Neighbor hates my chickens- will she do them harm?

[TheSitcomGirls]

While Lucky is still doing fine, Bonus died last night. I believe she had a wonderful last few weeks as a house chicken. She terrorized the cat and slept in the dog bed. She roamed the house and due to my unsuccessful attempts with chicken diapers, pooped at will. She harassed the dogs when they ate and discovered that Lyla’s venison food was a delicacy that no chicken should be without. And I grew attached to her. I listened for the sound of her chicken feet on the wood floors and her funny greeting as soon as she heard me come in the back door. I will miss her.
My friend asked me if my puppy Mimi was sad that Bonus was gone. They were friends I would guess as much as a chicken and 70 pound dog with giant teeth can be. I thought about it and said I didn’t know. Mimi put her furry head on my knee and just stared as I held Bonus this morning after she died. I believe Mimi knows I’m sad. She stayed close today just in case I needed her.
I always used to believe that animals felt the same as people. That they shared our sense of loss when someone they loved disappeared. That was until my horse Borax died. He was 25 years old and had spent 18 years of that with his girlfriend Frances. They were inseparable. When he died we also had Jester and Grace, the same two horses we have now. Grace had not been with us a long time and based on her behavior and lack of soundness, I really was questioning why this horse had come into my life at all.
Borax had a bad leg and when winter paused and the ground thawed, we knew it was time to let him go. That morning as I watched him struggle to rise for the last time, I felt a sense of relief that soon it would be over. I would no longer have to worry that he was in pain. After I fed him as many apples as he would eat, we tranquilized Frances and left her locked in the barn. I walked Borax through our back pasture gate and towards the giant hole that our neighbor had dug the day before. After it was over despite the tranquilizer, I could hear Frances’s desperate whinny. It was sharp and clear like a bell that rang over and over again. The noise was so piercing it shut out every sound around her.
When I let Frances out into the pasture she frantically looked for Borax. Not running but sniffing the ground following his scent like a dog. I had never seen such a thing. Grace and Jester watched her but they did not join in. Frances ran until she was lathered and then she stopped at the gate to the back pasture where her beloved had begun his next journey without her. And there she stayed. Her now pitiful, low whinnies added sadness to my heart. I had considered putting her down when Borax went, but she was my DH’s horse of his heart and she was healthy. I just couldn’t take her away from him. My vet told me it would be OK. She would find comfort in the herd.
The next day Frances ran from the barn after another refused feeding. Then she galloped towards the back pasture gate. Only this time she didn’t make it. Grace cut her off, nipped her and in horse language told her to follow. And Frances did. She followed Grace like she used to follow Borax. Her head just to the outside of his hip. And the awful whinnying stopped. And that’s when I realized that Frances was going blind. Almost a year ago the vet told me she had cataracts. They must have worsened and I didn’t notice. I had thought that she trailed Borax everywhere because she was protecting him, but really it was the other way around.
Grace took Borax’s place as the leader of my little herd that day. I never again questioned why I had ended up with crazy, lame, nutty Grace. She became Frances’s eyes and as my old mare’s vision deteriorated she clung to Grace like a foal new to the world. And she stopped looking for Borax, the love of her life. Maybe somehow she knew would see him again. That right now she just needed to survive. Until I die I will never know for sure. I will just have to have faith that one day I will see all the people and animals again that I have loved and lost. And I will hold onto that belief so I can live in the moment and take care of the now.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

