Neighbor hates my chickens- will she do them harm?

[TheSitcomGirls]

It's sad...but the time for reaching out has passed. I don't know how to go back either. For years we had refrained from doing many things with our property just to keep the peace with her. After my dad died and I decided to keep Spock...I found my little rooster empowering. He only crows 4 or 5 times a day....loud and proud. One little rooster amongst 23 hens! I'm glad I kept him despite all the problems.

DH wants to call the police as well....but I'm not quite there. Her husband does have several friends in the neighborhood....and right now we have an excellent relationship with all of our other neighbors-even the ones who he is friends with. I don't want to start a neighborhood war! But I need to protect my chickens!

Since crazy lady has so nicely marked the property line with stakes....I can put up a bunch of T-Posts just inside her line far enough from our chicken fence so we can still mow and run some electric wire. I did my research. Our town requires fencing to keep animals in a pen to be 10 ft from a property line and a pasture 3 ft. My new electric fence would not be fencing in animals...so I can go as close to the property line as I want. Plus no permit required for electric because it is considered "temporary" fencing. For insurance purposes we will put up electric fence signs. It is true that if someone with a heart condition condition grabs an electric fence that is not clearly marked and is injured...the person who put up the fence can be responsible. I will clearly mark the fence as electric so no one gets hurt!!!

But we are giving her the weekend to behave before putting up a fence......so far only silence from next door. But possibly that is only until she consults an attorney!

 

[mommacassey]

Wow. Just... wow. So sorry for all you're having to go through. I've thought for the last couple years that one of our neighbors was awful, but he's never been so bad as yours! (Not yet; we'll see if he thinks I have to get rid of my chickens after they arrive.)

 

[vintagegem]

personally I think your neighbor is a stinker! I'm so sorry you have been subjected to her mean and insensitive behavior, especially after such devastating losses. I'm sure she's just being a bigmouth and will not do any real harm, but it wouldn't hurt to mention that you have video surveillance around your coop, that should put the wind up her as we say in England!! Heres hoping she butts out and leaves you alone from now on. Enjoy your chooks and especially your rooster, I'm glad he makes you smile, may you have many more smiles to come

 

[Mac14]

Wow. Just wow. I can't even imagine what goes through her head. Maybe her cancer will make her reevaluate life and realize life is too precious to waste her time trying to bother (harass) people. Somehow. Well, just keep smiling and standing up for yourself!

 

[EmeraldIslander]

I joined this site to see what chicken owners do to keep the peace with their neighbors when their cockerels become a nuisance. I have found, at least on this site, that most chicken/rooster owners are very accommodating, even relocating their roosters if need be.

You have bent over backwards (if what you say is true, and I believe you) to keep the peace with your, shall I say "surly", neighbor.

The problem is clearly not your chickens/Spock. There is no call for the actions of your nutty neighbor. The only thing I can think of is she suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder, a person who thrives on "negative intimacy", and becomes bored and listless when there is peace.

Something needs to be done about her. It seems clear that others are aware of her and her mentality. If you cannot achieve peace with her by now, it will be impossible. Kudos to you for giving her many many MANY chances to be civil, but the time for patience and compassion is long over.

I am subscribed to your thread and I hope you can keep us updated. I am with you in spirit, if not in person.

Some people you just can never win over. Good luck!!!

 

[Blooie]

I'm all too familiar with BPD - my daughter was diagnosed at 13. She's now 43, and it only gets worse with age! . I describe this way : the person with BPD is a little motorboat putting over a quiet little lake. The rest of the family is left floundering in the wake that the sufferer never notices.

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

Well, she did keep quiet for the weekend... then a couple days after that she installed new speakers above the level of the partial 6 foot fence they have near the property line and pointed them towards our yard. She then cranked the music up again. However, she seems to be going out of her way to stand in her front yard when the music is playing....? Then last week the fun began again. Using florescent orange tape she created a barrier all the way down the property line. Then she placed a large pink flamingo next to the property line as well. She does appear in fact to be not all there. So this week we are applying for an special exception permit so the town will allow us to construct an 8 foot high wood stockade fence on the property line. 6 feet is all regular zoning allows. 8 feet should hopefully isolate us enough from her. OR if she objects to the fence... then she will have to stop with the noise. I believe our permit will be granted. Our town staff is so overworked that if we present them with a solution to the problem instead of just complaining about it they will more than likely grant us the permit. I don't think she will ever put up a fence... what then would she do with her time if she couldn't spy on us?

 

[halfbakedtulip]

Well, she did keep quiet for the weekend... then a couple days after that she installed new speakers above the level of the partial 6 foot fence they have near the property line and pointed them towards our yard. She then cranked the music up again. However, she seems to be going out of her way to stand in her front yard when the music is playing....? Then last week the fun began again. Using florescent orange tape she created a barrier all the way down the property line. Then she placed a large pink flamingo next to the property line as well. She does appear in fact to be not all there. So this week we are applying for an special exception permit so the town will allow us to construct an 8 foot high wood stockade fence on the property line. 6 feet is all regular zoning allows. 8 feet should hopefully isolate us enough from her. OR if she objects to the fence... then she will have to stop with the noise. I believe our permit will be granted. Our town staff is so overworked that if we present them with a solution to the problem instead of just complaining about it they will more than likely grant us the permit. I don't think she will ever put up a fence... what then would she do with her time if she couldn't spy on us?

I have been following this thread and I am just so shocked at her behaviour. I am so sorry you are going through this. I just got done trying to deal with the city about ways to get some privacy on one side of our property. Maybe her husband can be convinced to put her in a home?! LOL

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You got more tolerance than me. I would have gone to Plan B by now.

 

[Blammmo]

I would have ceased any form of communication with the individual at the start of this mess and slapped up a privacy fence at the start, no need for her to see your property, or for you to have to look at her, if I had to, I'd gate my driveway as well and just live life. Of course all of this would have happened while I was raising a flock of African geese mixed with as many guinea hens as I could afford to take in.