Anyone Keep Backyard Chickens in a Subdivision?

The smell could be a problem. You will only be able to have a small amount to keep it from being a muddy, chicken shite filled mess

Yea probably good with 4-5 chickens. you don't need a rooster if you're just wanting eggs if you're worried about him crowing early.

They are dirtier than you would think. They tear up grass, shite everywhere. It's another thing to worry about during a freeze. Just buy cage free organic eggs. I'd rather pay $4 a dozen than deal with them. We had chickens growing up and I lived on about 2 acres and didn't like it.

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She has maybe 6 chickens and essentially uses them for eggs. No noise

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As long as you don't act like an a-hole and bring in a rooster, noise really shouldn't be a problem with a small number of birds.

I have ducks, in a subdivision, 1 drake & 2 hens, use for eggs. BR City ordinance allows 3 chickens in a recognized subdivision, no roosters allowed. Neighbors didn't know I had them unless me, wife or kids told them. The two hens provide enough eggs that I usually give away 1 to 2 dozen eggs a month. The amount you keep depends on your neighbors and how well you keep up with them.

We have 4 hens in Central, we are in a subdivision but on a little bit larger lot than normal. (1/2 acre) Like others said, do not worry about a rooster....they are loud and mean. Look into a chicken tractor or make your coop to where you can move it regularly as chickens will kills the grass they are on after only a few days. We like to let ours out as much as possible for them to graze. They will come up on your patio and shite on things if you don't watch them.

If I remember correct in Baton Rouge you can only have up to 3 or so and cannot have a rooster.

My Alaska house is a standard subdivision house/lot. We keep chickens there....albeit in a ver different fashion than our place in Texas.

What we've learned about keeping chickens on a subdivision lot:

-3 hens is really the max that a standard back yard can handle if constantly free-ranging. In a often-moved tractor, you can do double or more. You can probably do 6 if you're keeping them penned-up and ok with constantly cleaning a pen area. 6 would also work free-ranging if you don't give a shite about your back yard turning into a mud hole

-No rooster...absolutely no rooster...ever

-Hens will get loud clucking early in the morning wanting their breakfast, enough so to disturb neighbors.

-Have a small fenced-in area for them to tear up. Otherwise they'll tear up the entire yard and shite on your back porch. Release them out to the main yard about 3 hours before sunset for bugs and fresh grass. Alternatively, build a tractor. (tractors are a no-go in Alaska)

-Occasionally give some eggs to neighbors. Egg diplomacy builds good relationships.

-If properly managed, there is zero smell. Poorly managed, they will stink like hell.

-Chickens are naturally very clean animals (cleaner than a dog) when in a proper environment

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Hens can also make a good bit of noise especially after they lay an egg and are all proud of themselves.

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I know how they feel.



Thew are called fowl for a reason. But hey if they don't work out , you can always visit the f&D board and come up with some good ideas

With my ducks, the drake(Pekin) just has a very soft babble, but the hens(Pekin) are loud for breakfast & dinner. I usually get 1 or 2 double yolk eggs a month and they are huge, had to hurt laying it.