While Lucky is still doing fine, Bonus died last night. I believe she had a wonderful last few weeks as a house chicken. She terrorized the cat and slept in the dog bed. She roamed the house and due to my unsuccessful attempts with chicken diapers, pooped at will. She harassed the dogs when they ate and discovered that Lyla’s venison food was a delicacy that no chicken should be without. And I grew attached to her. I listened for the sound of her chicken feet on the wood floors and her funny greeting as soon as she heard me come in the back door. I will miss her.
My friend asked me if my puppy Mimi was sad that Bonus was gone. They were friends I would guess as much as a chicken and 70 pound dog with giant teeth can be. I thought about it and said I didn’t know. Mimi put her furry head on my knee and just stared as I held Bonus this morning after she died. I believe Mimi knows I’m sad. She stayed close today just in case I needed her.
I always used to believe that animals felt the same as people. That they shared our sense of loss when someone they loved disappeared. That was until my horse Borax died. He was 25 years old and had spent 18 years of that with his girlfriend Frances. They were inseparable. When he died we also had Jester and Grace, the same two horses we have now. Grace had not been with us a long time and based on her behavior and lack of soundness, I really was questioning why this horse had come into my life at all.
Borax had a bad leg and when winter paused and the ground thawed, we knew it was time to let him go. That morning as I watched him struggle to rise for the last time, I felt a sense of relief that soon it would be over. I would no longer have to worry that he was in pain. After I fed him as many apples as he would eat, we tranquilized Frances and left her locked in the barn. I walked Borax through our back pasture gate and towards the giant hole that our neighbor had dug the day before. After it was over despite the tranquilizer, I could hear Frances’s desperate whinny. It was sharp and clear like a bell that rang over and over again. The noise was so piercing it shut out every sound around her.
When I let Frances out into the pasture she frantically looked for Borax. Not running but sniffing the ground following his scent like a dog. I had never seen such a thing. Grace and Jester watched her but they did not join in. Frances ran until she was lathered and then she stopped at the gate to the back pasture where her beloved had begun his next journey without her. And there she stayed. Her now pitiful, low whinnies added sadness to my heart. I had considered putting her down when Borax went, but she was my DH’s horse of his heart and she was healthy. I just couldn’t take her away from him. My vet told me it would be OK. She would find comfort in the herd.
The next day Frances ran from the barn after another refused feeding. Then she galloped towards the back pasture gate. Only this time she didn’t make it. Grace cut her off, nipped her and in horse language told her to follow. And Frances did. She followed Grace like she used to follow Borax. Her head just to the outside of his hip. And the awful whinnying stopped. And that’s when I realized that Frances was going blind. Almost a year ago the vet told me she had cataracts. They must have worsened and I didn’t notice. I had thought that she trailed Borax everywhere because she was protecting him, but really it was the other way around.
Grace took Borax’s place as the leader of my little herd that day. I never again questioned why I had ended up with crazy, lame, nutty Grace. She became Frances’s eyes and as my old mare’s vision deteriorated she clung to Grace like a foal new to the world. And she stopped looking for Borax, the love of her life. Maybe somehow she knew would see him again. That right now she just needed to survive. Until I die I will never know for sure. I will just have to have faith that one day I will see all the people and animals again that I have loved and lost. And I will hold onto that belief so I can live in the moment and take care of the now.

Beautiful....thanks.

 

[hedylaymore]

Neighbors can be awful. We have a neighbor who cut down several of our trees so she could have a view of our pond! And another who became furious with me when I told her children they couldn't play ball on our property. We ended up fencing 14 acres. Very expensive, but worth it. We don't have a rooster, and our coop is nowhere near any neighbor's property. After reading this thread I'm thinking of getting a rooster or two!

 

[Kusanar]

[COLOR=000000]While Lucky is still doing fine, Bonus died last night. I believe she had a wonderful last few weeks as a house chicken. She terrorized the cat and slept in the dog bed. She roamed the house and due to my unsuccessful attempts with chicken diapers, pooped at will. She harassed the dogs when they ate and discovered that Lyla’s venison food was a delicacy that no chicken should be without. And I grew attached to her. I listened for the sound of her chicken feet on the wood floors and her funny greeting as soon as she heard me come in the back door. I will miss her.
My friend asked me if my puppy Mimi was sad that Bonus was gone. They were friends I would guess as much as a chicken and 70 pound dog with giant teeth can be. I thought about it and said I didn’t know. Mimi put her furry head on my knee and just stared as I held Bonus this morning after she died. I believe Mimi knows I’m sad. She stayed close today just in case I needed her.
I always used to believe that animals felt the same as people. That they shared our sense of loss when someone they loved disappeared. That was until my horse Borax died. He was 25 years old and had spent 18 years of that with his girlfriend Frances. They were inseparable. When he died we also had Jester and Grace, the same two horses we have now. Grace had not been with us a long time and based on her behavior and lack of soundness, I really was questioning why this horse had come into my life at all.
Borax had a bad leg and when winter paused and the ground thawed, we knew it was time to let him go. That morning as I watched him struggle to rise for the last time, I felt a sense of relief that soon it would be over. I would no longer have to worry that he was in pain. After I fed him as many apples as he would eat, we tranquilized Frances and left her locked in the barn. I walked Borax through our back pasture gate and towards the giant hole that our neighbor had dug the day before. After it was over despite the tranquilizer, I could hear Frances’s desperate whinny. It was sharp and clear like a bell that rang over and over again. The noise was so piercing it shut out every sound around her.
When I let Frances out into the pasture she frantically looked for Borax. Not running but sniffing the ground following his scent like a dog. I had never seen such a thing. Grace and Jester watched her but they did not join in. Frances ran until she was lathered and then she stopped at the gate to the back pasture where her beloved had begun his next journey without her. And there she stayed. Her now pitiful, low whinnies added sadness to my heart. I had considered putting her down when Borax went, but she was my DH’s horse of his heart and she was healthy. I just couldn’t take her away from him. My vet told me it would be OK. She would find comfort in the herd.
The next day Frances ran from the barn after another refused feeding. Then she galloped towards the back pasture gate. Only this time she didn’t make it. Grace cut her off, nipped her and in horse language told her to follow. And Frances did. She followed Grace like she used to follow Borax. Her head just to the outside of his hip. And the awful whinnying stopped. And that’s when I realized that Frances was going blind. Almost a year ago the vet told me she had cataracts. They must have worsened and I didn’t notice. I had thought that she trailed Borax everywhere because she was protecting him, but really it was the other way around.
Grace took Borax’s place as the leader of my little herd that day. I never again questioned why I had ended up with crazy, lame, nutty Grace. She became Frances’s eyes and as my old mare’s vision deteriorated she clung to Grace like a foal new to the world. And she stopped looking for Borax, the love of her life. Maybe somehow she knew would see him again. That right now she just needed to survive. Until I die I will never know for sure. I will just have to have faith that one day I will see all the people and animals again that I have loved and lost. And I will hold onto that belief so I can live in the moment and take care of the now.[/COLOR]

