Scott's reply to my RENT THE CHICKEN.com post got me thinking...

I LOVE the extra income from renting to pets so how much deposit and rent would you charge to allow chickens?

What policies should be put in place?

What management issues might arise?

BRAD

My standard animal fees are $150 Non-Refundable Animal Registration Fee and $35 per month per animal.

We rented a couple from Colorado once, very earth-mothery type. They had LOTS of chickens. No issues except the poop, which during tenancy they used in their raised garden boxes.

When they moved I required that they get under the house (which was elevated and served as the coop) and clean it all out. They did.

But they also taught me not to allow planted stuff. Next person never used the elevated planters at all and they eventually fell into disrepair and we had to deal with them.

Now all plantings must be in "pots that must be removed at end of tenancy." Nothing in-ground or built-in.

Brad, $35 per month is too much for chickens. $5 each and a hefty deposit increase would be reasonable.

Rather than pet rent why not offer to rent them a chicken coop. A quick interweb search looks like you can get a descent coop kit with fenced area for the cost of a nice washing machine. I see the spiel now.

From having known someone who raised chickens in her backyard... you need a HEFTY fee. They poop like crazy...everywhere. And they will tear up your yard. You'll likely need to reseed the area, and if they aren't diligent with the clean up, the toil may need to sit for a season to recover from... ahem...over-fertilization!

Forget what I said about $5 per chicken. After reading other opinions I changed my mind. Just granting tenants permission to have chickens would add $35 to monthly rent. Providing a coop, add $40 more. And don't forget that HEFTY security deposit, which can be tied to the maximum number of chickens allowed. Maybe $100-$150 extra SD per chicken?

My neighbor has chickens - and indeed that rooster they have will try and make sure you know its is boss. IT came running at my riding mowing late last fall. It realized that my mower was going to back down.

It has in the past though went after my leg. Luckily I had pants on so its claws only got ahold of cloth.

That would be a dead rooster had it actually made contact with me on my property.

Neighbors brought in chickens and a rooster. He makes a lot of noise, but part of living in the country. The hens keep getting farther from home and were in my yard a couple times. All good until I step in their mess.

Same goes for the other neighbor's dog. Been on my place a few times. Acted a fool and started to growl at me once. I yelled at it. It left so it didn't get lead poisoning.