Chickens & Your Home Owner's Insurance--Did You Know?

[QuillPen]

True story.

My friend has about 11 acres for his chickens to free range. He also lives along a main road. Of course 11 acres was not enough for one of the birds and she was hit by a passing vehicle. Damage to the vehicle was minor but she turned it in to her insurance. Her agent told her that my friend was liable and his home owner's insurance would cover it. My friend contacted his agent and this is correct.

Anyone who lives along a road and lets their chickens free range should check into this.

You all may already know this, but I didn't, so FYI!

 

[Ang]

Yep, I did know that. In fact, since we have a horse, we have some sort of rider to cover an accident if he is on the road and gets hit.

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

Depends on the state.
In Idaho it's just the opposite, if you hit a horse or cow or whatever on the road it's your fault.
go figure.

 

[patandchickens]

Pretty much in the East it's your legal responsibility to keep your livestock on your property, and in the West it's your legal responsibility to keep *other* peoples' livestock *off* your property and off the front bumper of your car. Sort of the difference between "good fences make good neighbors" and "don't fence me in"

(Well anyhow it used to be, don't know how much it may have changed.)

Pat

 

[d.k]

* What IS it with chickens and roads, ANYHOW???? Your friend has 11 WHOLE acres-- and at least one got in the road. My sweet but goofy chicken has 1/4 acre and she crossed the road TWICE just to sleep under the neighbor's camper!!! What's with that?? ~

 

[Miltonchix]

d.k :

* My sweet but goofy chicken has 1/4 acre and she crossed the road TWICE just to sleep under the neighbor's camper!!! ~

FINALLY!! The answer to "Why did the chicken cross the road....."

​

 

[QuillPen]

I wonder if chickens are like other animals that want to travel farther in the spring. I chased one of his banty roosters out of the road too last week. Maybe the grass really is greener on the other side.

I guess not too many people in my area know this liability rule. Last year, someone hit a neighbor's cow and that broohaha almost went to court. I ask you...who can't see a cow in the road?

We do use fences here; honestly, we really do!

 

[Blisschick]

I think here if the animal is in the road, it's your fault. I can't tell you how many times I've heard of people dying because they've hit cattle or a horse on a dark road at night. I know it can be hard sometimes for those with a lot of acreage to keep tabs on the condition of their fences, but when you've got old tree boughs for posts and the barbed wire is rusty and sagging...get a clue.

There's a place on the back road to my mom's job where a guy has a pond on his property near the road. It's not fenced in, so the ducks, chickens and geese end up meandering into traffic. Mom said it hasn't been unusual through the years to see multiple bodies on the road side. You'd think after loosing that much poultry he'd have fenced them in by now.

 

[Critter Crazy]

I have no idea what the rules here are, but we have 13 acres, for our birds to free range on, and we have lost 3 to the road! Go figure!!

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

In Louisiana if you hit livestock in a "no lose stock law area" then the animal's owner has pay for the damages. If it is a private road or if lose stock is legal then the driver is liable. I can remember when there where several roads that lose stock was legal in some very rural areas.