Am I helping or hurting? I

[SandyRiverChick]

I have 5 Rhode Island Red hens that produce more eggs than I need. I also added 16 chicks (females) this year. Not for eggs or even meat but just because I enjoy them. What eggs I don’t eat I give away. It works well for me because normally I get a bag of feed every month from those I give eggs to.

RIR's can be a bit.... testy, about newbies so it sounds like you really do have all you can/want to handle in your own coop. I think your idea of just helping out these poor livin off the lander's with some shelter is a good one, without integrating to your own flock. That is such a process in and of itself because you'd have to quarantine them, then play the game of let's all get along, etc. Maybe your temp shelter will turn into a place to donate all of your wood scraps and eventually be a wayward chicken hostel. I totaly hear you about not getting confrontational with neighbors. I always thought that by not living in an "actual" neighborhood I'd have enough privacy via my own land to not have to deal, but it just doesn't matter how much land you have, crazy is crazy and I keep the peace instead of provoking it. I hope the momma+chicks enjoy peaceful nights thanks to you!!

 

[babyratt]

They ended

oh, that stinks!!!! I’m so sorry you have one of those neighbors. Do you think you will let them into your coop?

Do what you need to. God bless your soul.

 

[OklaSteve]

So here is what I have decided to do. I have an old coop that is very small. It was given to me when I started raising chickens last year. It’s only good for a couple of chickens but it will provide some safety at night if she wants to use it. If in a few days I see she is not using it I will put it back up. But I am going to leave 2 of the 3 doors open. This way I don’t feel like I am over stepping and I might still be doing some good. And my kids wonder why I don’t like most people. Lol

 

[babyratt]

So here is what I have decided to do. I have an old coop that is very small. It was given to me when I started raising chickens last year. It’s only good for a couple of chickens but it will provide some safety at night if she wants to use it. If in a few days I see she is not using it I will put it back up. But I am going to leave 2 of the 3 doors open. This way I don’t feel like I am over stepping and I might still be doing some good. And my kids wonder why I don’t like most people. Lol

That sounds like a wonderful plan

 

[NatJ]

Now I do not want nor need these chicks but I hate to see them get injured or eaten by a coyote. So if you are still with me here is my question. Would it be wrong for me to open up a small moveable coop so the mama and her babies can have somewhere to go at night. I don’t know if they will even be willing to use it but I would like to give them all the best chance I can. What do you think?

If you leave the coop open, so the hen and chicks are free to come and go, I am sure it would not be wrong.

But an open coop will not protect them from coyotes, either.

If you close the hen and chicks into the coop, that can keep out coyotes, but might cause trouble with your neighbor (because they might think you are "stealing" their hen & chicks.)

I do not know what would be best for you to do, just pointing out that I see problems or potential problems either way.

 

[raingarden]

I don't think they will go into a strange coop. Roosting in the trees would seem safer to them.

They are not your chickens. You know it and the neighbor knows it. Be careful about provoking something.

 

[Battlepants]

If you close the hen and chicks into the coop, that can keep out coyotes, but might cause trouble with your neighbor (because they might think you are "stealing" their hen & chicks.)

You might still have the degree of disconnect to say "a wild hen came onto my property and I was just doing this to protect them from the elements."

This does get hairy again if your neighbor knows that their hen is on your property though.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Your neighbor is raising chickens the way they have been raised for thousands of years on farms worldwide. Thousands of years. I understand how much horror that brings out in many people but I will point out they are not dead yet. That's almost certainly the way his father and grandfather raised them. Your neighbor may be crazy or his attitude may just be different from yours. He probably thinks you are as crazy as you think he is.

Those are his chickens. If you lock them up that could be considered theft. From your screen name you are possibly in Oklahoma. I don't know what your state laws are about that. If they are on your property you may have certain rights, but that's usually only if they are causing damage. You can chat with your local law enforcement, or probably better your local animal control, to see what they say or you can do as you will. I don't know what the consequences might be.