McChook Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Hi everyone I was talking to a lady today and mentioned I was about to start keeping chickens. She asked me if I have my licence ready? This is the first I've ever heard about needing a license to keep chickens - do I really need one? Is there such a thing? If I do need one, where can I get it? Advice needed please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 no you don't think shes probably ust being a busybody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I have no licence either and have never heard of it for domestic chickens dont worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I understand if you have 250 chickens or more than you have to have a license! So you should be OK with your 3! We have 15 and no license Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 she's talking thru her derriere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McChook Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Thanks everyone - newbie nerves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 she's talking thru her derriere I must admit that had me in a chuckle... choked on my drink here... No licence is needed... You are thinking of keeping them as pets, not as an international commercial venture, so nothing to worry about... this lady might have been dramatising, or might really have thought you need a licence... No one here has one, and from my understanding most city councils allow people to keep up to 6 hens without problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsm_jones Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Know what you mean McChook. I flinch every time my chickens go "cluck" in case my neighbour complains! We have a few neighbours, most of whom never even knew we had a dog, but one complained (elderly "gent"), due to a lack of things to do probably! They at at the opposite end of the garden, but I still worry the council might be round! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Anything over 49 and you're supposed to register with DEFRA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 There are rules about large flocks ... not the size that you can get in an Eglu or Cube, though! The only likely restrictions would be attached to your house, either through covenants on the title from when it was first built, or on any lease or tenancy agreement. The Council will usually only get involved if there is a complaint about noise or environmental health - otherwise they are not interested. Even then, it usually turns out to be a storm in a tea-cup - unless you have cockerels, even a very noisy chicken isn't likely to be loud enough to break any rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Talking through her hat. If you are a tenant though, you might need your landlords permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 As long as you live in Birmingham UK and not Birmingham Alabama, you are OK. But things are different in some states in the USA: you do need to have a licence there, even for a couple of pet chickens, and Omlet have a page about it. But in the UK, do check your deeds if you live in a private house or with your landlord if you don't: they can scupper your hopes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylay30 Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 I was asked the same question by a friend as they had to aply for one to keep chickens. I'm not sure how many he was getting but he has a small holding so it could also be something to do with that and selling the eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Small holdings usually have to register if they keep any livestock, they get some agricultural number. I think what constitutes a smallholding legally has more to do with planning consents; and secondly is related to running as a business/trading from the premises. Separate from keeping a few chickens in a domestic back garden and selling some eggs over the garden gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 I had the same thing from a friend who told me I had to ask the local council for permission to keep chickens. Apparently someone she knew had to get rid of theirs when the neighbours complained about the noise and the smell. I ignored it but did cause a couple of sleepless nights worrying whether I was doing the right thing so understand your worries. Unfortunately chickens seem to polarise people - they either think it's brilliant and love them or they think it's disgusting (and it's not obvious who falls into which camp! The two people I thought would disapprove think it's a brilliant idea) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 and Honestly, people!! When I think of the amount of places I've lived in where dogs have been a problem... People love to give you bad news don't they? Bah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McChook Posted April 18, 2008 Author Share Posted April 18, 2008 Thanks everyone for your advice! What great people you all are - I'm very glad I joined the forum!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trixabell Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 I hate it when people do that and get you all worried unnessacarily!! Its like when people go on about dog licences, i know not of one person who has a dog licence because its an old fashioned idea no!! Chook Licence PAH!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hennymom Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 we have 6 hens in our garden and warned all our neighbours bar 1 we don;t see eye to eye with...she lives next door, and she's a complete moo.... she blocked us in our drive all day the day she moved in and flatly refused to move even when my little girl did not come home from school..I was frantic with worry, but would she move?????no chance, then one day I came home and found she had cut a big hole into my hedge in the garden, so she could "get some cuttings" off of my plants, then to top it all off, I came home to find half a dozen builders tramping through my back garden with wheel barrows and cement mixers and using my outdoor water tap, because "I DONT WANT THEM TRAMPING THROUGH MY HOUSE IN MUDDY BOOTS" WAS WHAT SHE SAID SO....needless to say we have ripped the rest of the hedging out, it's no use with gaping holes in it is it guys????? and replaced it with 4foot walls and 6 feet high panels...... NOW GET IN OUR GARDEN "Ooops, word censored!"!!!!!!!!!!! anyways she has never spoken to me since and I have happily lived in peace since that day..., right back to the subject, we have not told her we are hoping she will report us so we can have a good laugh when she is told to *** off!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 we have 6 hens in our garden and warned all our neighbours bar 1 we don;t see eye to eye with...she lives next door, and she's a complete moo.... she blocked us in our drive all day the day she moved in and flatly refused to move even when my little girl did not come home from school..I was frantic with worry, but would she move?????no chance, then one day I came home and found she had cut a big hole into my hedge in the garden, so she could "get some cuttings" off of my plants, then to top it all off, I came home to find half a dozen builders tramping through my back garden with wheel barrows and cement mixers and using my outdoor water tap, because "I DONT WANT THEM TRAMPING THROUGH MY HOUSE IN MUDDY BOOTS" WAS WHAT SHE SAID SO....needless to say we have ripped the rest of the hedging out, it's no use with gaping holes in it is it guys????? and replaced it with 4foot walls and 6 feet high panels...... NOW GET IN OUR GARDEN "Ooops, word censored!"!!!!!!!!!!! anyways she has never spoken to me since and I have happily lived in peace since that day..., right back to the subject, we have not told her we are hoping she will report us so we can have a good laugh when she is told to *** off!! What an awful women! Here Here to not telling her you are getting chickens. I'm so glad we have nice neighbours, but god bless you with yours! Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 we have 6 hens in our garden and warned all our neighbours bar 1 we don;t see eye to eye with...she lives next door, and she's a complete moo.... she blocked us in our drive all day the day she moved in and flatly refused to move even when my little girl did not come home from school..I was frantic with worry, but would she move?????no chance, then one day I came home and found she had cut a big hole into my hedge in the garden, so she could "get some cuttings" off of my plants, then to top it all off, I came home to find half a dozen builders tramping through my back garden with wheel barrows and cement mixers and using my outdoor water tap, because "I DONT WANT THEM TRAMPING THROUGH MY HOUSE IN MUDDY BOOTS" WAS WHAT SHE SAID SO....needless to say we have ripped the rest of the hedging out, it's no use with gaping holes in it is it guys????? and replaced it with 4foot walls and 6 feet high panels...... NOW GET IN OUR GARDEN "Ooops, word censored!"!!!!!!!!!!! anyways she has never spoken to me since and I have happily lived in peace since that day..., right back to the subject, we have not told her we are hoping she will report us so we can have a good laugh when she is told to *** off!! What an awful woman.Are you sure you really want chooks-a herd of Fresian cows meandering in your garden would wind her up better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 What a nightmare neighbour . I hope you're planning to place your chickens' run as close to her garden as you can. And make sure you leave the eglu door open so they wake her up at 4am . (You can wear earplugs .) I would suggest chucking chicken poo over the fence but it might help her plants grow so don't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 yes she is talking a load of rubbish, you only need a licence if you have over 250 hens or if you have a cockeral Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 But I reiterate: you MUST check your deeds. She sounds the sort of woman that won't waste any time enforcing the deeds if she can, so you will have to take them seriously, I am afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strepsy Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 I spoke to a guy yesterday who was doing some gardening nextdoor-but-one, he spotted the chooks and said how lovely and healthy they looked. He said that he has 6 as that's the most that you're allowed? Doesn't really matter either way for me with 3 but it all sounds very confusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...