Living by a chicken farm
- Thread starter OutbackL130
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farmer2009
Elite Member
Farmer2009, It's not personal. I eat a lot of chicken and I thank you for growing them. That said I don't think it's a good idea to fence in Ag operations with residential areas. It is too likely to sooner or later become a point of contention. It's not the best situation for the farmer or the neighbors. In the long run the usual outcome is Ag gets displaced by residential uses. That's not a good result. You can control the conditions on your farm, a neighbor cannot. If the management changes or slips and that causes problems, there is often no way to resolve them that anyone will think is fair or friendly. The OP could post his problems five years later on TBN and we will say he moved next to a chicken farm and should have known better.Personally I think it is far better to recognize that and use that adjacent land for farming or timber production, something non-residential.
No offense Dave. And thanks. I am assuming broiler houses not egg production. But I hear it all the time. How do you stand the smell? I say what smell? Or it smells like money? Smell of some money then tell me chicken farms stink.
Yes there are some diseases that poultry carry that can transmit to humans. You have that risk with any animal. Hogs are worst. But for a farm that is properly run its a minor issue. Especially being 1200 feet to a property line. It's almost a non-issue.
After re reading the op's original post. I must also say don't buy it. As you sound like you came out of the city and must agree with Gary Fowler on it. Stay in the city. No offense. I wouldn't think twice about buying a place like that. But My house is less than 300 feet from mine so.
MH8675309
Platinum Member
When you buy in the country you need to understand that these types of operations are in the country on purpose. Manure gets spread on the fields around us every year and it smells up the place for miles around. It goes away after awhile and we just live with it. That's why most states require a buyer to sign a seller disclosure that states the property is in the vicinity of these types of things. This leaves no legal recourse for a buyer to be able to stop a farm that has been in business for years or a new one starting. If these things bother you it might be better to live in a subdivision.
Country Geek
Gold Member
I would run away from that property and never look back.
Even if the farm is being run responsibly now, there's no guarantee that will continue. The responsible farmer could sell out tomorrow to someone less responsible. And then you're screwed, because if you complain all you'll hear is: hey, you knew there was a chicken farm there when you moved in!
They could also expand and add more chicken houses, closer to your property. Or they could go out of business and then the worry would be for nothing and you got a bargain property. Lots of chicken house operations around here have gone out of business in the last few years because the processing plants that took their chickens either closed or found cheaper sources. Being a chicken farmer is a tough business.
But the risk of a bad long term result seems worse than the possible upside.
Even if the farm is being run responsibly now, there's no guarantee that will continue. The responsible farmer could sell out tomorrow to someone less responsible. And then you're screwed, because if you complain all you'll hear is: hey, you knew there was a chicken farm there when you moved in!
They could also expand and add more chicken houses, closer to your property. Or they could go out of business and then the worry would be for nothing and you got a bargain property. Lots of chicken house operations around here have gone out of business in the last few years because the processing plants that took their chickens either closed or found cheaper sources. Being a chicken farmer is a tough business.
But the risk of a bad long term result seems worse than the possible upside.
dmccarty
Super Star Member
We looked at a couple of parcels near poultry houses and we ended up not buying the land. Each parcel had issues but being near poultry houses was a big deal. You can smell the houses at a good distance. Usually it is only a few times a year but I suspect the poultry houses will affect resale so we passed on buying the land. Our county HAD a chicken processing plant but it went out of business which then put many of the poultry farmers out of business which cascaded through the county economy. Not good at all. The chickens and turkeys were good business and their loss hurt the county but I would not want to live by the poultry farms. Course swine operations are FAR worse.
It looks like the poultry plant is going to reopen so the farmers that survived will be able to get back to growing chicken and turkeys.
One parcel we looked at buying was being sold by a chicken farmer who was in his 80s. This guy did not bathe and he STANK like a chicken house. :shocked: Nice guy, but Dude!, get a bath! I drove with him in his truck to chase off some trespassers and I had to roll down the window to be able to breathe. :shocked:
Later,
Dan
It looks like the poultry plant is going to reopen so the farmers that survived will be able to get back to growing chicken and turkeys.
One parcel we looked at buying was being sold by a chicken farmer who was in his 80s. This guy did not bathe and he STANK like a chicken house. :shocked:
Nice guy, but Dude!, get a bath! I drove with him in his truck to chase off some trespassers and I had to roll down the window to be able to breathe. :shocked:Later,
Dan
OP
OutbackL130
Silver Member
LOL. Why is it assumed I am from the city?! I've lived in the country all my life. Fairly certain if I ever moved to the city I'd go insane from boredom or be chased outta town. I have never lived near chicken houses though. I'd probably be fine with it, but I am looking out for my family and it seems most people I've talked to agree its not worth the risk.
Larry Caldwell
Elite Member
The smell won't be bad until they sell the batch of chickens and clean out the chicken house. Then the smell will be overwhelming and you won't want to be home. Most of the time you won't notice it. I would suggest going over to talk with the farmer and introduce yourself. Ask them how often they sell a batch. Also ask which direction the prevailing winds blow. My mother's house is within 100 yards of a 1000 cow milking operation and she rarely smells anything, because the prevailing winds carry the smell away instead of toward her.
MossRoad
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You think you would be fine with it..... but unless that chicken farm is making YOU money, you'll regret it sooner or later.... they stink!
Many years ago we had a shot at 40 acres but it needed to be rezoned. When we asked for the rezoning, some real estate mogul on the zoning board made the motion to deny us because we were "profiteers from the city". The entire board voted to deny. A year later that same mogul spoke on behalf of another person that wanted the same zoning on the same piece of property, only this time, the buyer was the father of a state representative! Mr. Mogul brought up the motion to grant and the entire board but one man voted in favor of that guy. The only one that didn't said something to the effect of "You've got to be kidding? We denied this just last year." Well, about a year after the state rep father built and moved in, they re-opened a chicken farm on the catty-corner property directly downwind. Sometimes life stinks is just a saying, and sometimes it actually does stink! :laughing: Couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow.
ksluy
Bronze Member
You think you would be fine with it..... but unless that chicken farm is making YOU money, you'll regret it sooner or later.... they stink!
Many years ago we had a shot at 40 acres but it needed to be rezoned. When we asked for the rezoning, some real estate mogul on the zoning board made the motion to deny us because we were "profiteers from the city". The entire board voted to deny. A year later that same mogul spoke on behalf of another person that wanted the same zoning on the same piece of property, only this time, the buyer was the father of a state representative! Mr. Mogul brought up the motion to grant and the entire board but one man voted in favor of that guy. The only one that didn't said something to the effect of "You've got to be kidding? We denied this just last year." Well, about a year after the state rep father built and moved in, they re-opened a chicken farm on the catty-corner property directly downwind. Sometimes life stinks is just a saying, and sometimes it actually does stink! :laughing: Couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow.
We had a local guy that wanted to change his land from agriculture to multi family housing. The land was just inside city limits the city council turned it down. He said that's fine I am going to start raising pigs I will start with 1,000 head. This was a well known guy in town and they new he would do what he said. So they brought it back up and approved it.
kevin37b
Veteran Member
We went to a wedding party 5 years ago . 1 mile north of a chicken farm . over 100 people , 5 kegs , food , band , lasted 30 minutes . EVERYONE left . Felt sorry for the new couple .