Urban Chickens (Jacksonville, Springfield: coop, house, neighborhoods)

[Candlewik]

Anyone know if you can keep a few chickens in your back yard in the downtown area of Jax? I really want to have fresh pesticide free eggs!

[Joe 4520832257]

Zoning generally doesn't allow it.

[fsu813]

You guys should enjoy this:



Springfield Chicken Run! Cudd Frees Avian Detainees

When Max Cudd watched the round up of local neighborhood chickens by a dozen poultry police in four trucks, he was concerned enough to fight back. He opened the cages to release the pent up chickens. Some escaped. He didn't. He was fined $500.00 for his interference. The ornamental chickens and poultry, part of an aesthetics committee program from the 70s, have been living and thriving in the downtown neighborhoods for decades. The families and members of the Jacksonville Avian Nation have been in the core neighborhoods for decades longer than most. Brightly colored roosters, gorgeously feathered hens. Suddenly subjected to being rounded up and executed. That is until Max Cudd bravely put his cash on the line!

Full story here: Springfield Chicken Run! Cudd Frees Avian Detainees | Metro Jacksonville



To answer your question: I don't know, probably not. Maybe in cages. I know a number of people who do.....just don't tell anyone. By the way, if you're looking for an expert in this kind of thing, contact Amanda @ amanda@IntownJacksonville.com. She'll be happy to give you the low down....

[Robyn55]

Chickens apparently aren't allowed in JAX except in agricultural areas and the like:

Chicken Laws & Ordinances Jacksonville FLORIDA (http://www.backyardchickens.com/laws/display.php?State=FL&City=Jacksonville&actions=sea rch - broken link)

[Robyn55]

Thought I'd bump this thread. Because JAX is experimenting with allowing chickens in single family and similar neighborhoods. And I was at Trad's (a nursery) this past weekend. Where the owner is a "chicken champion" and has installed some in residence. These are all hens - and they made pretty much of a racket during my whole shopping trip (which was mid-day). I don't know if the neighbors can hear them - because Trad's has a pretty big parcel - 5 acres. More what you'd find in a residential rural area than a residential urban area.

Anyway - I didn't mind the chickens during my shopping trip - but wouldn't want them living next door to my house. Robyn

[EricBoyd]

https://www.facebook.com/hensinjax?ref=ts&fref=ts

There's some good history of the push to allow backyard hens in Duval. I support having hens in backyard coops. I'm glad the restrictions don't apply to me, though, since my property is zoned RR.

[mrsspike]

My brother in law lives in an exclusive neighborhood in Fairfax County, VA and he has hens, they are against his C&R, but no one but his close friends know about it. They want the eggs so they keep their mouths shut. They are in a coop in the wooded area of his property and you can't see or hear them. All homes in the area have a minimum acreage of 5 due to the watershed so neighbors aren't close. I always think it's funny because he has this super nice home and property in an amazing community, and there's a chicken coop out back.

I imagine like other things it's a courtesy thing to your neighbor, I would NOT keep them in my current yard because it backs up to a lake, there is no wooded area and we can't have privacy fence, only the open aluminum that looks like iron. It would be totally exposed and anywhere I had them my yard. I don't think that would be courteous to my neighbors to have to look at a coop.

If I lived in a house with a big lot, maybe more wooded area, and I could put them where my neighbors would not have to be inconvenienced I would consider it. I also don't have a composter, although I'd love to have one, for the same reason, I could make one even out of a plastic tub, but everything in my yard now is totally exposed and I don't want my neighbors having to look at a lot of stuff lying around. Next time I buy a house I'll think of these things, you live you learn!

We have a neighbor that has a tiny dog and that thing is left out at all times day and night to bark as loud as the day is long. That thing is worse than any chicken noise wise. As it gets older the bark gets slightly fainter so maybe there is hope.

[fsu813]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Thought I'd bump this thread. Because JAX is exactualmenting with allowing chickens in single family and similar neighborhoods. And I was at Trad's (a nursery) this past weekend. Where the owner is a "chicken champion" and has installed some in residence. These are all hens - and they made pretty much of a racket during my whole shopping trip (which was mid-day). I don't know if the neighbors can hear them - because Trad's has a pretty big parcel - 5 acres. More what you'd find in a residential rural area than a residential urban area.

Anyway - I didn't mind the chickens during my shopping trip - but wouldn't want them living next door to my house. Robyn

The Springfield historic district, I'd wager, has the most density of legal (and illegal) hens in the city.

The original champion of the initiative is a resident, as is, by coincidence, the COJ representive over the pilot program.

I'm very much in touch with all things in-town, and i've never heard an actual legitimate compliant.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by fsu813

...I'm very much in touch with all things in-town, and i've never heard an actual legitimate compliant.

How would you know if a complaint is legitimate without staying at someone's house for a few days? Robyn

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by fsu813

I know a number of people who do.....just don't tell anyone.

I wonder if that's the case here in Fernandina. I hear a rooster crowing maybe once a month from about two blocks away. Doesn't bother me. I lived next door to chickens years ago in Colorado, and got some free eggs out of it, but they didn't have a rooster, and it was a tiny flock. A good-sized flock of hens with a fierce rooster next door might be a different story (and smell) but there is very little room for that in my high density neighborhood.

It's illegal within the city limits but if they have not already done so, I think they'll be giving out permits for people in Nassau County, even Fernandina.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, maintain, pasture, or permit to run at large, within the corporate limits of the city, any horses, cattle, mules, goats, steers, bulls, swine, sheep, poultry, or other livestock of any kind or nature whatsoever for any purpose whatsoever; however, this shall not apply to any person who has applied in writing for and received a permit in writing therefor from the city manager.

I've been getting really good eggs from the farmer's market. If someone else wants to have chickens and sell me the eggs, I'm all for being a bit looser with regulations.