Are chickens domestic pets?

[evremummy]

I was thinking about getting 3 hens for our small back garden as a bit of a hobby, to help educate the children and to get some lovely fresh eggs but having looked at the land registry info for our house it stipulates that 'the keeping or breeding of poultry birds or animals' is not permitted except 'the keeping (but not breeding)of domestic pets'. So are chickens domestic pets or can we not have them ?

no they are not domestic pets i'm afraid.

but who do you think will complain about it? is it a new estate (in which maybe someone will) or a victorian semi (in which case unlikely anyone will even know about it)

Thanks. It's a detached house in a cul-de-sac location built about 11 years ago. We moved in last July and don't really know the neighbours all that well yet and intend to stay here for a long time so don't really want to upset anyone. So I guess it's going to be no chickens then .

i live in a cul de sac location like you and i have 5 hens. maybe you could check with the council? i havent come across this from the land registry before

of course dont get a cockerel, that really would be unfair on the neighbours

I'm pretty sure that you should be allowed to keep them on a domestic pet basis - generally these clauses are put in so that you don't set up a smallholding in your back garden.

any fewer than 50, you don't even have to register with Defra.
Normally, the law is on your side.
You might find more information from the allotment website which has this question posed a lot.

you can use the Allotments Act to back you up, too.

Our deeds say something about chickens, we decided to ignore them and make sure that:
1-We kept everything absolutely clean so no smell/rats etc.
2-We occasionally leave half a dozen eggs on doorsteps to keep people sweet

One year and OK so far.