Seattle Rooster ban help

[Marleeschicks]

Hi guys!
I am trying to get more information, insights and experience on this rooster ban.
First of all I have seen many threads of successful lifting, despite it being a long process. So it gives me only a teeny bit of hope for the future (however far off it may be).
Has anyone owned a rooster in the area and gotten a complaint? How was it handled? What was the process and did u end up having to rehome?
I have done a lot of research on roosters and have come to my own strong opinion on how unethical rooster bans are. Especially given the huge uptick in backyard chickens within the last year — leaving thousands of roosters to be dumped, abandoned, or even killed,
It is incredibly difficult to rehome roosters here given how many are in need of a home. I believe roosters should be handled case by case on a noise complaint basis. having no legal rights to my own animal is absurd.
Does anyone see any hope in Seattle changing this ban in the future? I have no experience dealing with city ordinance or city counsel so I really don’t know where to start or what to expect.

 

[BobStuart]

In a residential area it is illegal. I find it garbage as I myself live in one. I am raising chickens who are 3 months old and there are two roosters. I will have to dump them at my old house which I still own. Now I believe it should be legal. Honestly kids are louder than a rooster crowing. Why not make kids illegal.

 

[Nym]

Is a code a law?
Legislation. Rule. Mandate. Must. Comply. etc are not Laws / ACTS. they are words that scare (most) people, nothing more.

I had a roo that attacked me before xmas. His breeder collected him the week of xmas. Last week I received a letter from City Council, and I quote:

Dear Sir / Madam

Council has receieved a complaint concerning an alleged noise nuisance arising from a rooster being kept at the above property.

As noise from crowing roosters has the potential to cause a significant impact on the amenity of adjoining properties, roosters are not permitted to be kept on premises within the Wollongong local government area.

In view of the above, your co-operation is requested in having the rooster removed from your property within 14 days of the date of this letter (10th January). Complying with this request will avoid the need for further action by Council.

Your concideration of the situation for the benefit of all concerned is appreciated.

For more information or to discuss the matter further, please call Council's Regulation and Enforcement Division.

This letter is authorised by Regulation & Enforcement Division.

Ok, so let's break this down.

alleged noise nuisance = hearsay. Council has no evidence of this alleged noise. They have not sent anyone out to investigate said noise. And it will be months before they do!

Removal of the roo is at my co-operation / concideration - I politely decline.

Also, the letter holds no ink signature = they / the corporate body known as Council and its Divisions are relying on me to be afraid of further action. But if this went further, Council would expect me to put all my appeals in writing. If they had a Law / ACT to keep me from owning a rooster, wouldn't they simply act on that?

If I still had roo I would have ignored their requests. It would have come down to them having got the right to enter my property with cage in hand, catch the roo and remove him. This will take years! At least in my area.

 

[barbiedreamcoop]

Hi guys!
I am trying to get more information, insights and experience on this rooster ban.
First of all I have seen many threads of successful lifting, despite it being a long process. So it gives me only a teeny bit of hope for the future (however far off it may be).
Has anyone owned a rooster in the area and gotten a complaint? How was it handled? What was the process and did u end up having to rehome?
I have done a lot of research on roosters and have come to my own strong opinion on how unethical rooster bans are. Especially given the huge uptick in backyard chickens within the last year — leaving thousands of roosters to be dumped, abandoned, or even killed,
It is incredibly difficult to rehome roosters here given how many are in need of a home. I believe roosters should be handled case by case on a noise complaint basis. having no legal rights to my own animal is absurd.
Does anyone see any hope in Seattle changing this ban in the future? I have no experience dealing with city ordinance or city counsel so I really don’t know where to start or what to expect.

Hi there,

I in the Washington area and am just now hearing about this? Can you please explain further as to why this is happening? Is it based on the possible noise alone ? Or is there more to it? And why? I understand it’s not what everyone wants to hear but it’s your pet? It’s your livestock? Can they do this? Completely throw out all roosters? With no where to go? Or realllly expect people in Seattle to listen? I mean that in the best possible way! idk I’m just sad hearing about this and hope it doesn’t come my way.

 

[BobStuart]

Hi there,

I in the Washington area and am just now hearing about this? Can you please explain further as to why this is happening? Is it based on the possible noise alone ? Or is there more to it? And why? I understand it’s not what everyone wants to hear but it’s your pet? It’s your livestock? Can they do this? Completely throw out all roosters? With no where to go? Or realllly expect people in Seattle to listen? I mean that in the best possible way! idk I’m just sad hearing about this and hope it doesn’t come my way.

Hi, welcome to BYC!

