My husband Wade and I are planning to teach a very basic backyard chicken class at my kids' school, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center on May 6. We have a fenced-in garden at the school, so I plan to bring about 4 hens and let them run around in the garden. I have the information on Phoenix rules for poultry, does anyone know what the rules are for Scottsdale (where most of the students live)? I want these kids going home and begging their parents for their own chickens, so without overwhelming them, I would like to arm them with the basic rules. Any suggestions on a great website for the backyard poultry basics would be great, as well. Of course I will also direct them to this site. We are new to this so we are trying to keep it very basic. We will teach 2 classes that are about 45 min long in the morning, not sure the age group they will put us with yet, what do you suggest? The breakdowns are K-1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. I have kids in 2 and 5, so going for one of those.
Thanks!
Replies
Thanks to Dave Hamilton (and Dominique the chicken) and Jenny Kelly (with lovely eggs) for helping me share our experiences with the kids at ANLC. There were at least 3 students that came up and talked to me after class and got more information to take home and have a conversation with their parents about getting chickens!
I think we really helped them make a connection on where their food comes from with Charlene from FnB restaurant making frittatas for them to eat during the class.
Thanks again everyone! We'll be doing it again next year for the grades 3-4 group, I'll keep you posted.
The basics are that in Scottsdale you can't have roosters and you need to keep the pens clean. It doesn't specify how many you can have. Here is the section that applies:
Sec. 4-17. - General restrictions.
(a)
Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, birds, fowl, and any other animal or bird, and the pens, stalls, stables, yards, shelters, cages, areas, places and premises where they are held or kept, shall be so maintained that flies, insects, or vermin, rodent harborage, odors, ponded water, the accumulation of manure, garbage, refuse or other noxious material do not become a public health nuisance.
(b)
No pigsty or piggery shall be built or maintained:
(1)
On marshy ground or land subject to overflow.
(2)
Within two hundred (200) feet of any stream, canal, or other source of water supply.
(3)
Within three hundred (300) feet of an inhabited house or occupied building on adjoining property.
(c)
No person shall knowingly keep or harbor any animal or fowl which by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking, crowing or the making of other noises shall annoy or disturb a neighborhood or any two (2) or more persons, one (1) of which may be a police officer or an animal control officer.
(Code 1972, § 4-203; Ord. No. 2479, § 1 , 8-31-92)
Sec. 4-18. - Sanitary requirements.
(a)
Animal manure and droppings shall be removed from pens, stables, yards, cages, and other enclosures at least twice weekly and handled or disposed of in an approved manner free of health hazard or public health nuisance. Adequate insect-tight containers approved by the health officer shall be provided for the storage of manure or droppings, unless it is completely removed from the premises at least twice weekly. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to prohibit the use of animal manure or droppings on any farm, garden, lawn or ranch in such a manner and for such purposes as are compatible with customary methods of good horticulture.
(b)
Mound storage of droppings or manure will be permitted only under such conditions as to protect against the breeding of flies and to prevent migration of fly larvae or maggots into the surrounding soil.
(c)
Feed troughs shall be provided for the feeding of vegetables, meat scraps, or garbage, and such feeding shall be done exclusively from containers or on an impervious platform.
(d)
Watering troughs or tanks shall be provided, which shall be equipped with adequate facilities for draining the overflow, so as to prevent the ponding of water, the breeding of flies, mosquitoes or other insects, or a health hazard.
(e)
No putrescible material shall be allowed to accumulate on any premises, and all such material used as feed which is unconsumed shall be removed daily and disposed of by burial or other approved means.
(f)
Any person owning, possessing, harboring or having the care, charge, control or custody of any dog shall immediately remove and thereafter dispose of any fecal matter deposited by the dog on public or private property, unless the property owner has given prior approval to use the property for this purpose. The dog fecal matter shall be immediately placed in a closed or sealed container and thereafter disposing of it by depositing said matter in a trash receptacle, sanitary disposal unit or other closed or sealed container. This subsection shall not apply to blind persons accompanied by a dog used for their assistance.
(Code 1972, § 4-204)
Sec. 4-19. - Authority of county health officer to inspect premises...
The county health officer or his representative shall have the power to enter upon all public and private property or premises to examine into any animal nuisance, source of filth, or cause or source of sickness or disease found therein, or thereon, and may require owner or occupant thereof at his own expense to remove the same.
Rachel,
I am putting together a list of resources for the kids to take home. Where can they find your book available for purchase? Any other ones you would recommend?
Thanks,
Heather
Thanks Rachel, that really helps. Seems less restrictive than Phoenix, which is surprising. I guess people still have their HOA to deal with as well, though.