Help! Neighbors are complaining!

[ChucktheChick]

Egg 'em!!!!!! No just kidding!!!! Dont do that..... oops. I think that would be nice to talk face to face with them. Try offering eggs, and if they refuse, just say, its just like the eggs from the store, only brown! Some people just dont find joy in animals like we do, and that is sometimes very frustrating. I know about it. Annoying.. I really hope the best of luck to you and hope you can keep your fluffy butts. I really do.

 

[liz9910]

If you lived there before a neighborhood covenants was made, they really shouldn't hold ground with this. If that was put in there specifically for you and your chickens, fight back but do it nicely as everyone has stated. Check your local laws and be sure you're in compliance there before taking the neighborhood watch on.
I have a neighbor that would complain when my chickens would go over to his yard. We kept them out of his yard, now we're in good standing. Some people just don't 'get' having chickens so maybe if you talked to them about having them and their personalities and just how pet-like they are, they may lighten up. If not, deliver them some eggs overnight. To their front door. Really hard.

 

[4 the Birds]

We do not have an HOA or neighborhood board of any kind. I don't know who would enforce the covenants, or how I would go about changing them. It looks like that will take some researching. They were put in place in 1986 when the neighborhood was first built, but we have only been here for 6 1/2 years. We do not have any roosters. This is what I wrote back to my neighbor:

Huh? You received the neighborhood covenants but there is no Home Owners Association or a board president? If you have a covenants to adhere to then you have someone or a group overseeing the covenants. Makes no sense... I would look into that. Talking with you neighbor face to face is far better than swapping notes.

You could mention that you are willing to build a VERY TALL board fence structure between your properties to block noise. They may not mind a little "clucking" over looking at a big ugly fence and change their posturing.

 

[barnaclebob]

You need to find out who enforces the covenants. Also how big is your lot and how close are the chickens to your neighbors house. Unless your lot is very large I agree with someone else that 16 chickens seems like a lot. Is your coop visible from their house and does it look presentable or does it look like something from a 3rd world country? I assume there is no smell like most of our coops. Many people may see 3-6 chickens as a garden accessory or lawn ornament while 16 may be "farm sized". Maybe its time to teach your kids about where their meat comes from and that its ok to raise your own animals for meat production.

You can also research the covenants to see if they are breaking any of them. They may decide that having chickens next door isnt so bad if their shed is too close to the fence or something like that.

Finally you could get an automatic pop door that keeps them inside the coop until most of them have layed.

 

[furbabymum]

You need to find out who enforces the covenants. Also how big is your lot and how close are the chickens to your neighbors house. Unless your lot is very large I agree with someone else that 16 chickens seems like a lot. Is your coop visible from their house and does it look presentable or does it look like something from a 3rd world country? I assume there is no smell like most of our coops. Many people may see 3-6 chickens as a garden accessory or lawn ornament while 16 may be "farm sized". Maybe its time to teach your kids about where their meat comes from and that its ok to raise your own animals for meat production.

You can also research the covenants to see if they are breaking any of them. They may decide that having chickens next door isnt so bad if their shed is too close to the fence or something like that.

Finally you could get an automatic pop door that keeps them inside the coop until most of them have layed.

Plus handing a dead chicken over to the neighbor might be quite entertaining!!!!!!!! I kid, kind of.

 

[roostersandhens]

I think you should talk to her face to face.
Good Luck!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Just to play the devil's advocate.

16 is quite a flock of chickens to have as close neighbors. If you have continually added to your flock, there might be a concern that you will continue to add to your flock. 16 girls are going to be much more noisy than 3-5.

Maybe if you reduced your flock, it would help.

I don't know how big an area you are talking about, but 16 is a fair number of birds for a back yard flock, with close neighbors.

MrsK

I agree with Mrs. K. 16 chickens is a LOT to have in town next to a neighbor's house. It would make a lot more sense to have say, three birds in town vs. 16, which is getting into small farm territory.

I also agree about building a tall, solid fence.

 

[iluvsedward]

If you have any roosters, consider getting rid of them, it seems to me you really should downsize your flock.

 

[moetrout]

In order for those covenants to be binding you would have had to signa a copy of them, usually at the closing on your house. I recall reading a story on here where the HOA failed to have the homeowner sign them and I think that worked in the home owners favor. Did you sign them? If not then fight it!

Glad I live in the country. I am pretty sure my neighbors know better than to complain to me, this redneck don't care! We don't even have a noise ordinance around here. Complain to me that I am noisy and I will show you what noisy really is.

 

[Rachy]

I know this isn't a great solution but you could reduce the number of chickens you have. I would have trouble choosng the ones to keep, so I realise it's not a great idea but I thought I'd throw it in there x