and of course the chickens and what they claimed was yard debris

What is backyard chickens 101?

Before you start disposing of all the debris from your yard, it's important for residential customers to know what items do and do not count as yard waste. The items listed below are acceptable to throw into your trash bin for collection on your service day: Tree trimming/branches; Leaves, and house/garden plants; Brush, grass clippings and ...

What do you need to know about backyard chickens?

May 02, 2015 · Chickens need less space than you might think: two or three square feet per bird inside the coop, and about 10 square feet in their run or pen. Maureen Breen of the group Philadelphia Backyard ...

What are the laws about keeping chickens?

Feb 26, 2019 · The recommended size for a coop is 3 to 4 square feet per chicken, minimum, and about 10 square feet per chicken in the run space. For reference, our coop is 5’x3’ (15 square feet) and comfortably houses 4 to 5 backyard chickens – the maximum we’ve ever had in it. Do keep in mind that our girls only sleep in their coop.

Why are my backyard chickens not laying eggs?

Laws regarding chickens are made at the city, and sometimes the county level. So, some areas of California allow chickens while others do not. If your county or city does not explicitly prohibit keeping chickens in some way, then you are allowed to keep them as long as you follow all other laws. Especially those pertaining to noise and sanitation.

How many chickens does Breen Ferguson have?

Ferguson, who owns 14 hens, says that she and her husband have enough friends involved with chickens to take a two-week vacation as long as someone comes to feed and water the birds. Chickens need fresh water every day, and feed such as mealworms -- not corn, which Breen says provides little nutrition.

How much space do chickens need?

Chickens need less space than you might think: two or three square feet per bird inside the coop, and about 10 square feet in their run or pen. Maureen Breen of the group Philadelphia Backyard Chickens encourages newbies to think about protection for their feathered friends from "above, around and underneath.

Who is Jessica Ferguson?

Jessica Ferguson of Woodbury and her husband Paul have kept chickens in their backyard for several years, but in the past year they've found themselves trying to negotiate complaints that their chickens are livestock, rather than pets.

Do chickens need ventilation?

Chickens should have a place to keep warm and dry, but building a waterproof, airtight fortress isn't the best idea either -- chickens need plenty of ventilation. Ferguson and Breen say the structure needs to be able to air out to discourage the growth of bacteria and to minimize the smell of manure.

Do chickens need a roosting bar?

Other necessary features include a roosting bar for your chickens to rest on and at least one nesting box for laying eggs. It might be tempting to try to heat a chicken coop during the winter, but Breen encourages newcomers to resist that temptation. It's a fire hazard, and it's also unnecessary.

Do chickens need feathers?

Feathers," said Breen. "Well, chickens already have those. What they need is a place to get out of the wind.". It's also important to make sure your chickens have a source of shade, especially in the summer. The birds tend to be more sensitive to heat than to cold.

Can you keep chickens in Cherry Hill?

In some communities, however, it's more complicated. In Cherry Hill, for instance, residents can keep chickens, but only if their property is zoned as a farm.

What are the problems with chickens?

There are a number of illness and ailments that can affect backyard chickens, including worms, lice, bumblefoot, crop issues, and issues with egg production – such as egg-binding or internal laying – when eggs are not passing normally and internal infection can ensue.

How do chickens keep their feathers clean?

As counterintuitive as it sounds, chickens keep themselves clean by wallowing in the dirt. By laying down in the dirt, digging themselves a little hole, rubbing around, and fluffing their wings, they take a bath – called a dust bath. The process helps keep their feathers protected and waterproof, removes excess oil, and eliminates parasites. It is essential in chicken health! They will also preen themselves, rubbing their beaks on an oil gland that is located above their tail area, and disperse the oil around their feathers, further waterproofing them and providing insulation.

What is a rehoming chicken?

Pros: Rehoming a bird in need of a good home can be a wonderful and rewarding thing! Especially chickens rescued from nasty factory farm type operations – usually referred to as “ex-battery hens”. You could be saving a life! Since backyard chickens have become very trendy, there has been a steep rise in ones needing homes. They’re often given up by folks who were not adequately prepared for their little homesteading adventure – like you will be now!

How big is a chicken coop?

Size. The recommended size for a coop is 3 to 4 square feet per chicken, minimum, and about 10 square feet per chicken in the run space. For reference, our coop is 5’x3’ (15 square feet) and comfortably houses 4 to 5 backyard chickens – the maximum we’ve ever had in it.

What is a chicken tunnel?

If you do have some daytime predators, or if you want to limit access to certain areas of your yard – you should consider chicken tunnels, aka “chunnels” – in addition to their run! Essentially, it is giving them their own little fenced chicken highway around designated areas of the yard, rather than needing to fence in everything else. Depending on their design, chunnels could be rotated periodically to different locations. They could also be easily made against an existing fence or around the perimeter of a yard.

Do chicken coops need ventilation?

Speaking of drafts, chicken coops need to be well-insulated, but also need some fresh air circulation and ventilation. For example, through a couple small windows covered in hardware cloth, or some other protected vent system. Depending on your cleaning routines, it can get a bit stinky in there and built-up ammonia needs to escape, for their comfort AND health.

Do chickens sleep on roosts?

In addition to the roost they sleep on in the coop, plan on having some roosts in their run or in the yard they spend time in. Chickens love to nap, and napping on roosts is DA BEST. Or in a plump ball on the ground – the infamous “chicken loaf”. Sawhorses make GREAT roosts.

What are the laws regarding chickens?

On the county level, the most important laws regarding keeping livestock, and chickens in particular, tend to be the county zoning laws. In many states, county zoning laws apply to you even if you live in a city. If you live in the country, then county zoning laws may be the only chicken related regulations that you need to consult.

How much space do chickens need?

For a backyard chicken flock, a good general rule of thumb is about 2 – 3 square feet of space inside the coop per chicken, and about 8 – 10 square feet of outside space per chicken. This amount of space is comfortable for a nice domestic flock of chickens, although even more outdoor space is always appreciated.

What is zoning law?

Zoning laws, or zoning ordinances, are regulations that assign every piece of property a specific use, residential or commercial for instance. Although you probably live in a residential or agricultural zone, even these are split up in to different types of use such as R20, R5, or RR (in my area).

What is covenant in real estate?

A covenant is an agreement that you make when you purchase a home or piece of property, and in the United States are typically recorded on the property deed. In most cases, covenants are intended prohibit certain activities on your land which the original developers thought could potentially impact quality of life and thus property values in the neighbor hood.

Can you keep chickens in a city?

While many cities allow keeping chickens, some do not. Almost every city has some limits on what you can do, which you can find in the city code. While you hear many things from people about what is or isn’t allowed when keeping chickens in the city, the best way to be certain is to research the laws yourself.