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This all sounds very promising. I should be moving to a new house soon (in the midst of purchasing) and for the first time ever I shall have a garden. I plan to get 4-6 chooks but have been worried about the deeds forbiding this. I wrote to the local environmental health department to ask if there were any bye-laws regulating / forbiding this and they replied:

 

"There are no laws as such, however, you are only allowed to keep a small number of chickens and you should keep them away from your neighbour’s property and inform them that you will be keeping them in your garden."

 

I note it says inform them, not ask them!

 

So I am all set once I move to get my birds.

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I live in a small town with a small garden I am wanting to get an eglu and 4 chickens I know that I wont have any probs with one informing one neighbour I will be having them, just the other side complained to council about my puppy was barking, council didn't have a problem. when i tried to knock on their door to discuss she wouldn't answer, i'm up for the challenge if she complains.

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I live in a small town with a small garden I am wanting to get an eglu and 4 chickens I know that I wont have any probs with one informing one neighbour I will be having them, just the other side complained to council about my puppy was barking, council didn't have a problem. when i tried to knock on their door to discuss she wouldn't answer, i'm up for the challenge if she complains.

 

I would check your deeds and get all your facts together so that if your neighbour does complain, she doesn't have a leg to stand on. Good luck :wink:

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The deeds are irrelevent if it is your own property. The Allotment Act 1950 overrides any deeds and it clearly states that anyone can keep chickens on an allotment. Luclily the Allotment Act 1923 states that an allotment by definition includes any private garden less that 5 acres!

 

So go get your chickens and enjoy. If your neighbour objects there is little she can do but complain to the council who will do nothing as long as you are keeping your hens in good condition and not causing an envirnomental nuisance.

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This subject comes up again and again. Wouldn't it be a good idea if Omlet paid for proper legal advice and put it on their website?

 

As long as you don't have a cockerel and keep the numbers down (fifty sounds a lot to me: I wouldn't be too thrilled myself at having that many next door!) you will get away with it. And make sure any rat problem is nipped in the bud.

 

Even if you have a restrictive covenant which your neighbours have the power to enforce, they are unlikely to try: going to law is so expensive, and this is a very grey area.

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Been a while since I posted here, some very interesting reading on the Allotment Act. I agree with Gallina it would be great if Omlet could get some legal advice on this, I'm sure if more peoples minds were put at rest over this more Eglus would be sold.

 

The world has gone chook mad since I last visited - chickens in the local garden centre and now a brand new Eglu!

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I ran an idea past my neighbours the other day about the positioning of my WIR (that was news to them but they are aware that I have chickens already); they weren't happy about the spot so I said "fine, I'll go back to the drawing board" Pretty amiable I think!

Yesterday they went past & gave us the cold shoulder so I know they have a bee in their bonnets about it all...they moaned a couple of years ago when a tree in my other neighbours garden was taken down as it gave shade to their flowers :roll: They're the sort who read everything they see in the Daily Mail & ring the council about every petty little gripe....

I don't want to get into a row with them as I'm hoping to move house at some point & would then have to declare it for the buyers... :wall:

I'm just hoping they will shut up when they see how pretty I make it! :pray:

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I am so glad the legislation re variations was posted on here. I have just moved to a house and when we bought it the deeds specifically say no poultry. As the legislation counteracts this I am so happy and feel really content about our decision to get some more chickens regardless. I guess it does help when one if the neighbours has 4 anyway :) so happy I can get some more girls. I never thought I could!

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Just to put my spoke in the wheel, we have had a problem with our council who claim that the Town & Country planning act over rides the allotments act. Our case was not as straightforward as a back garden (although IMO it should have been).

 

When you consider many people have rusting cars dumped on driveways, teenagers playing music at all hours and kids kicking footballs into fences to mention just a few things I find anyone objecting to chickens pathetic.

 

I couldn't possibly repeat my thoughts about the council.

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