Does my council allow backyard chickens?

If you're thinking of getting backyard chickens, it's likely that you have considered if your local council has any restrictions on keeping a small flock of chickens. Any regulations enforced by your council are created to keep all residents happy, so the neighbourly thing to do would be to check that these rules are that you need to adhere to.

How many chickens can I keep?

Councils vary in terms of the number of chickens that are allowed in the standard suburban backyard. Most Councils are happy with 6 or fewer chickens, with a permit required for a greater number. For most families, around six chickens are adequate in terms of their egg production, producing around 3 dozen eggs per week. Some Councils such as the Brisbane City Council, allow a greater number of chickens if you have a larger backyard. In this instance, if your property is less than 800m2, you can keep a maximum of 6 chickens, compared with up to 20 chickens if your property is greater than 800m2. There are some Councils such as the Logan City Council, which do not allow chickens to be kept on properties with an area of less than 600m2. Interestingly it seems that each council has their own rules that will vary to some degree with some allowing slightly more or slightly fewer chickens on different sized parcels of land. If you're planning on getting some chickens, a quick call to your local council is a good idea so you're sure to be keeping within their suggested guidelines.

Are roosters allowed?

Another very common rule is that there are to be no roosters. As roosters are not necessary in making eggs (you'd be surprised that many people think they are necessary to produce eggs) and often cause a disturbance to the neighbours, most councils ban roosters from the suburban backyard. If you live in a more rural area with your closest neighbours some distance away, a rooster may be allowed if it's unlikely to cause a disturbance. In this instance, I would suggest that you call your local council or have a look at their website to see if roosters are permitted. Some allow roosters as long as the neighbours don't complain about the crowing.

Placement and type of Chicken House

One of the key concerns of local councils is to make sure backyard chickens do not become a problem to your neighbours. One of the problems can be the smell that comes from fixed chicken houses. Unlike mobile chicken coops, which can be moved around to different areas of the backyard, those coops that are fixed in one area often result a build up of chicken manure. As such, councils often have some quite specific specifications on the placement of a fixed chicken coop in terms of the distance it is placed to neighbouring fences. An easy way to avoid this restriction in your backyard, it to purchase or make a mobile coop. Mobile coops allow chickens to work their manure into the soil, making it perfect for your next vegetable patch and minimizes any odour that would otherwise result.

Keeping away mice

It's unlikely your neighbours will appreciate mice or rats creeping into their backyard due to poorly stored chicken feed in your backyard. Councils therefore strongly encourage owners of backyard chickens to make sure that their chicken feed is stored appropriately so as to not attract rats or mice. Unlike other animals, chickens cannot overeat. Therefore there is no need to give them breakfast, lunch and dinner but rather serve their feed in a self-feeder that they can access throughout the day. Scattering food on the ground attracts rodents and wild birds. Obtaining a good feeder and storage container for your feed is important.

Doing the 'right' thing by your council and your neighbours is important when keeping chickens. You would be surprised by the number of people who are not even aware their neighbours have chickens, as they store their feed securely, they keep a suitable number of chickens, and there is no odour or noise (apart from the gentle clucking) coming from their backyard.

If you're looking for a mobile chicken coop that is durable, cost effective and looks terrific, check out the range of coops made by the Australian business 'Royal Rooster'