AURORA | Four recycled closet doors provide a temporary enclosure for North Aurora resident Rob Vogt’s four young chickens.
“I have to work on it quick because they’re getting big and they’re starting to show signs of wanting to roost,” Vogt said of the 6-by-6-foot coop he is working on to replace the pen he has cobbled together in his backyard.
For now, Vogt keeps the birds safe in a brooder inside of his home when he’s not outside to watch them.
Vogt is one of 37 Aurora residents who have registered for a permit to own backyard chickens, said Cheryl Conway, a spokeswoman for the city’s animal care division. She said permitting has been smooth so far, and the most common question the city has received is whether the coop needs to be located 15 feet from a neighbor’s house or 15 feet from the property line.
That answer is 15 feet from the neighboring property line, which means 15 feet from a neighbor’s fence in most cases. If a coop is closer than that, residents will need written permission from neighbors. Renters will also need to get permission from property owners, according to the ordinance. People living in single-family homes can only apply for permits to own chickens.
Aurora resident Doug King typed an official-looking letter with language from the ordinance when he asked his neighbors whether he could build his coop closer than 15 feet to their fences.
“They knew what I was asking for, why I was asking for it, and there was a place for their approval signature,” King said. King shared his letter on the Chicks in Aurora Facebook group, an open forum where residents can ask questions about the ordinance and swap ideas about chicken keeping in the city.
The city is also requiring residents to provide a drawing with dimensions of the chicken coop as well as dimensions for an adjacent outdoor enclosure, and how far both will be from fence lines with their applications. The city has allowed four chickens per residence, and has required coops to provide at least two square feet of space per hen.
“We were very impressed,” King said of his experience with the permit process. “You present your coop drawing, where it’s going to be and pay your one-time $40 fee. If you need approval, you present your approval.”
Jennifer Cook with Colorado State University Extension said new chicken owners should be aware that while chicks cost under $10, coops can be expensive, especially when they’re purchased online. They range anywhere from $200 to over $1,000.
“Other than the coop, some initial costs are $25 for bedding, $18 per bag for feed, $10 for a waterer, and $10 for a feeder,” Cook wrote in an email. “Other equipment may include heat lamps (needed to keep baby chicks alive in the house until they are older), and lights in the coop (to increase egg production during the winter).”
King, who didn’t want to build his coop, purchased one for under $200 from Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply in Westminster. He said he has been adding to it ever since because he enjoys providing the chicks with more room to play.
Since the city started issuing permits April 28, Conway said there have been no complaints about the birds. She added that Animal Care will only visit a coop if the city receives a complaint about it.
The complete list of City of Aurora chicken coop requirements and resources for keeping backyard chickens: https://www.auroragov.org/LivingHere/PetsLivestockandWildlife/Chickens/index.htm.
Chicks In Aurora Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChicksInAurora/#