Complaint and card left from Environmental Health!

[jimred]

Is there any limit to the amount of chooks u can keep in your garden?

So glad it all came right for you Mrs C. Interestingly today someone came to ask me to take 3 hens for someone as a neighbour had complained as they were keeping 9 and were in a council house where they are only supposed to keep 6. They have to get rid within 7days!
The guy is coming back to see me tomorrow and I'm planning to have them if no one else has.
Neighbours - who'd have them!

[Glutton4...]

I'd have been fuming too MrsC. Abso-bloomin-lutely livid. I'm glad it all went well for you.

No more free eggs for them!

[sheena]

Is there any limit to the amount of chooks u can keep in your garden?

I sure hope not, my largest number was 11! Now down to 8

[Suechooks]

Is there any limit to the amount of chooks u can keep in your garden?

In this case it's 6 but I think it may be a local council ruling as he lives in a council house. It's really petty as I'm told he has a huge garden - about 90' long!

[its hilly]

Originally posted by jimred
Is there any limit to the amount of chooks u can keep in your garden?

Unless its rented (when your landlord may put it in a tenancy agreement) then I don't think there is any limit. And as BP has pointed out frequently there is an act of law that says anyone is allowed to keep chooks in their garden.

Common sense says that if they are securely housed, cleaned well, fed and cared for properly, no noisy cockerals, and their food and equipment is safely, tidily and vermin proofed stored, and you stick by DEFRA's free range recommendations as to what amount of space they need (even if it is a pen) then even if there are complaints it is very unlikely that they will be upheld.

By the way Walldanzig..I'm not 100% sure, but fairly sure that in actual fact the RSPCA are NOT allowed to enter your premises without permission, that it is tresspass. If you refuse entry they have to get the police to come with them. But that is for your house and garden..not sure if it applies to allotments or fields.

[jessmorris]

Crikey! what a busy thread! Glad it all turned out ok in the end for you Mrs C, its not a nice feeling though is it? I felt very cross and quite worried when my neighbour complained about my hens, but the environmental health guy was fine. He had been in and had a look in my garden when I was out though which did make me feel a bit strange......

[squibbs]

Unless its rented (when your landlord may put it in a tenancy agreement) then I don't think there is any limit. And as BP has pointed out frequently there is an act of law that says anyone is allowed to keep chooks in their garden.

Common sense says that if they are securely housed, cleaned well, fed and cared for properly, no noisy cockerals, and their food and equipment is safely, tidily and vermin proofed stored, and you stick by DEFRA's free range recommendations as to what amount of space they need (even if it is a pen) then even if there are complaints it is very unlikely that they will be upheld.

By the way Walldanzig..I'm not 100% sure, but fairly sure that in actual fact the RSPCA are NOT allowed to enter your premises without permission, that it is tresspass. If you refuse entry they have to get the police to come with them. But that is for your house and garden..not sure if it applies to allotments or fields.

The RSPCA is a charity and not an officially sanctioned body and has no powers of access, law enforcement etc - I would think that access to allotments might be a grey area as they could be called public places and so as private citizens could wander round just as I can as long as I dont go on someones plot. They wear uniforms but then so does the salvation army and you wouldn't expect them to be wandering round your garden either.

They do bring prosecutions, but they are private prosecutions which if we had enough money we could bring too.

[pigletwillie]

The RSPCA can only access your property with a police escort or if you invite them on.

[SueA]

Glad everything went well MrsC, sounds like your neighbours were just being petty, at least you can turn round & say to them now that you've got full approval from Environmental Health!

[snakeshack]

Flies and a smell apparently.

offer him some nice fresh comfrey tea for his garden ,,,,,then moan about the flies lol

[lindyloo]

ten or so years ago i was asked by my landlord if i was keeping chicken- one of my nieghbors had told him i was. ( yes i was-they were at home temporaily, while i built a broody run) apparently ,it is down to the town council; in some streets/ areas you can have them, in others it is prohibited. so if there is any doubt, they are the people you need to check with ( at least in my town) mine was not prohibited- it was just a stroppy nieghbor, even though several nieghbors had chicken thier selves

[Atticus]

Awful. Glad it went okay though. If that was me I'd find a new use for the eggs for your neighbor if you know what I mean

Oh and LMAO at the chicken's in nappies comment! That's what my mum wants to do to mine

[petal]

What total t****rs your neighbours are. Do they have a dog or loud parties so you can get your own back?! I would put up lots of fly traps anyway, we do. Honestly! I have just got back from holiday and read this - what rotters your neighbours are!

[MrsC]

Thanks Petal for your comments! I wouldn't mind but there aren't any flies lol. They're just being awkward buggars! Yes, they do have a dog that barks regularly from 6am every morning, amazing isn't it!

[Glutton4...]

Report them to the RSPCA for leaving the dog. It won't do you (or the dog) any good, but may make them think. And, if they dare ask if it was you that reported them, say you were just getting your own back!