I had one get down in a stall and we had to put him down there in the barn, my herd leader was looking for him when they all went outside,thunder (herd leader) was outside when we put doodle down because doodle was in thunders stall. Thunder looked around and called for him, no answer so he started getting upset. I caught him and took him in the barn to see the body, he looked in, sniffed him, and walked back outside. He never looked for him again, he was just checking on a weakened herd member and when he knew the status he was fine, probably relieved that he didn't have to take care of him anymore.

 

[Cluckies]

Sorry for the loss of Bonus Beautiful story of your heard. thanks for sharing.

 

[chickmommy1985]

I just spent way too much of my day reading this whole thread but it was great. I'm happy you are still posting to it. I laughed cried and got angry multiple times. You are a great writer, i feel like i lived it with you. I know this is very late but I'm sorry for the loss of your patents. April is a hard month for me my grandmother and mother in law both passed in April a year apart from one another. Cancer sucks. Anyway i hope you continue to update this thread im hooked now!

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

Today is was almost 60 degrees!!! Warmth, sun... amazing! I spent some time spreading the goat manure pile I made this winter. Best to do it now before the flies come. There was still snow under it! And of course as soon as I started spreading the real stinky stuff the puppy rolled in it! Now she smells like moist goat manure and hay. Lovely. Imagine my surprise when I looked up from my task and through the giant arborvitae I could see crazy lady and her GSD on her back deck. I couldn't see her clearly mind you, but I could see her completely. I felt sick.

Crazy Lady has apparently decided she likes country music. That's what's been cranked up lately for the only few warm days we have had so far. I heard the chain saw going today above the loud music. What they were doing next door was cutting holes in the arborvitae. I can see daylight through the trees now. I can see the side of their garage. At first I though it must be because she was trying to watch me again. But the holes are right near the speaker attached to their shed. I heard her spewing a cackling fake laugh today and shouting, "That's perfect." But she didn't sound as load as she usually does. She didn't sound like herself. I think there may be some truth to her being sick again. I really hope that when I get to the end of my life I don't spend that time figuring out the best way to hurt someone else. I hope by then I don't have hate in my heart for anyone.

As much as I disliked the freezing cold and snow this winter, I did like not having to think about Crazy Lady... but now she's back. I can't put a higher fence to cover the holes but there is something I can do. I'm going to plant a Weeping Willow Tree. The biggest one I can find. It's a perfect location... some shade and very wet ground. It will grow big and wide and the dense leaves will shield me from the crazy next door-no matter how many holes she cuts in those trees. Then I can get back to the business of being happy about Spring!

 

[Kusanar]

Today is was almost 60 degrees!!! Warmth, sun... amazing! I spent some time spreading the goat manure pile I made this winter. Best to do it now before the flies come. There was still snow under it! And of course as soon as I started spreading the real stinky stuff the puppy rolled in it! Now she smells like moist goat manure and hay. Lovely. Imagine my surprise when I looked up from my task and through the giant arborvitae I could see crazy lady and her GSD on her back deck. I couldn't see her clearly mind you, but I could see her completely. I felt sick.

