The Conyers Backyard Poultry Club

My notes from the BoC meeting today:
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They've changed the proposed UDO for chickens.

It now applies to subdivisions only.

They now want to limit us to a max of 6 hens on properties of 2 acres or smaller, not the original 4.

Properties of 2-5 acres could have up to 12 hens, 1 rooster.
No limit on hens for properties of 5 acres or larger, but a max of 2 roosters.

They also say coops must be at least 75' from neighbors' houses, not the original 100.

Birds must be kept in a fenced pen, not free range.

I could only see the backs of the commissioners' heads so I'm a bit uncertain who's who; I'm going by the names I thought I heard them use.

Stevens is against changing the current laws at all.

Mason had a question about whether coops could be in front yards, or only back. The answer was back yards only as they count as accessory buildings.

Hays/Long/? started off saying that people are upset by folks having "too many" birds. She then said if she lived in a subdivision, she would not want her neighbors to have chickens - but then said she lives on 10 acres. She's upset that her neighbor's pig keeps getting loose and wandering onto her property. She said they should "take this ordinance to the chicken people" for review, and that she wants "balance".

No other commissioners spoke about chickens. (One was silent the entire time I was there. I did leave before the meeting ended, it got bogged down in subdivision building restrictions and I needed lunch.)

Newton County folks:

The BoC meeting to discuss the UDO (Updated Development Ordinance) - which includes the proposed restrictions on backyard chickens - has just been announced. It's tomorrow morning, 9am to noon, in the 1st floor conference room at 1113 Usher Street, Covington.

They want to limit us to 4 hens, no roosters, on properties of 2 acres or less. For more than 2 acres, they want to allow 10 hens, no roosters. This would affect the entire county.

Let's all go and let them know we do NOT want these restrictions on our flocks!

Link to the agenda:

Agenda Center Agenda Center

Hey folks! A lot of our members live in Newton County - and we all need to be aware of what our Board of Commissioners is trying to do.

They're proposing changes to the laws that affect our ability to have chickens. They want to limit us to a max of 4 hens per property, and no roosters at all. This would apply to the whole county, not just within town limits.

Please contact your county commissioner and let them know you don't want these changes, that we want to keep our flocks! If you can, please come to the BOC meeting on Tuesday, June 2nd, and let them know how we feel in person! I'll be there!

BOC meetings are held at 7pm at the Historic Courthouse in Covington, at 1124 Clark Street.

You can find contact info for your county commissioner here (your district is listed on your voter card, or you can check the map on this page) - https://www.newtoncountyga.gov/157/Board-of-Commissioners

Here's an article on CovNews with info - https://www.covnews.com/news/county/no-more-roosters-chicken-limitations-discussed-during-unified-development-ordinance-work-session/

And a Change.org petition - https://www.change.org/p/fighting-for-our-flocks-no-government-overreach-in-our-backyards

Sign the Petition ​Fighting for Our Flocks: No Government Overreach in Our Backyards

Folks, it's time for us all to review and improve our biosecurity.

Be careful with your biosecurity, folks. Wild birds are in the middle of fall migration, and that means an increased risk of avian influenza.

It was just found in a backyard flock in Henry County.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/henry-county/highly-pathogenic-avian-flu-detected-henry-county-backyard-chicken-flock/YVW35AA4KZHEHKRSZUEMY7JZ7M/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawMobY5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhriKeMrq0Qr6_oLrQjYp9fE2exFH7E_uwKQAut9fChX3dHwRKeDw6O-DT6l_aem_ZTN0rcPez4Cq81jb9LwJyA

‘Highly pathogenic avian flu’ detected in Henry County backyard chicken flock The backyard bird flock in Henry County had 45 birds of mixed species, state officials said.

The suspension of auctions and swaps has been lifted. https://agr.georgia.gov/pr/georgia-department-agriculture-lifts-suspension-poultry-activities-releases-hpai-control-area?fbclid=IwY2xjawIYmRhleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYPSflHC2tUkhWx9kqIpqoUpXnAnPCHU9lNHj2KN8ZRZlorfNT_RcigzNw_aem_6OLmRWc4UC7FoxfBJ1XjLQ

Georgia Department of Agriculture Lifts Suspension of Poultry Activities, Releases HPAI Control Area Georgia Department of AgricultureTyler J Harper, Commissioner19 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SWAtlanta, GA 30334 Mon, Feb 10 2025 Georgia Department of Agriculture Lifts Suspension of Poultry Activities, Releases HPAI Control Area Atlanta, GA – Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper...

Folks, this is important.

As of today, all poultry shows, exhibitions, auctions, and sales are suspended in GA. This is due to HPAI being confirmed in commercial poultry, as well as backyard birds.

More info on the suspension can be found in the GDA's post here - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18jB6o29Tu/ and on the GDA site at https://agr.georgia.gov/pr/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-confirmed-commercial-poultry-flock-georgia-all-poultry?fbclid=IwY2xjawH3xDdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHUDMWIMD1lUNvlIOMTtO_dxvO5YIBKiGxiBfH2meYWcRp-GqX7ylVGnvWQ_aem_FE1tmymJlkFf4mFi_mb-jw

Please direct any questions to GDA.

In addition, we're hearing that any birds or eggs shipped from GA to FL need to have AI-clean testing within a week of shipping. Anything older than a week means the boxes are being returned - and while eggs can survive the extra time in the postal system, live birds likely can't.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed in Commercial Poultry Flock in Georgia, All Poultry Activities in Georgia Suspended Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed in Commercial Poultry Flock in Georgia, All Poultry Activities in Georgia Suspended Atlanta, Ga – Today, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed a pos...

Folks, it's time to review your biosecurity, and make any improvements you can. HPAI is in our area, just a few counties away.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/clayton-county/bird-flock-tests-positive-highly-contagious-deadly-respiratory-disease-clayton-county/3FC2KWMGGRDRHL6UXGJ6WAYWRY/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawHwACVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWWfpuTjpmOjpePxjZnxIL67cVN5vC8RjtrkeZfeZURGTc3v0VJDxtpN1Q_aem_GcufoyVqQ4fOO6XJ3MurIA

Bird flock tests positive for highly contagious, deadly respiratory disease in Clayton County In December, the owners of the birds noticed an increase in deaths, with three birds dying in a short period of time.

Folks, please keep your eyes out for anyone selling a splash Jersey Giant hen in our area.

Someone stole my girl Diva from my coop last night. I went outside to do morning coop chores and found the pen door open, the coop door open, the carabiners I use to secure them missing... The gate in the side yard open, and Diva gone. Someone opened the gate, the pen, and the coop, took Diva, and didn't close anything up behind them when they left.

I've filed a report with the county sheriff's office but I don't know if they can do much.

She's a 2 year old Jersey Giant, splash but with only a few black spots, about 9 lbs. She recently resumed laying after raising some incubator-hatched chicks, and was still momma-ing them even though they're 10 weeks old.

She was wearing an NPIP band on her left leg when she was taken. Please let me know if you hear of anyone selling a bird that might be her - I am devastated, and her adopted chicks are calling for her.

With the recent outbreak at Noah's Ark, this would be a good webinar for us all to watch.

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