KGNS On Your Side: City of Laredo chicken coop ordinance

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - The price of eggs continues to climb at the grocery stores.

In fact, they have soared more than 70 percent over the past year, according to government inflation data.

As a result of this sticker shock, many people have decided to take matters into their own hands and start their own coop; however, there are some rules one must know before taking crack at it.

For consumers like David, eggs are a fundamental part of their grocery list and a staple in his family’s everyday life.

“I never even had chickens before, but just looking at the egg prices I need to get it together,” said David.

According to David, he spends upwards of a $100 a month on eggs alone, so he decided to take matters into his own hands by building a chicken coop.

“I eat four and my wife eats like three or four so it’s like and that’s just breakfast for me and my wife and then my kid eats like four throughout the day,” said David.

Now, David isn’t alone on this endeavor; it seems like a lot of consumers are wanting to take this approach as a way to save money.

When it comes to building your own chicken coop in the City of Laredo, there are some rules and guidelines to follow under the city ordinance.

According to Rafael Solis, animal control officer with the Laredo Animal Care Services Department, there is a limit on household pets.

“No more than five chickens can be held within any residence, any combination of animals so it’s only five chickens no five dogs and five chickens just five chickens at a time,” said Solis.

Solis adds that chickens must be kept in corrals, so they don’t roam around, the corrals must be kept sanitary for the safety of the chicken and their food must be secured with rat proof containers.

Believe it or not, roosters are not allowed within city limits.

“We get more calls pertaining to roosters not being kept in the corral, running around the property,  going into people’s property or running through the streets,” said Solis.

According to Solis, they have an issue with people not following the city ordinance when it comes to chickens and roosters.

In fact, last year, the department received 250 calls in relation to those animals with roughly 150 citations issued.

The Laredo Animal Care Services Department asks residents to keep these rules in mind before starting a new and exciting project.

For anyone found violating the chicken rules, you could receive a citation.

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