Few homes for hens in Amherst

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Did a little reading on this topic.

While backyard cats are common, they do pose some risk. Mainly, these cat owners do not have the tools to detect rabies like veterinarians do.

You know this is a reach. You're not eating anything from the cats...unless you live in China.

[WNYresident]

Pardon my lack of knowing such things - but do chickens make any noise? How about odor? Germs?

http://www.rootsimple.com/2008/01/do...ake-noise.html

es, indeed hens make noise. Far less than a rooster, but when it comes time to lay an egg you often get the stereotypical hen vocalization, technically known as "cackling," which goes something like, "cluck, cluck, cluck, CLUCKAAAAAWWWWK!" Thankfully this only happens around laying time, which for our three productive hens is no more than once a day, and usually at a respectable time between around 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Some of our club hopping neighbors may get an early than wanted wake-up call, but so far nobody has complained.

So do chickens smell?

http://www.sailzora.com/Frequently_A...ions.htm#smell

A: The amount of chicken manure produced by six hens is roughly equivalent to the dog droppings produced by a medium-large dog. And, unlike dog or cat poop, chicken manure can be easily composted into fabulous garden fertilizer. That said, smell will depend on the caretaker. Just like any other pet or animal, hens need care--cleaning out the dirty bedding in the coop, keeping it dry and having a clean/dry area of sand or dirt for the birds to take dust baths in. These practices will all help to keep your birds happy, healthy and odor free. See the "Care" page for more information.

Germs?

Q: What about diseases like Avian Flu?

A: Avian Flu of the type that is contagious to humans has not been found in North America. Any type of avian influenza is spread by contact with the contaminated feces of other birds, primarily migratory waterfowl. So the key issues are sanitation and contact with wild birds. Unlike rural farm birds, which "free range" and might, for example, drink from a pond shared with Canada Geese, "backyard chickens" in South Portland will be kept in an enclosed pen with little contact with the migratory birds. In addition, should avian flu ever reach here, it would more likely spread in situations where birds are maintained in unsanitary conditions, such as the large commercial "factory farms" where chickens are crammed together in filthy cages.... not where chickens are kept as pets in well-maintained coops cleaned as regularly as any suburban pet.

Read the rest

[WNYresident]

You know this is a reach. You're not eating anything from the cats...unless you live in China.

And your point? Technically I am correct. I believe the chickens are pets. I wouldn't eat my pet. Specially after I gave it a name.

[nogods]

Get with the PROGRAM. The CHICKEN HAS A NAME. At least I think it does. It is now a pet. We will go the technical route and interpret the "law" in our favor. If the "government class" can technically interpret laws into their favor the "non-government class" can do the same. We are all equal are we not?

I'll pull some BS like you did...

What if a chickens right group decides to sue the town of Amherst? Do you want to be responsible for that?

First, there isn't anything to interpret - the Amherst zoning law prohibits keeping chickens in residential neighborhoods regardless of the reason they are being kept - for food or companionship or whatever. When the zoning law was enacted they were two steps ahead of some idiot claiming the chickens were pets. The law was to exclude all poultry "regardless of purpose" for which they are kept on the premises

Second, do all you Ron Paul supporter consider the 1st Amendment "BS"? Angela's proposed law raises serious 1st amendment issues because of the way it is written. That's her fault (or the fault of her ghost writer named Ted.)

Prohibiting poultry in a residential area, pets or livestock, raises no constitutional issues unless the poultry was there before the law was enacted - then you might have a taking w/o just compensation issue.

[WNYresident]

First, there isn't anything to interpret - the Amherst zoning law prohibits keeping chickens in residential neighborhoods regardless of the reason they are being kept - for food or companionship or whatever. When the zoning law was enacted they were two steps ahead of some idiot claiming the chickens were pets. The law was to exclude all poultry "regardless of purpose" for which they are kept on the premises

Second, do all you Ron Paul supporter consider the 1st Amendment "BS"? Angela's proposed law raises serious 1st amendment issues because of the way it is written. That's her fault (or the fault of her ghost writer named Ted.)

Prohibiting poultry in a residential area, pets or livestock, raises no constitutional issues unless the poultry was there before the law was enacted - then you might have a taking w/o just compensation issue.

Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Petition

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

That HAS nothing to do with:

TOWN OF CHEEKTOWAGA
POLICY RELATING TO
MISUSE OF TOWN RESOURCES
Town officers and employees shall not use Town letterhead, personnel, equipment, vehicles,
supplies or any other Town resources for a non-governmental purpose, nor engage in personal or
private activities during times when he or she is required to work for the Town of Cheektowaga.

And allowing nepotism to continue for the Cheektowaga democratic town chairman to run the Cheektowaga democratic social club at our community's expense. Get with the program. I'm still waiting for the "business men" to grow a set and do what they stated in their literature. Seeing this is a thread about chickens, I'm waiting for them to grow a set of eggs.


How about this. Seeing you know everything. Help Karen with a chicken pet petition if Karen Marks is planning to keep them? We'll use the same petition to get chickens into Cheektowaga, Lancaster and anywhere in Erie County? Or do you have something against Chickens?

