Keeping backyard chickens is a wonderful thing to do. It has great experiences you can live and lessons that you can learn. On top of that you get eggs out of your pets and your eating healthier, what gets better then that? But there are a few things you can do to make it pleasant for all involved.
1. Fencing is a neighbor saver.
Though you like to free-range your chickens and give a healthy happy life be sure you a ready to do it. Before letting your girls out to roam free to scratch in your garden and look for tasty bugs, do you have a fence to protect your neighbor’s yard? You may not mind your hens roaming your yard but your neighbor’s do not like your chickens scratching their lawn, dust bathing in there yard, eating stuff from their garden or pooping on their porch. So be sure to get a good fence strong enough and tall enough to contain them in your yard.
2. Why else where alarm clocks invented?
Along the same lines not everyone finds the sound of a rooster crowing at 5 AM in the morning lovely. Though people move to the country it doesn’t mean that they were planning on a rooster crowing all day and night, or worse several roosters! If you want to keep your rooster while your neighbor has a problem you can try the fresh egg bribe but if that doesn’t work then you should re-think keeping a rooster, remember you don’t want to start a war, so if you need, try to find a nice home who will be willing to take him.
3. Don't share with the world
Many people are excited to get their new chicks and when they do they can’t help but want to share pictures with all their friends and family. Slowly but surely you find out you don’t have any more friends on facebook, why? They don’t all share your joy of chickens, not even a little. So try and resist posting day by day feedback and pictures of your chickens (but every once and awhile is fine) . You could create a page for that purpose, or you can create your own blog where you can update people who are interested, you can also find websites (https://www.backyardchickens.com/) where you can share with people who also have your enthusiasm. You’ll be thankful you did this and so will your facebook friends and family. While we are on the subject you don’t need to tell your spouse all about your chicken’s day, even though they appreciate the fresh eggs save such conversations with your new found chicken friends.
4. Keep it clean
Keeping your coop clean is important for your chickens to stay healthy, it is also nicer for you and your neighbors. When you don't clean your coop regularly you'll get an unhealthy stench that will spread, and when it spreads you'll get unhappy neighbors who smell chicken poop. So try and keep your coop clean regularly to avoid it, you could also look into using different herbs and flowers (such as: Basil, rose petals, and lavender) to create a nice smelling aroma in your coop and help your chickens health naturally. To learn more about it you can read these articles: Herbs, Flowers and Weeds for Chickens and Nest Box Aromatherapy.
After all is said and done your neighbors, friends, and family might also fall in love with your chickens like you, or have a flock of their own! That is great because our goal to make everyone become a backyard chicken owner, right? But until then we will have to try and live peaceably together for now.
1. Fencing is a neighbor saver.
Though you like to free-range your chickens and give a healthy happy life be sure you a ready to do it. Before letting your girls out to roam free to scratch in your garden and look for tasty bugs, do you have a fence to protect your neighbor’s yard? You may not mind your hens roaming your yard but your neighbor’s do not like your chickens scratching their lawn, dust bathing in there yard, eating stuff from their garden or pooping on their porch. So be sure to get a good fence strong enough and tall enough to contain them in your yard.
2. Why else where alarm clocks invented?
Along the same lines not everyone finds the sound of a rooster crowing at 5 AM in the morning lovely. Though people move to the country it doesn’t mean that they were planning on a rooster crowing all day and night, or worse several roosters! If you want to keep your rooster while your neighbor has a problem you can try the fresh egg bribe but if that doesn’t work then you should re-think keeping a rooster, remember you don’t want to start a war, so if you need, try to find a nice home who will be willing to take him.
3. Don't share with the world
Many people are excited to get their new chicks and when they do they can’t help but want to share pictures with all their friends and family. Slowly but surely you find out you don’t have any more friends on facebook, why? They don’t all share your joy of chickens, not even a little. So try and resist posting day by day feedback and pictures of your chickens (but every once and awhile is fine) . You could create a page for that purpose, or you can create your own blog where you can update people who are interested, you can also find websites (https://www.backyardchickens.com/) where you can share with people who also have your enthusiasm. You’ll be thankful you did this and so will your facebook friends and family. While we are on the subject you don’t need to tell your spouse all about your chicken’s day, even though they appreciate the fresh eggs save such conversations with your new found chicken friends.
4. Keep it clean
Keeping your coop clean is important for your chickens to stay healthy, it is also nicer for you and your neighbors. When you don't clean your coop regularly you'll get an unhealthy stench that will spread, and when it spreads you'll get unhappy neighbors who smell chicken poop. So try and keep your coop clean regularly to avoid it, you could also look into using different herbs and flowers (such as: Basil, rose petals, and lavender) to create a nice smelling aroma in your coop and help your chickens health naturally. To learn more about it you can read these articles: Herbs, Flowers and Weeds for Chickens and Nest Box Aromatherapy.
After all is said and done your neighbors, friends, and family might also fall in love with your chickens like you, or have a flock of their own! That is great because our goal to make everyone become a backyard chicken owner, right? But until then we will have to try and live peaceably together for now.
