Help! Don't want to re-home the girls.

[Suzanne Aubin]

Help! I live in Eastpointe MI. I think I may have jumped the gun. They recently legalized backyard chicken here in Eastpointe. However, the hoops the city is making you jump through are huge.
1. All adjoining property owners must sign off that it is ok
2. Coop plans must be approved before a license can be paid for.
3. Only 3 chickens are aloud
4. Coop must be inspected by animal control within in 30 days of licensing or license will be revoked.
And there is more.

The law that was on the books up until recently was u could have live chickens if you were an educational institution or a research institution and/or where using the chickens for educational purposes or research purposes and/or the chickens are available for public viewing. The wording is very strange.

I knew the changes where in the works. So I went and bought some chicks with the hope of being grandfathered in under the old rules. The licensing paper work and permit where not available until the first of June. I have had chickens on the property since April.

I really don't want to get rid of my nine chickens. I have a 16 year old daughter. Who has learned a lot about chickens. She is not being home schooled. The neighbor kids love coming and seeing the chickens they have learned a lot. Even my adult neighbors tell me how much they have learned. In addition one of the chickens is blind or nearly blind.

At this point, I don't think the city has discovered my hidden treasure.

Help don't want to re-home my chickens.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would just keep my mouth shut and the neighbors in eggs. Good luck

Gary

 

[Suzanne Aubin]

I would just keep my mouth shut and the neighbors in eggs. Good luck

Gary

At this point that is the plan.
Thanks

 

[tigger19687]

Shhh, just pretend you didn't hear anything.
What is the saying ?
"better to ask for forgiveness then ask for permission?"

 

[The Moonshiner]

I think at this point all you can do is get to jumping through their hoops or ride it out till you get caught and play dumb and see what your options are then.
You won't get grandfathered in . neighborhood kids learning about chickens isn't what they meant.
As for keeping the neighbors in eggs. I've never liked that idea. You start handing out eggs that's people that will know about your illegal birds. Never know who else they might mention it to or when someone may get mad at you in the future and tell on you.
If I was hiding chickens I wouldn't advertise it to anyone for any reason which includes sharing eggs.

 

[Suzanne Aubin]

Thanks for the advice. We will just have to ride it out.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I think at this point all you can do is get to jumping through their hoops or ride it out till you get caught and play dumb and see what your options are then.
You won't get grandfathered in . neighborhood kids learning about chickens isn't what they meant.
As for keeping the neighbors in eggs. I've never liked that idea. You start handing out eggs that's people that will know about your illegal birds. Never know who else they might mention it to or when someone may get mad at you in the future and tell on you.
If I was hiding chickens I wouldn't advertise it to anyone for any reason which includes sharing eggs.

He has a point...

Hmmm...

 

[Suzanne Aubin]

Well the city found the coop, I guess I'll start jumping through those hoops. I had hoped that it would take them longer to find it. But, my little city is on a chicken hunt. Thanks for all the advice. If any one knows an attorney in Michigan that likes to fight cities on behalf of property owners rights. Please send me their name.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Well the city found the coop, I guess I'll start jumping through those hoops. I had hoped that it would take them longer to find it. But, my little city is on a chicken hunt. Thanks for all the advice. If any one knows an attorney in Michigan that likes to fight cities on behalf of property owners rights. Please send me their name.

Wow, sorry.

What are they telling you? Did they count your birds? They cannot just walk in to your back yard...

Good luck

Gary

 

[Suzanne Aubin]

Code Enforcement saw the coop from the street. I lied and told her it was a shed. A friend checked and apparently they discovered it yesterday and are sending me a letter saying, I need a permit for chickens.