[WNYresident]

You know I'm jerking your chain on this...

[gshowell]

Let's be honest. If chickens aren't properly cared for they can smell. Their feces are bacterial and germy. (I don't think that's a real word.) Let's be honest about dogs and cats. If dogs and cats aren't properly cared for they can smell. Their feces are bacterial and germy. My point, there's very little difference.

Regarding the danger to children. Humans have raised domestic animals for, well a long time. That danger has always been there, yet people managed. Kids should be taught not to play with feces, etc. I know I was. I grew up around chickens, ducks, geese, etc. We never got sick from the animals. If we did, we lived. My grandfather had one of the largest chicken farms in Connecticut. The chicken coop smelled foul. The farm didn't. The aged waste brought in cash from farmers who used it as fertilizer. The eggs were sold to a large Co-op. The chickens and eggs helped feed his family. As a very young boy, (7 or 8), I learned how to turn a live chicken into a meal (if you know what I mean).

We had chickens, ducks, and geese in Depew. We ate the eggs. The goose eggs made the lightest cake you'll ever eat.

There was a man, who lived in the Main Street area, who raised and sold squab (baby pigeons), for food. We used to buy them by the crate, dispatch them, clean them, and grill them. Tasty.

I'd have chickens now. As a matter of fact, I'm thinking of going the way of the Amherst residents and just getting some. The odor and noise can't be any worse that the crap I have to put up with from the slumlord's tenants who live in the house behind me.

And talk about big government intrusion into an individual's life. When I was a kid, people would laugh at you if you told them it was against the law to raise chickens. People down the street had goats, horses, rabbits, etc.

I don't get it. Why can't these people have a few chickens. It's not like, if you allow these people to have chickens, everybody in the neighborhood is going to go out and buy chickens. Most people don't want to be bothered.

How many Buffalonians are raising chickens now that it's controlled and legal in the city of Buffalo? I'll bet the number is small.

[WNYresident]

Let's be honest. If chickens aren't properly cared for they can smell. Their feces are bacterial and germy. (I don't think that's a real word.) Let's be honest about dogs and cats. If dogs and cats aren't properly cared for they can smell. Their feces are bacterial and germy. My point, there's very little difference.

Exactly. And when was the last time you heard of someone being attacked by a chicken? We occasionally hear about dog bites but not chicken bites.

[nogods]

Let's be honest. If chickens aren't properly cared for they can smell. Their feces are bacterial and germy. (I don't think that's a real word.) Let's be honest about dogs and cats. If dogs and cats aren't properly cared for they can smell. Their feces are bacterial and germy. My point, there's very little difference.

Regarding the danger to children. Humans have raised domestic animals for, well a long time. That danger has always been there, yet people managed. Kids should be taught not to play with feces, etc. I know I was. I grew up around chickens, ducks, geese, etc. We never got sick from the animals. If we did, we lived. My grandfather had one of the largest chicken farms in Connecticut. The chicken coop smelled foul. The farm didn't. The aged waste brought in cash from farmers who used it as fertilizer. The eggs were sold to a large Co-op. The chickens and eggs helped feed his family. As a very young boy, (7 or 8), I learned how to turn a live chicken into a meal (if you know what I mean).

We had chickens, ducks, and geese in Depew. We ate the eggs. The goose eggs made the lightest cake you'll ever eat.

There was a man, who lived in the Main Street area, who raised and sold squab (baby pigeons), for food. We used to buy them by the crate, dispatch them, clean them, and grill them. Tasty.

I'd have chickens now. As a matter of fact, I'm thinking of going the way of the Amherst residents and just getting some. The odor and noise can't be any worse that the crap I have to put up with from the slumlord's tenants who live in the house behind me.

And talk about big government intrusion into an individual's life. When I was a kid, people would laugh at you if you told them it was against the law to raise chickens. People down the street had goats, horses, rabbits, etc.

I don't get it. Why can't these people have a few chickens. It's not like, if you allow these people to have chickens, everybody in the neighborhood is going to go out and buy chickens. Most people don't want to be bothered.

How many Buffalonians are raising chickens now that it's controlled and legal in the city of Buffalo? I'll bet the number is small.

You make good arguments for changing the law.

But until it is changed the self-centered me-me's should obey the law.

and she should lay off the eggs anyway.

[gorja]

Exactly. And when was the last time you heard of someone being attacked by a chicken? We occasionally hear about dog bites but not chicken bites.

I had a part time job at a chicken farm giving shots to the chickens. We gave them one shot for pigeon pox and another shot to make their egg shell harder. We would innoculate thousands of chickens in a day. My arms got scratched up quite a bit but I was never bitten (pecked).

I wonder what ever happened to the girl in Lancaster who had chickens and goats.
http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/143...owl-Of-The-Law

[gorja]

The girl in Lancaster was able to keep her chickens.
From WGRZ's story-
http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/160...ens-In-Amherst

In November Channel 2 aired the story of a family in Lancaster family which had been notified by the town that their chickens and goats had to go for reasons of zoning, but who successfully challenged the town law in court and and were allowed to keep their birds.

