I knew I'd deal with this when the elderly, one-screw-loose woman who lives across from my driveway built a coop (directly across from the end of my drive). Well, it's a big open cage with another open closet-like thing in one corner where they roost, that has no door to close to keep out the wind or snow. This winter, being only two little hens, they'll probably freeze to death or get frostbite, but they may not live until then. I've heard from another neighbor who buys my eggs that she saw chickens out in the road and she wondered if they were mine, but she knew I had a perimeter fence and kept my gate closed. I told her they were this other woman's, I was sure. She was surprised that my older neighbor had chickens, even said that was not a good location in which to free range birds, the crossroads of several very untraveled, dark gravel roads that are predator highways.
I have a driveway gate a few feet in from the end of my 200' driveway. It stays closed all the time unless I'm expected a delivery. The fencing just around the gate is low, not quite 4'. Today, I saw her two GC pullets at my gate pecking around. I told my DH when he went to get the mail to tell her in no uncertain terms that her birds were not to be on my property, period, that they were a danger to my flock, that we have a biosecure area and do not allow birds to enter our property. If chickens leave here with a new buyer, they cannot return, either. So, of course, he delivered the message.
Her response? She doesn't keep track of where her chickens go, they go where they want. She says to him, you have a fence, they can't get in so he tells her that any chicken can hop over a low fence to go wherever it wants. He then tells her a storm is coming in and it's already raining then he finds out when it rains, her birds find cover wherever they can, she doesn't go out and put them inside or watch out for them at all. As dark as it is during these storms, a hen hunkered under a bush is easy pickings for a fox strolling by. And she was the one telling us when they were less than 10 weeks of age that two little chicks were SO much trouble, ack! How? She doesn't look after them, they roam at will wherever, even on the neighbors' property. Funny, she said they were so much work way back when she first got them, she told DH that we might end up with two new chickens, but he told her then no way, that we do not take in started birds for biosecurity reasons, that we don't risk our healthy flock. BUT, she's dense as the Prudential Rock and didn't hear that.
Unfortunately, I may find myself having to make them disappear to keep them away from my flocks . She'll call whining asking if I've seen her chickens, even if I had nothing to do with it. The foxes, coyotes, roaming domestic dogs, raccoons she used to feed or any number of predators will end her chicken keeping hobby for her. I just hope it doesn't have to be me, but I will not tolerate them coming here. I don't know where she got them or what measures she takes to keep them healthy, but I doubt any, considering her attitude today. Maybe if she loses them, she'll turn that coop into a storage shed and not get more chickens. What I really dread is if she gets a wild hair and decides to get a rooster. That won't end well, especially if he comes over to challenge mine. He will be executed on the spot. I know you may think I'm borrowing trouble but I've lived across the road from this fruit loop for 12 years and I pretty well can gauge what she's going to do sometimes.
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I have a driveway gate a few feet in from the end of my 200' driveway. It stays closed all the time unless I'm expected a delivery. The fencing just around the gate is low, not quite 4'. Today, I saw her two GC pullets at my gate pecking around. I told my DH when he went to get the mail to tell her in no uncertain terms that her birds were not to be on my property, period, that they were a danger to my flock, that we have a biosecure area and do not allow birds to enter our property. If chickens leave here with a new buyer, they cannot return, either. So, of course, he delivered the message.
Her response? She doesn't keep track of where her chickens go, they go where they want. She says to him, you have a fence, they can't get in so he tells her that any chicken can hop over a low fence to go wherever it wants. He then tells her a storm is coming in and it's already raining then he finds out when it rains, her birds find cover wherever they can, she doesn't go out and put them inside or watch out for them at all. As dark as it is during these storms, a hen hunkered under a bush is easy pickings for a fox strolling by. And she was the one telling us when they were less than 10 weeks of age that two little chicks were SO much trouble, ack! How? She doesn't look after them, they roam at will wherever, even on the neighbors' property. Funny, she said they were so much work way back when she first got them, she told DH that we might end up with two new chickens, but he told her then no way, that we do not take in started birds for biosecurity reasons, that we don't risk our healthy flock. BUT, she's dense as the Prudential Rock and didn't hear that.
Unfortunately, I may find myself having to make them disappear to keep them away from my flocks . She'll call whining asking if I've seen her chickens, even if I had nothing to do with it. The foxes, coyotes, roaming domestic dogs, raccoons she used to feed or any number of predators will end her chicken keeping hobby for her. I just hope it doesn't have to be me, but I will not tolerate them coming here. I don't know where she got them or what measures she takes to keep them healthy, but I doubt any, considering her attitude today. Maybe if she loses them, she'll turn that coop into a storage shed and not get more chickens. What I really dread is if she gets a wild hair and decides to get a rooster. That won't end well, especially if he comes over to challenge mine. He will be executed on the spot. I know you may think I'm borrowing trouble but I've lived across the road from this fruit loop for 12 years and I pretty well can gauge what she's going to do sometimes.
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Too right, people not looking after there animals drives me insane. I think if it were me I would be making them disappear. They are obviously going to suffer at the teeth of some predator roaming as they seem to be doing. Why do people get animals they obviously don't want to put the time and effort into? She does not keep track of her birds!! OMG I know where mine are all the time I would be nervous wreck especially with polish as they need guidance just to free range in the garden. Hope you sort your problem out soon and I really do hope she does not get any more birds for your sake and theirs.
