permision to keep hens

[mrkevduff]

 >:( :'(I have been refused permision to keep hens on my council run allotment site. Please can anyone give any helpfull advice

[mrkevduff]

[Mr Smith]

I don't think you can do anything really if its written into your tenancy agreement that livestock cannot be kept, but in saying that we are council run site but could be going down the self running path which will be an 'Allotment association', already someone asked will we then be allowed to keep poultry if we have it written into our new agreement personally the answer will be no because we have properties that back onto our allotments and it is a bit of a 'Jam Pot Row' area on one side of the lotties and since the allotments have been there for over thirty years no livestock have ever been kept, :)

[ceres]

The Allotments Act 1950 confers the legal right to keep chickens on an allotment.  I have an electronic copy of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners information sheet on the subject which I'll email to you.  The NSALG can be contacted here for further information:

www.nsalg.org.uk

Edited to add:

It's on it's way to you.

[Mr Smith]

 Regardless of the Allotment Act of 1950 I need written permission off the Borough Council to keep poultry, rabbits, pigs or bees, also no trees, fruit bushes or any crops which require more than twelve months to mature, 

[Old bird]

Hi mrkevduff!

Sorry to hear that they won't let you.  Sometimes there are reasons - by-laws etc.  Rather than give up completely find out why they were refused and see if it is possible to change it - ie attend a Council Allotment Meeting with your item on the Agenda etc.

There may still be a chance but you will need a bit of luck so you need to be friends with anyone on the committee that may be able to help you!

As there is such a current "thing" about keeping chooks - you may be able to overturn old rules etc - but you may need to be persistent!

Good luck anyway - keep us informed of how you are getting on!

Old Bird

[betula]

I have been through this and got my permission.

The allotment act states you can keep chickens and rabbits.

Unless there is a by law stating you can not keep them you are legally entitled.This may be different on private owned land but not on council owned land. :)

Committees cannot override this

[ceres]

The situation for private land is similar to council land.  It's permitted unless there is a covenant in the lease forbidding it.

There is no legal requirement to obtain permission. 

[growmore]

Ceres is correct, if you site is designated as a statutory  allotment site then you can keep chickens and or rabbits..  As I understand it there are 3 types of sites that are let to us to grow on . 1.Statutory allotment sites, these come under the allotment acts etc and are  protected . 2.Temporary allotment sites, albeit some of these may have been temporary since the last war created them, these don't have  the same protection as the statutory sites. 3.Leisure gardens, I believe  these don't come under the same acts as allotments, so different rules apply.

[Mr Smith]

If I had an allotment on a site which already had Poultry, pigeons etc  I would also keep chickens, my allotment along with twentyfour others don't have any of the above, personally I would keep our allotments free from poultry and the like which only attract vermin you only have to read the posts on here about people with rats on their allotments you can bet that chickens are kept on the site,

[betula]

Good housekeeping will prevent that.Anyway rats are everywhere so I do not think it makes much difference.

I had never seen a rat on my allotment site but when I dismantled my old compost heap out tottered two rats,both looking a bit fed up LOL ;D

No chickens on our site either but I will have some when I can find someone to share looking after duties as we are quite often away for a few days. :)

[Mr Smith]

 I mean  chickens attract rats in great numbers rather than one or two in a compost heap  good house keeping does helps but the chav next to my allotment can't even keep that tidy,

[Old bird]

Hi Mr Smith

Chickens themselves do not attract rats - their food may - but not the chickens and the old saying that you are never further than 8feet from a rat is very true.  They are everywhere - I have the odd ones on my allotment - but I had those before I had my chickens - I still have the odd one up there but no more than before!

Old Bird

:D

[Mr Smith]

OB,
        I think we have been down this road before like other posts on here, this post started off about 'permission to keep chickens', Brilll!! I've already said that I would love to keep chickens on a site with chickens already established, next week we have a meeting about our allotments going from being council run to an Allotment Association personally I won't be there because I'm starting a new job next week after nine month doing sod all and already this is being mentioned about keeping chickens, if they change our tenancy agreement in favour of chickens I will be packing the allotment in that's how I feel my choice,

[betula]

Bit extreme int it? :)

[Old bird]

Whoa - where are you at Mr Smith?

One minute you are saying you would love to keep chickens and next you are threatening to leave your plot if they are allowed?!!

I am not commenting further - but - Best of luck with the new job anyway!

Old Bird

;D
      ]

[Mr Smith]

If I had an allotment on a site which already had Poultry, pigeons etc  I would also keep chickens, my allotment along with twentyfour others don't have any of the above, personally I would keep our allotments free from poultry and the like which only attract vermin you only have to read the posts on here about people with rats on their allotments you can bet that chickens are kept on the site,

Old Bird,
                                  I hope the above is not to confusing for you to understand, end of, :)

[kt.]

Ours is a council owned site but we also have a committee.  The tenancy agreement consist of town council rules.  We do allow 20% of plots to have poultry/pigeons.  Anybody hoping to own poultry on a unallocated livestock plot cannot and must wait until a livestock plot is available. We do not have any problems with people wanting to swap plots (providing they have looked after their current plot).

[Old bird]

Thank you Mr Smith for clarifying!

Even with my old bird brain - I think I can manage that!

O B
;D

[daxzen]

allotments all have their own rules and regulations - fair play!

in my view, chickens are great as long as they are properly set up and the feed is in rodent proof containers the "rat problem" is minimised.

its all about good husbandry really

my local council (daventry) allows homeowners to keep chicken in their gardens at home - they recommend no cockerels though - all part of the recycling and sustainability initiatives.

dax