Chicken wars!

[Souperchicken]

Just want to see what people think and not sure where this post fits in all the topics....but my dad lives in an area that is county land. He has 5 acres of land, 4 of which he leases out to a friend to grow alfalfa and sell as hay. A neighbor who lives nearby owns chickens and lets them free range all day (every day) on my dad's alfalfa field.

There are over 20 chickens and my dad has talked to this man many times asking/telling him to not let his chickens free range on the alfalfa. The sheriff said there is nothing they can do about it. This has gone on for several years and my dad is fuming. A large area of the field has been eaten short over the years and is continuing to grow larger and so is the flock!

He has tried to catch them, but the chickens out smart him and flee to the safety of their owner's property when he or his car is in sight. Last time I talked to him he was building a trap......


What would you do? Creative ideas?? Can his neighbor legally do this?

 

[guinea fowl galore]

Quote:
I don't know.
But when they are on your property, they are feral animals and you can do whatever you like to them. Keep them, catch them, sell them, take them to the pound, kill them, eat them.
yeah, your allowed to do this cause their on YOUR property.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A lot depends on the county ordinances. Most state that livestock must stay on your own property but some don't mention anything about it in which case there would be no recourse other than treating them as feral IMO.

 

[Frosty]

Check the laws... in a lot of states, if the animal is doing damage you can legally hold them until the owner pays restitution.

 

[greeneggsandham]

Your dad needs to start sending him bills for the damage and loss of income due to the chickens destroying the hay. I would send them as certified mail. Alfalfa hay around CT, RI, and MA goes for about $7 to $15 per bale depending on when and where you get it. So if they get say 400 bales @ $7 that's $2800. I know I wouldn't want to lose that money.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

You could also suggest to your father that he get some bird dogs to run loose in the hay fields. They won't eat much (if any) of the hay, but they are almost certain to catch a few birds. He could also start taking his shotgun out there to protect his crops.

I think perhaps he misunderstood what the sheriff said, which was probably that he (the sheriff) had no authority to deal with it, not that your dad could not take steps.

The certified letter and a bill for damages seems like a very good start.

 

[mamawolf544]

You need to check your State laws. Texas is a free range state. We can protect our animals at all cost from predators, animal or human. But we cannot harm livestock that is free ranging on our property. That is why you live in the country, you take the good with the bad. I have a hard time keeping my own free range flock from getting in my garden. I am on 12.5 acres and when I lease the back portion I put a revision in that all my animals free range the entire property.
But that is why I moved to the middle of nowhere.

 

[redhen]

Yup... I agree, get a dog.
It'd be better if he could trap them though... so the chickens dont have to be injured.
Also..WHY cant the police do anything about this..? Thats a bunch of bull...they are on your property!! I'd call around to other people... the police..town hall..your mayor/selectmen... even board of health..(chickens carry disease, ya know..

)..i'd try anyone.
The people that said they cant do anything about this have to have a boss... go above their head! Make a BIG stink about it...

 

[Souperchicken]

My dad was told by the sheriff he couldn't use a gun - too many neighbors nearby. This neighbor is pretty shady, several years ago he bought hay from my dad's friend and never paid for it.
I'm going to look into what the ordinances say for his area. Thanks for the replies!

 

[pringle]

If you cant shoot them then either set out traps or get a bird dog and let him run on your property during the day to scare the chickens away.And eventually they will stop coming back.