Selfsufficientish.com

Bit of a random one but as someone who is not a home owner I have to overcome various difficulties with trying to gain an ish lifestyle but there are ways round - eg have an allotment, forage and catch a bit of extra food and start getting imaginative with storage space.

One thing I am stumped on is keeping chickens on leased properties.. I have a lovely big garden (big waste of space as its all grass and conifers) which could easily sustain a few chickens without them scratching the place up too much (Will just keep shifting the run).

My landlord is bending to the idea.. He is a good egg (sorry..) really and doesnt have too many reservations, the primary ones being complaints from neighbours and whether it is actually allowed in the area. The council were worse than useless "Um.. I don't think so.." (unable to cite legislation as to why).

Anyone been in this situation and know anything about it? If I'm honest my neighbours dont like me anyway (I don't pay for a gardener twice a week so they constantly complain about my untidy (swept and mown ones a week) garden) so asking them if they would mind is likely to have a very rude and unwanted response (last time I give them a home made christmas hamper!).

Any ideas or suggestions welcome (though would rather not move.. lovely house that is filled with home grown/made produce which would be a real arse to move now!)

Cheers

Gem

ditto to the rented house = confusion and difficulty malarky but unless your landlord has a clause in the tenancy agreement about said birds ( or the council can quote the bylaw against them) i think it should be ok, just dont get a cockerel that would p**s off next door
hope you get some

Haha glad to know I am not the only one in the boat.

Obviously I would get a batch of ex bat but would love a pet silkie or pekin too.. They are just so tame, once knew a blue silkie who would climb on your lap if given the chance and would happily clutch and rear a dozen eggs mixed with ducks, chickens or any old thing.

http://www.perfectpoultry.co.uk/Update% ... Silkie.pdf

http://www.perfectpoultry.co.uk/Update% ... 0Pekin.pdf

fwiw, I have hostile neighbours either side, and I have had chickens (5 hens) for 6 months, no problems. Hardly any noise/smell etc... but they have been well-penned-in and have never escaped into the neighbours' gardens. If you do it right you should have no practical problems... legally though - who knows !

Some houses have it written into their title deeds that you can't keep chickens (in our old house the feu terms said we couldn't breed dogs either). I would check your tenancy agreement and if it doesn't say you can't keep pets/chickens, then I would just go for it.