers, but I think if you sign an agreement/contract for an allotment, that might be different. The garden goes with the house, so the act applies, but the allotment is rented in its own right, and it MAY be possible for the landowner to state their preferences in whatever agreement is made. It may even be different with council allotment compared to privately owned; I don't know what sort of agreement there is for a council allotment.

[SarzWix]

This NSALG Information Leaflet opens with the verbatim provisions of
section 12 Allotments Act 1950 :

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any lease or tenancy or in any covenant, contract or undertaking relating to the use to be made of any land, it shall be lawful for the occupier of any land to keep, otherwise by way of trade or business, hens or rabbits in any place on the land and to erect or place and maintain such buildings or structures on the land as reasona-bly necessary for that purpose :
Provided that nothing in this subsection shall authorise any hens or rabbits to be kept in such a place or in such a manner as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance . . .


This means that hens – domestic chickens (but not cockerels, for rea-sons which will be examined later in this document) and/ or rabbits - can be kept and housed on an allotment plot as of right.
‘As of right’, in this context, means that the consent of the appropriate municipal authority is not required, and need not be sought. That said, NSALG thinks it a matter of cour-tesy, where a plot holder intends to keep hens and/or rabbits, that the following be observed : the plot holder should:
(i) inform the authority of the inten-tion to keep creatures;
(ii) state the number of creatures it is intended to keep ; and
Iii) furnish a telephone number in case of any problem with creatures kept.
Where (ii) above is concerned, any attempt to limit the number of crea-tures which can be kept under s. 12 is unenforceable.

From NSALG website.