Backyard Poultry Forum

Chicken07,
I understand what you are saying. However, what I meant was that there should/might be a way of applying for an exception. Just like there is with dogs. I. you are only allowed 1 dog on a property of less than 600sqm. But you can apply for a permit to keep more. Of course there is no guarantee that this permit will be granted. but you CAN apply.
Or, on a property of between 800 and 4000sqm, you are allowed 6 hens. But you CAN apply to keep more.

Winglet, I have actually sent an email to council last week asking exactly that question whether there is a way to apply for a permit. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to email it, might give them a call.

And yes, the Sebrights are indeed very pretty.

Sasa, I see what you are saying. If there is any way that they will allow an exception, that would be worth following up. I hope there is some grounds or some flexibility that you can exploit. If you can apply, then go for it & good luck.

I'm not within your council area. I'm in the Moreton Regional Council. We have good provisions for breeders, even within suburbia, but there are no exceptions to the backyarder regulations here. I have been in meetings with Council and they tell me they wish to have one set of regulations that are easy to apply. No exceptions. Perhaps the Gold Coast is different. I have never spoken to them. The reps of Moreton that I've spoken to tell me that Councils are in communication with each other and there is a push to have the same provisions across the board in the SEQ area.

There are many people in our area who know they are outside of council guidelines but they just keep their fingers crossed, knowing that they may have to cop a fine and get rid of some birds one day.

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Backyard Poultry Forum

Yes, its me.
My offer still stands, although, nothing I can give you is laying yet (except the brown commercial, and on reflection, you DONT want her, she is noisy).
Maybe you need to look at already laying birds who dont "sing". Because, apart from the "song" there is no way your neighbours would even know you had 2 or 3 little silkies or pekins in your yard. I cant vouch for the belgians, but they sound like a good option too.
Good luck, and let me know if I can help in anyway.
Shell

I think you should get yourself a "parrot" or two. They might need to have their feathers dyed once in a while to retain their distinctive "parrot" colouring. And I doubt you could teach them to talk.

You would also have to practise looking in the bathroom mirror saying, "no, officer - those are parrots!" with your best poker face.

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Proud guardian of six lovely pullets: 2 Light Sussex, 2 Barnevelder, 2 Barred Plymouth Rock

Lindeggs, you had me giggling!

Livinthedream, I replied to you in a PM on the other forum. Thank you for your very generous offer.

Chicken07, how good would that be if they had the same regulations in the whole of SE QLD. Well, that's if the Gold Coast changed to be more like Brissie, not the other way round.
On the GCCC website, on the page with all the bird and poultry regulations, there's thiss sentence:

Which is why I thought there might be a way...

Sasa

I like the parrot solution, I live on gold coast and know of several people who have a strange new breed of guineapig,( they have large floppy ears). No problems with the council so far.

Given that the keeping of rabbits is illegal in QLD it is just this sort of irresponsible behavior and casual remark that can bring unfavourable attention to BYP from the authorities.

Please consider possible consequences before posting.

Wearing moderator hat.

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/4790_9530.htm

Just to clarify, I do not own a rabbit, quite a few other animals, of which I am a very responsible owner. I only mentioned it is common for people to refer to them as guineapigs in QLd, which I intended to be follow up banter from painting chooks to look like parrots
post.
I am fully aware of the damage rabbits do to the environment
Other suggestions for Sasa were not all legal, or at least following councils regulations, as she hasnt yet determined whether she can actually have poultry in her yard.
I truly hope for her and her children that she can find a way , as a few poultry in a back yard is much less annoying than bored barking dogs, and a great experience for children.
Hope I havn't ruffled too many feathers with my casual remark.

What is it with some of the councils in QLD?? Are you allowed to keep anything?!? -mods pls remove this if l'm out of line. Ta.

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1 Stafford, 1 moggy, 2 British shorthair cats, 1 Green tree frog, 2 Eastern long neck turtles, 13 chooks- lots of different breeds, 2 almost adult boys and a worn out husband!

This is a link to the regulations for birds and poultry from the Gold Coast City Council:
http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_standard2.aspx?pid=26

I think it shows whoever made the regulations have no idea about poultry. It really should be updated.

For poultry it say you can keep up to six geese, ducks, chickens, turkeys & other poultry (except roosters) if you have from 800 to 4000 sqm.

Can you imagine six geese on 801 sq metres? It also seems a little unfair to put someone with 4000sqm into the same boat as someone with 800sqm. Thats a massive difference in land size. Six poultry would be very difficult to keep to with that area available!

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A mixed bag of lovely backyard ducks and chooks.

Yes, and Logan council are really starting to loose the plot with farm animals too.
Thank god I live in the Scenic Rim council.
Not so urbanised......yet

I completely agree that 800sqm and 4000sqm are two very very different things. On a property of 3000sqm, you should easily be allowed 10 or more chickens.
I think that's where the possibility for a permit to keep more poultry comes in. They just don't want to categorically allow it. I suppose, that gives them a reason to charge money for the application, too.

And what is it with the limit of 30 poultry on land bigger than 4000sqm, but no limits for roosters? so you could have 200 roosters but no hens??

Now, this is something I found while trawling the web. It comes from these two websites:
http://www.finda.com.au/features/2010/0 ... -backyard/
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/20 ... toowoomba/

Hmmm, I wonder if this would be the right angle to work?

Apparently there was a push on the Gold Coast last year to allow up to 2 hens on properties up to 800sqm. But that was denied with the following comments:


Hmmm, guinea pigs smell too, if you don't clean them. And I bet predators would love them, too. As for the noise. Our aircon is loud. So is our neighbour's pool pump.

Apparently there was also a push to allow miniature goats.

Sasa

And that from our Animal Management chief...

Its hard to believe there was no-one available to come back to him with facts!

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A mixed bag of lovely backyard ducks and chooks.

Some people just don't care about the facts. As one of the articles said: "there is a feeling amongst some people that chickens are not of this century."

I guess, this is the Gold Coast. People want yachts here, not chickens...

Just thought I'd post an update.Apparently the laws changed last year and chickens are now allowed if you have 600sqm or more. You're allowed up to 1 chook per 100sqm. So I went from not being allowed any chickens to being allowed 6 1/2 - lol.
My neighbour informed me of that today while telling me that I might hear some clucking out of their yard soon.
My 3 hens will be happy to hear they're not illegal aliens anymore - hehe.