Hopefully, the Amherst girl will be as successful.

[grump]

Let's be honest. If chickens aren't properly cared for they can smell. Their feces are bacterial and germy. (I don't think that's a real word.) Let's be honest about dogs and cats. If dogs and cats aren't properly cared for they can smell. Their feces are bacterial and germy. My point, there's very little difference.

Regarding the danger to children. Humans have raised domestic animals for, well a long time. That danger has always been there, yet people managed. Kids should be taught not to play with feces, etc. I know I was. I grew up around chickens, ducks, geese, etc. We never got sick from the animals. If we did, we lived. My grandfather had one of the largest chicken farms in Connecticut. The chicken coop smelled foul. The farm didn't. The aged waste brought in cash from farmers who used it as fertilizer. The eggs were sold to a large Co-op. The chickens and eggs helped feed his family. As a very young boy, (7 or 8), I learned how to turn a live chicken into a meal (if you know what I mean).

We had chickens, ducks, and geese in Depew. We ate the eggs. The goose eggs made the lightest cake you'll ever eat.

There was a man, who lived in the Main Street area, who raised and sold squab (baby pigeons), for food. We used to buy them by the crate, dispatch them, clean them, and grill them. Tasty.

I'd have chickens now. As a matter of fact, I'm thinking of going the way of the Amherst residents and just getting some. The odor and noise can't be any worse that the crap I have to put up with from the slumlord's tenants who live in the house behind me.

And talk about big government intrusion into an individual's life. When I was a kid, people would laugh at you if you told them it was against the law to raise chickens. People down the street had goats, horses, rabbits, etc.

I don't get it. Why can't these people have a few chickens. It's not like, if you allow these people to have chickens, everybody in the neighborhood is going to go out and buy chickens. Most people don't want to be bothered.

How many Buffalonians are raising chickens now that it's controlled and legal in the city of Buffalo? I'll bet the number is small.

No, you're right. Most Buffalonians raise and fight pit bulls. Guess Amherst should follow Buffalo's lead on that too. Hey, I've got an idea! Let's uncover a septic sewer and turn it into a tourist attraction. We can call it the Commercial Slip! Buffalo did that too! How do you know how many people will or won't buy chickens? In fact you have no idea nor do I nor does anyone else. Why not let the people appointed to handle this stuff do it. I think everyone should model Buffalo; that way we can all have miserably failing schools, incredibly inept local government and we can have abcongressman who is a Jay Leno punch line.

[WNYresident]

No, you're right. Most Buffalonians raise and fight pit bulls. Guess Amherst should follow Buffalo's lead on that too. Hey, I've got an idea! Let's uncover a septic sewer and turn it into a tourist attraction. We can call it the Commercial Slip! Buffalo did that too! How do you know how many people will or won't buy chickens? In fact you have no idea nor do I nor does anyone else. Why not let the people appointed to handle this stuff do it. I think everyone should model Buffalo; that way we can all have miserably failing schools, incredibly inept local government and we can have abcongressman who is a Jay Leno punch line.

Some towns already have incredibly inept local government. Chickens won't care.

[Member 2358]

The variance should not be provided.

There has been no compelling reason given for doing so.

[gshowell]

No, you're right. Most Buffalonians raise and fight pit bulls. Guess Amherst should follow Buffalo's lead on that too. Hey, I've got an idea! Let's uncover a septic sewer and turn it into a tourist attraction. We can call it the Commercial Slip! Buffalo did that too! How do you know how many people will or won't buy chickens? In fact you have no idea nor do I nor does anyone else. Why not let the people appointed to handle this stuff do it. I think everyone should model Buffalo; that way we can all have miserably failing schools, incredibly inept local government and we can have abcongressman who is a Jay Leno punch line.

As an animal lover, who has adopted three rescue dogs and used his own resources to save a young pit bull that was used as a bait dog, was terribly injured, and left to die, I find you comments so off the mark that I busted a gut laughing. We're not talking about breeding and raising pit bulls or roosters for **** fights. We're talking about raising chickens for food. This blog has nothing to do with sewers, the commercial slip, pit bulls, failing schools, inept government, etc. It's incredibly amusing to me that you can take such diverse issues and connect them to raising chickens.

At a time when food prices are beyond the reach of some folks, (Okay, I'm a hypocrite, no matter what the cost, food prices have always been beyond the means of some people.) what is the problem with people trying to reduce the impact of food costs?


Should there be limits on the number of chickens a person can have, dependent on lot size? Yes. Should there be controls on handling waste and odors? Yes! I'm not talking about a free-for-all, do whatever you want solution. But, to me, saying no to chickens, rabbits, and other small food animals doesn't make sense. (Yes, I've eaten rabbits, including rabbits we raised as kids. And, yes, I'm a member of PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals. And, as I said before, I'm a hypocrite. I love animals and I eat animals. Go figure.)

Do I know how many people will buy chickens? No I don't. My opinion is, most people won't.

I can't say ****-fights?