 

[Penpal]

Some roosters can be very aggressive, even to people. Some roosters are crowing at 3:00 every morning. People don't like this. I know this because I used to have Rhode Island Reds and I was woke every morning at 3:00 a.m.

What you might want to do is go to your city council and ask if roosters of certain breeds can be kept. My Brahma rooster is very docile and you can barely hear him crow when you are two feet from him.

This won't help you with a straight run of chicks, but if you can allow yourself to butcher the roosters when they reach the age of crowing, that would keep you legal. There may also be someone who would take the young roosters and finish them for meat.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Does anyone see any hope in Seattle changing this ban in the future?

I would think it's unlikely given that most of the houses are only a few feet from one another. Then again, it's not like hens can't get loud as well.

If you can get out of the city the restrictions loosen immensely. I remember looking at a housing development in Bothell and we could hear multiple competing rooster crows while we were touring the model home.

 

[Marleeschicks]

Hi there,

I in the Washington area and am just now hearing about this? Can you please explain further as to why this is happening? Is it based on the possible noise alone ? Or is there more to it? And why? I understand it’s not what everyone wants to hear but it’s your pet? It’s your livestock? Can they do this? Completely throw out all roosters? With no where to go? Or realllly expect people in Seattle to listen? I mean that in the best possible way! idk I’m just sad hearing about this and hope it doesn’t come my way.

Is a code a law?
Legislation. Rule. Mandate. Must. Comply. etc are not Laws / ACTS. they are words that scare (most) people, nothing more.

I had a roo that attacked me before xmas. His breeder collected him the week of xmas. Last week I received a letter from City Council, and I quote:

Dear Sir / Madam

Council has receieved a complaint concerning an alleged noise nuisance arising from a rooster being kept at the above property.

As noise from crowing roosters has the potential to cause a significant impact on the amenity of adjoining properties, roosters are not permitted to be kept on premises within the Wollongong local government area.

In view of the above, your co-operation is requested in having the rooster removed from your property within 14 days of the date of this letter (10th January). Complying with this request will avoid the need for further action by Council.

Your concideration of the situation for the benefit of all concerned is appreciated.

For more information or to discuss the matter further, please call Council's Regulation and Enforcement Division.

This letter is authorised by Regulation & Enforcement Division.

Ok, so let's break this down.

alleged noise nuisance = hearsay. Council has no evidence of this alleged noise. They have not sent anyone out to investigate said noise. And it will be months before they do!

Removal of the roo is at my co-operation / concideration - I politely decline.

Also, the letter holds no ink signature = they / the corporate body known as Council and its Divisions are relying on me to be afraid of further action. But if this went further, Council would expect me to put all my appeals in writing. If they had a Law / ACT to keep me from owning a rooster, wouldn't they simply act on that?

If I still had roo I would have ignored their requests. It would have come down to them having got the right to enter my property with cage in hand, catch the roo and remove him. This will take years! At least in my area.

We received a kindly written letter from the neighbor in regards to the noise, but no official letter from the city yet. My bf said an inspector came by and let us know about the noise complaint and if we can work it out with the neighbor (which I am going to write them .. though they did not put their address and kept anonymous.. lol but I have my guesses it’s the house closest to us). but we don’t have any official city complaint lettter as of yet.
That said, from what I have read it says we can face fines for noncompliance

 

[Marleeschicks]

Hi there,

I in the Washington area and am just now hearing about this? Can you please explain further as to why this is happening? Is it based on the possible noise alone ? Or is there more to it? And why? I understand it’s not what everyone wants to hear but it’s your pet? It’s your livestock? Can they do this? Completely throw out all roosters? With no where to go? Or realllly expect people in Seattle to listen? I mean that in the best possible way! idk I’m just sad hearing about this and hope it doesn’t come my way.

Oh yea it’s garbage. Very unethical in my opinion especially given how many roosters are being left abandoned or killed because of it. Roosters are very difficult to rehome (I’m a part of a local rooster rehome Facebook page). I also had to rehome some of my other young boys and it took months. That said I’m incredibly attached to my current boy and he is really not a “bad” crower. He doesn’t even crow crack of dawn— usually only between 10-11 am. Then occasionally if he hears something threatening nearby.
That said even rescues don’t have space for them here. It’s very sad so many sweet and well behaved boys being killed over this

 

[Marleeschicks]

I would think it's unlikely given that most of the houses are only a few feet from one another. Then again, it's not like hens can't get loud as well.

If you can get out of the city the restrictions loosen immensely. I remember looking at a housing development in Bothell and we could hear multiple competing rooster crows while we were touring the model home.

In the plan! Unfortunately unlikely within the year though