We purchased our first investment property this year, and are currently accepting applications. The property is on a 1/2 acre privacy fenced lot, so we are allowing pets as we figure with that large of a yard animal owners will be our primary market. For pets we are requiring a $200 nonrefundable fee to clean out the ac/ducting, and a $300 Refundable deposit per animal.
However I just had someone request to bring chickens....Im fine with it, but have no idea what to charge for a deposit. They would obviously (hopefully) remain outside at all times, and I don’t think the above mentioned fees/deposits are practical or fair for chickens. Curious to see what others would require in fees/deposits for chickens?
"They would obviously (hopefully) remain outside at all times,"
Your are new to this business so take note. There is absolutely no reason to assume they will not bring the chickens into the house. Additionally they will be acquiring more farm animals once they move in. Obviously you do not know tenants and are likely going to have to pay the price to learn. If you do not specify in the lease that the chickens and all other farm animals are not permitted in the house they will bring them in. You must also specify that they require written permission for any addition animals beyond the initial chickens and that in the event there are any complaints they will be required to get rid of all animals .
If you accept these tenants you will need to do frequent inspections and watch them like a hawk. They are likely to be a problem. My advice is that you make your life simple for your first venture and pass on these applicants.
Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 237 posts · 142 votes
7y
@Alyssa K. Full Disclosure: I have 20 chickens and I love my girls!! This is my first full year and I've learned a lot, we have 8.5 acres and I let them out of the coop when the sun comes up and shut the doors after they've gone inside for the night. They are messy, they do poop every where and their coops do smell, my girls are pretty pampered and all these things still apply. With 1/2 an acre you should absolutely put a limit on the number no more than 2-4 and they absolutely provide the coop that you inspect. They should look into a Chicken Tractor as well with such a small space because they will destroy the grass and could move them around the yard. I would consider adding a cost to help with the maintenance of the yard. My girls do not come inside, that's a different kind of crazy and if they have enough to share they would be happy to give you the best eggs you've ever had. Oh, to spare the neighbors No Rooster. You don't need one for a hen to lay an egg, they do protect them but they really just make a lot of noise.
@Joshua Tobin that’s definitely seeming to be the consensus! So many of the neighbors have chickens that I didn’t think the request was too outlandish. I figured chickens would cause less damage than dogs would. Now hearing others horror stories I’m not so sure. Thanks for your input and time!
@Conn Hutzell I’m amazed to find so many have said they have seen tenets being chicken inside. I knew not to expect much common sense going in to this, but that’s another level of dumb lol. Based on the responses I’m getting I’m thinking I’ll be better off letting this applicants go to greener and larger pastures. Thanks for your input and time!
@Mary Mitchell great suggestions! I’ll definitely implement these if we decide to go with this applicants. I like the idea of creating a separate fenced area within the yard if we do allow them. Thanks so much for your input and time!
@Andrew Angerer Goodness gracious, that’s crazy. Although considering this particular investment was a hoarder house when we purchased it, that sounds in like something that would happen to me! Definitely something to consider. Thanks for your input and time!
@Pat Jackson I really like the idea of getting pictures of their current set up, thank you! I would have never thought of that. My partner is all about it, I think for the potential eggs lol.
@Richard Lovering thanks for your insights! If allowed I’d definitely limit to 2-5. I’ve never kept chickens myself, but grew up around family/friends that did. I never remember a smell being too bad, but probably because the horses, goats, and pigs smelled worse. Do you find the smell lingers after they are gone? I don’t necessarily care if it smells while they live there since I don’t have to smell it, but if it has a way of sticking with the place that’s something to consider. Thankfully the flooring in this property is new vinyl throughout, so I would think anything tracked in could be easily cleaned.
@Wesley W. That seems to be the consensus. The property is very rural, so we figured any tenet we got would have SOMETHING (large dog, RV storage, chickens etc) to consider. The Reno ended up completing at the worst time of year for getting it on the market, but we are prepared to hold for as long as necessary to get the right tenet. I didn’t realize chickens could be such an issue for the landlord (figured they’d cause less damage than dogs) but am now certainly leaning towards allowing these applicants to move on to greener pastures.
@Christi Hawkins thanks so much for your time and insights; it’s very helpful to hear from someone with experience with chickens! I grew up around them, but never tended to them myself, and so didn’t realize how much they entailed. It sounds like if this particular tenet is new to chicken rearing, I’d be better off passing on them. My partner is all about allowing them for the eggs alone lol. We have family that supply them to us currently and they really are the best!
Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
7y
Having had chickens, if there's a lawn in the backyard now, there won't be in the future. If you're ok with that or there isn't much of a lawn anyway, then do what you want. I have one property we told the tenants they could have chickens on. They never did though (yet). It's on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Chickens make nice eggs but they aren't known for hygiene.