Crazy Lady has apparently decided she likes country music. That's what's been cranked up lately for the only few warm days we have had so far. I heard the chain saw going today above the loud music. What they were doing next door was cutting holes in the arborvitae. I can see daylight through the trees now. I can see the side of their garage. At first I though it must be because she was trying to watch me again. But the holes are right near the speaker attached to their shed. I heard her spewing a cackling fake laugh today and shouting, "That's perfect." But she didn't sound as load as she usually does. She didn't sound like herself. I think there may be some truth to her being sick again. I really hope that when I get to the end of my life I don't spend that time figuring out the best way to hurt someone else. I hope by then I don't have hate in my heart for anyone.

As much as I disliked the freezing cold and snow this winter, I did like not having to think about Crazy Lady... but now she's back. I can't put a higher fence to cover the holes but there is something I can do. I'm going to plant a Weeping Willow Tree. The biggest one I can find. It's a perfect location... some shade and very wet ground. It will grow big and wide and the dense leaves will shield me from the crazy next door-no matter how many holes she cuts in those trees. Then I can get back to the business of being happy about Spring!

Ugh, I think I would have gone crazy by now if I had to live next to that.... On a funny note though... We took my little dog (13 pound chaweenie) to my farm (nothing out there yet, working on getting it ready for the horses first) a few weekends ago.... he found a big pile of bear poop to roll in.... now THAT smelled lovely.... he had to ride home on the back of the truck!

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

Crazy Lady installed a tarp tent right next to the chickens in her front yard. Then all day Tuesday blasted music so loud I could actually hear it in the house. And I have a witness this time! I had someone here at that time to give me an estimate to plant two trees in front of the tarp tent to help cut down on the music noise. The music is not as loud when they play it from the back yard even with the holes they cut in the Arborvitae. Our garage blocks most of that noise. But when she blasts it in the front yard under her new tarp it means that I can hear it in my office. I put earplugs in so it wasn’t so bad. Spock is worth it. But then I wondered why Crazy Lady didn’t crank it up yesterday and today.

It’s because Crazy Lady complained to the town again! I sort of thought she was done complaining and had decided to take matters into her own hands again because she was harassing us with her music. Last time she stopped when she had the town coming out here. But this AM a zoning enforcement officer was here and spoke to us for a half an hour. He did not hear a rooster but we admitted that we had two of course. Now what happens is he goes back to the head zoning officer who will decide what to do. They have many options. I think he would have preferred if we would just agree to get rid of Spock and Warren Harding so Crazy Lady would go away.

Apparently this same zoning guy was out here twice before in the fall. Once to tell her our fence was not too close to the property line. The second to tell her that in fact there was no “site view” obstruction. He also sat in her yard for five hours at some point. He did not hear any rooster noise. Maybe with the trees and the fences there was none to hear. Spock does crow during the day about every 2 hours or so. We could have lied. But we are not liars. He said that if the town didn’t do anything she could go to “town council”, “the zoning board” and her state representative. I’m not sure if he told her she would do that or he was just telling us that she could do that. Either way, go right ahead Crazy Lady. The ultimate place we will end up in is in court. We are 100% ready to air her pattern of harassment as part of our defense.

Our defense, if we do end up in an actual court of law, is according to my DH the “Clean Hands” doctrine. In a nutshell it means that because Crazy Lady behaved unethically and acted in bad faith with respect to trying to force us to get rid of Spock, then she is not entitled to have the court enforce anything in regards to the rooster. In other words…you can’t take the law into your own hands and then when that fails ask the courts to enforce what you couldn’t. So when Spock crowed his mighty first crow and it bothered her she could have asked us to get rid of him and I would have. I had spoken to every neighbor and told them exactly the same thing. But she didn’t do that. She put up birdfeeders and speakers and well….we all know what she did to us after that…what she’s still doing to us. And I guess she really must not be sick like my parents were when they were dying. Last night she was laughing hysterically LOUDLY when I went to take care of my horses at 8:00 as soon as she heard me walk through the gate. That must be when the town had called her and said they would come out here.

And to date… we have not done anything to retaliate. Our hands are clean.

Crazy Lady's new tarp tent:

 

[aart]

Oy Vey!