Keeping birds
Alice Springs residents may keep domestic birds, suitably contained within their property, without a permit. Council will only become involved if your birds become a nuisance to neighbours, or a health hazard.
Domestic birds include fowl, ducks, geese, turkey, quail, pigeon and pheasant. There are also a few native bird species that do not require a permit, such as finches, budgies, galahs and lorikeets.
For a comprehensive list, click here.
To keep other native bird species, permission from NTG Parks and Wildlife is required. NTG Parks & Wildlife Rangers can be contacted on 8951 8250 or 0401 115 731.
Keeping domestic fowl
Chickens must be contained in a secure, fenced yard or chicken-run, and not closer to a human dwelling than 1.2 metres. There is no restriction on the number of chickens allowed on a property, however possessing dozens of chickens may cause nuisance to neighbours with noise and offensive odours.
Remember, mice love bird seed! And, where’s there’s mice, they may be snakes. Council’s Rangers recommend keeping aviaries and coops clean off debris caused by seed and droppings. A clean coop has the added advantage of keeping your birds disease and parasite free.
Seed feeders are great for reducing debris and remember to secure your seed stocks in airtight containers.
Roosters can cause problems in residential areas, so please consider the following before you purchase one:
- A rooster is not required for hens to lay eggs
- A rooster means more chicks and can quickly lead to over-population
- Roosters can be aggressive and may attack adults or children
- Roosters don’t just crow at the break of dawn – they can crow at all hours of the day and night, leading to complaints to Council lodged by your neighbours
- Probably best not to get a rooster.
Ducks and geese need and love water, so be prepared to clean their ponds at least every second day, especially in summer months. If not well maintained, a duck pond can quickly become rancid and a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Stay on the good side of your neighbours and keep your pond fresh. Ducks and geese can also be very noisy, aggressive neighbours.