Single hen

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/puffbox/hyperpuff/audiovideo/england/tyne/7927391.stm

[SAB]

It is insane isn't it - makes me ! You don't need any sort of livestock licence when keeping chickens so why do some housing associations class them as livestock? I wonder if pigeons would be a problems - seems like some belief that chickens are farm animals only. I would have thought the couple's neighbours would have had more issues about their bee-keeping. What is the world coming to when an elderly couple face eviction for self-sufficiency!

[Bantambabe]

Why can't they let people live in peace? as usual some coward has shopped them to the authorities and not had the guts to speak to them directly about their concerns.

Perhaps in this time of economic downturn, councils should be having agreements that say "no more than ..... hens (and no cockerells)" so that they prevent small farms but enable poeple who want to be a bit more self sufficient.

What's the betting that 10 doors away there's someone with 57 cats or dogs all living in one room but the council wouldn't worry about that cos they're normal pets.

[kitchens]

 

Have people got nothing better to do than snitch on others?

[Tiggy]

some people are just ignorant

[susanbb]

How silly. what harm are they doing

[Guest]

what does everyone think if we all put our comments about this under this thread or a new one and then I will e-mail Gateshead Housing Company giving them the link to the thread and to enquire why these people are facing eviction and just exactly what the issue is?

 

I'd also copy in their MP...

 

Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, said he could see both points of view. But he added: "Evicting someone over this would seem over the top though, and I hope a more sensible solution can be reached."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4943229/Good-life-pensioners-threatened-with-eviction-over-two-chickens.html

 

These people need support. Chicken lovers unite!

[SAB]

It would be good to do something Poet. Is there any way we can point to legislation on chicken keeping and highlight it is different from what would be classed as livestock? What about a petition underneath that folk can sign and maybe contact other forums to join in? Just some ideas.

[Guest]

I've got to dash off to take Fatima for her check-up shortly I'll try and sort something out when I get back.

[mostin]

This is terrible , two hens and no cockerels in one good sized garden. What is the problem? You are right Bantambabe, there will be houses nearby with far more cats and dogs in them, than they should humanely or safely house, but the tenents there won't be evicted because they are "normal" pets.

 

These 2 chickens are not livestock, they are the pets of an elderly couple, who we all should be applauding for being healthy and mobile enough to be able to grow their own veg and care for bees and hens .

[Dodge]

Well said Mostin, you hit the nail right on the head.

 

It's dreadful that these 2 OAP's can't enjoy their twilight years together keeping a couple of chickens.

 

Also well done to Poet for getting the ball rolling on taking some action.

 

I would like to suggest that our forum takes ownership of this issue and between us I am sure we can go to town on this tin pot Gateshead Housing Company.

 

We can kick up such a stink that they won't know what hit them.

 

I am going to research this and start firing off some nasty e-mails to the people responsible for this ridicules decision.

 

Regards

 

Dodge

[Olly]

I think this is very sad for the couple concerned, but the tenancy agreement (apparently) clearly states 'no chickens'. Whether or not neighbours complain, if they're in breach of the tenancy agreement then that's a fact. They took the tenancy on with knowledge of the condition.

 

Afraid that it will be a waste of time lobbying Gateshead Housing Authority or anyone else about this.

[Barkisland]

Shame on the spineless wimps who snitched on this unfortunate couple!

I agree with Poet, there sems to be no good reason for disallowing the keeping of just a couple of pet chickens - especially as there is no question of a noisy cockerel - surely their tenancy agreement could be reviewed and amended. I will keep my fingers crossed for a positive outcome for them.

[Egluntyne]

Whilst I can see that as the tenancy agreement states 'no livestock' and therefore, strictly speaking, they are in breach of it, it does seem a bit mean spirited when as has been pointed out, there will possibly be someone with half a dozen cats in another of the houses.

 

I think it would make more sense to contact authority concerned individually than en masse.

 

It will be more of an irritant for them to have to deal with a couple of hundred individual emails than to respond to one from that same number of people collectively.

[Tiggy]

so many people keep chickens in gardens now, its no different to keeping a dog - who probrably makes more mess and noise, these old folks have suvived a world war and chicken keeping was a necessity then. At this time of ecconomic crisis why is this couple being threatened with eviction for trying to be self sufficient - its mad!!!!!!

[Ana's flock]

Count me in to support this couple. It's really silly. Hens are much less trouble than many pets, give us eggs and even their 'poo' can be used on plants as a fertiliser... try that with cat or dog 'manure' !

[Yorkshire Pudding]

A friend has just signed a contract that states 'only normal pets' allowed.

 

He believes chickens to be perfectly normal pets, and he will be getting some ASAP!

[Guest]

....

I think it would make more sense to contact authority concerned individually than en masse.

 

It will be more of an irritant for them to have to deal with a couple of hundred individual emails than to respond to one from that same number of people collectively.

 

 

good point.

 

here's the mail addresses for the people concerned;

 

housing assoc enquiries@gatesheadhousing.co.uk

the couple's MP, Dave Anderson http://www.daveanderson.org.uk/

 

andersonda@parliament.uk

 

 

I'll be drafting something later to send to both. Oh, and I think I'll let their local paper know too, when I find out who they are

 

If anyone else sends them an e-mail could you just let us know here, so we know how many people are in support?

[Valkyrie]

I remember last year that the Times or the Sunday Times had an article on chickens and mentioned that chickens were pets.

[Saronne]

tenancy agreement, or not, it's a little pedantic to insist this elderly couple get rid of two pet hens who provide them with food during a time of economic hardship for many. I have written to Gateshead Housing Association (link on Poet's previous message) expressing my outrage. and hope others will write, too.

 

Hen keepers, UNITE!!

 

Saronne x

[Guest]

nice one Saronne, don't forget to copy their MP in too

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I've just sent an email to the Housing Association and one to their MP too.

[Guest]

I think the local newspaper is The Evening Chronicle http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/send-a-story/

 

so I'll drop them a line to see if they're interested in what we're doing.

[Janty]

I will put some letters together tonight.

 

Whilst I understand that they are clearly in breach of their tennancy agreement and understand how annoying that can be for the landlord, I think that in this case, the tennancy agreement is ridiculous. Hubby says that if any of our neighbours ever objected to the chickens to the point of having to rehome them, he would buy a rottweiler and buy a garden house for it. Then the neighbours could deal with the barking day and night.

 

I will also put an e-mail together to the local paper which seems to be the Chronicle Extra (let me know if that's not right).

 

http://www.mediauk.com/newspapers/13748/chronicle-extra-gateshead

[Janty]

Oops...cross posted Poet.

 

 

At least I've got the right paper.