Keeping backyard fowl in Rockingham, NC

[Rosekitten]

I have looked over the laws or ordinance for the town.. but I can't make heads nor tails. I was told to contact animal control and they may know. But thus far no phone calls back and no ones replied to my email. I just wanted to find out if I could keep a handful of ducks in my fenced in backyard so long as I got flightless or kept the wings clipped to keep them in the yard any time they were free roaming.

I've never had to look into this sort of thing before as I've always lived in the country. But I know backyard fowl are more popular and I hope I can at least keep a small group. <3

 

[Rosekitten]

So tried emailing and calling the city hall and both the phone number and email listed on their official site seems to be inactive. Called the dispatch for animal control and was told to go see city hall in person to get the ordinance papers. I have read and re-read those papers as they are online.. I can't make heads nor tails if they allow fowls or not in the city limits in a contained backyard.

I never dreamed this was going to be a difficult thing to find out if I can have a backyard contained flock of maybe a handful of chickens or ducks.. T_T

 

[rosemarythyme]

Post a link to your ordinances online, anything that has to do with animals, livestock, poultry, fowl.

 

[Rosekitten]

I can attempt. It's near the very bottom for the city itself. It just says no keeping hogs?
http://gorockingham.com/forms/Title IX - General Regulations, Chapters 90-95.pdf

and the county one is this one..
starting on chapter 4 about animals
http://www.richmondnc.com/DocumentCenter/View/126/Code-of-Ordinances-PDF

between the two I can't find much past making sure you keep all animals healthy and contained and not in other people's yards or city property.. an making sure you aren't keeping wildlife or exotic animals on your property.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yeah this is tough... doesn't look like they address poultry or fowl at all, other than you can't have them running at large, which isn't the same as you can have them (or that you can't have them).

I think you took the right approach trying to get an official answer but you're probably going to get different answers depending on who you talk to. Someone in one department might say no, someone else might say yes. But I'd try to get some sort of official response, just to have some basis of where to start. Might want to see if you can get someone from zoning to respond? https://gorockingham.net/planning-&-inspections

 

[Rosekitten]

I'll try there, I was told to contact animal control but the dispatch guy there didn't seem to have an answer and told me to go to city hall to get the ordinance.. but I read both of them already up and down and can't find a clear answer. They don't really address livestock at all in either.

I was suggested in a backyard chicken group to try to contact the local police office to see if maybe they have answers. It's how they got theirs when city hall was taking forever. I did TRY to call city hall and email them to ask as I'm not in a rush... but both the email and phone appear to be out of service....? I was really confused by that.

At this point I'm going to have to find someone in person just to get an answer. I didn't want to risk putting all of the funds, time and care into setting up everything for ducks or chickens just to be told I can't have them a month later if a neighbor reported something for whatever reason.

This has turned into quiet the adventure to find this answer haha.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have a friend that works for a city zoning dept, that's why I suggested bothering them, as they're supposed to know what's allowed and what's not allowed within their city.

Best of luck getting responses, I wouldn't be surprised if the city was running with minimal staff or minimal hours right now.

 

[Rosekitten]

Yeah the one line I got through told me that they had reduced staff. Not in a hurry to get the answer as we aren't even moved in. But I like to plan projects ahead of time so.

If I ever get an answer I can share it here to maybe help anyone else in this area haha.

 

[Rosekitten]

Well I finally got an answer.. You cannot have poultry within the city limits of Rockingham, NC. Really sad as where my address is .. it's a street over from the boarder of the city.

Anyone think or know if it would be worth my time to try to look further into forms like keeping forbidden animals in city limits or trying to get the laws/ordinance changed? It's a shame to think with the size of the yards in my area that even a flock of 3-5 isn't allowed for enrichment and teaching purposes.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You could try to get the ordinance overturned. It may take some time, and a lot of campaigning, but some folks have managed it. Generally you'd want to approach the city council with a plan - maybe look into other cities of similar size/ within the county that do allow poultry, and see what restrictions they have so you have a basis of argument.