ARRGHH ~ New 2-legged Predator!

[JessicaGrant]

Holy crow! I can't imagine letting a two year old wander freely. Or a four year old! The parents need a wake up call before something dreadful happens. My neighbor's six year old shows up knocking at our door without her parents knowing it and I think that is really careless but at least she knows not to wander into the road or to go to far. I know at two my kids didn't have the sense god gave a chicken! ;-)

 

[Pumpkinpup]

This is real serious stuff! Sounds as if someone needs to get Family and Childrens Services involved before one of these children ends up dead or maimed for life!
As for the chicken situation, I think a lock is the right answer there. I would not worry too much about the 3 that roosted elsewhere. Most chickens have a sense of "Home" and they will likely return.
Whatever you end up doing, Good Luck and I hope it all turns out well for everyone involved.

 

[karanleaf]

Red there has already been a lot of good advice posted here...

I agree have the pastor or church elder talk with her... the children are in danger.... thank goodness that you and the other neighbors care enough to try to keep an eye on those young ones.. Their mother needs to be woke up that if family service steps in she may lose her children if something more terriable doesn't happen to them.. I pray not

With the coop put a latch up high where the kids can't reach it. If that's not do able lock it.. Hope your wandering chickens make it home..

Karan

 

[fullhouse]

Please call CPS. I know that's not what you want to do, but the children are out of the house 3 doors down unsupervised, it is NOT ok. It's not like one snuck out and she came looking for him or this is the first time it's happened.

 

[georgiegirl]

I have a problem with my small neighbors too. DH saw a little hand coming under my fence trying to catch my baby chicks the other day and noticed that several chicks were out in my back yard.

He hollared at the little hand and it ran into the house. He had pulled up the chicken wire that I had burried around the run to keep the babies in and they were running around all over the place. We finally got them all rounded up and the pen fixed with a solid piece of plywood. I wanted to put a sign on the fence..."The next hand I see under my fence will be cut off and fed to the big chickens!!!" DH wouldnt let me.

 

[Buster]

For the sake of your chickens, you should lock your coop to keep the kids out. I am not big on getting involved in other people's affairs, but if you think the kids are in danger, it is up to you to call CPS if you feel you need to. You can do it anonymously and she would never know it was you. I thought I was going to have to call them on my brother and his wife once but someone else beat me to it. The warning was sufficient enough for them to change several behaviors and make things better for their children. Just a thought.

 

[Miltonchix]

Sounds like the mother at least is not a crack head or worse if you see her in church. Talk to her/your bishop. He may have some good advice.
PLEASE, make a call to CPS only as a last resort. They tend to do one of two things.
#1 NOTHING
#2 OVER REACT and RUIN LIVES.

 

[TT]

I would definetly put a lock/latch on the coop so they can look but not turn loose. I would also have a talk with the parents or as others have said the pastor or maybe a group of you could get together and talk to the parents. Make sure they understand that you don't mind the kids being there that you like them, but you are worried about their safety. It only takes a second for something horrible to happen to children. I have a 3 1/2 year old and we live in the middle of nowhere, but I know where he is at all times when he goes into the back yard to play.

Good luck.

 

[nautical_bouy]

The call is tough, you said you babysit, the parents trust you..
Letting the kids wander is not good with out an adult.

Speak to the parents, firmly.

If your a softy like I, write a letter,,,seeing the chickies is one thing, at that age alone is not good.



Your in a very uncomfortable position, just remember if your silent and a kid gets hit by a car.... How will you feel?

That incubator needs to wake up, she is not a mother, those babys need attention,, I lost everything fighting for my kids who are 5 and 8,,, I hate to leave them with a babysitter, there is no roaming the neighborhood.

 

[JennsPeeps]

To protect your flock, I agree with the others' advice that you should put a better latch on the door. Even a carabiner on a hasp up high could help keep the kids out of the coop area.

If the children hadn't already both experienced injuries as a result of being unsupervised, I wouldn't advise contacting CPS. However, both have been hurt as a result of their wandering, and yet it continues. You should contact someone. Let it be CPS' decision what intervention, if any, needs to happen. That's their job.

People called CPS on my parents twice (I'm nearly 34 now). Once was a neighbor who never saw my folks feed me. I was clearly a thriving baby, so no CPS intervention. Another time when I was in HS a woman who had it in for my family said that our priest was abusing my brother. We all got interviewed, it was clearly a false accusation, and CPS did nothing.