Common to steal chickens?

[davekrista]

I went outside a little while ago to take my 5 y/o to her bus (afternoon kindergarted) and I saw this strange guy in the woods staring at my chickens. He was talking on his cell phone. Our chicken coop is kind of on the property line, and in the back is all woods. We only have 1 neighbor and it wasn't him. There was no cars around so I assume he came up through the woods. I noticed the hens were all standing erect and all looking in the same direction - at the guy. At first i didn't see him but as I got closer he started walking towards the woods. My girls were fine so I also went around to the other side where we keep the ducklings and they were also fine. I couldn't see the guy or where he went but I could still here him on the phone, so I'm not sure who he was, why he was "hiding" or what he planned to do, but how common is it for someone to steal chickens? I keep looking out the window and called my husband. Hubby told me to call the cops but I have no idea where he went to now and I don't want to seem overly paranoid, but I can't for the live of me figure out why he was watching the chickens and walked away when I went there....... Any ideas? Should I be worried about waking up tomorrow to missing hens?

 

[Imp]

Call the cops & lock the coop. Doesn't sound paranoid to me. If he was up to good, he would have knocked on your door and introduced himself, not run away.

Imp- better safe then sorry.

 

[suzettex5]

Personally, I would be waaaaayyy more concerned with my personal safety. This guy sounds like he was casing your place and watching your habits. Sorry if this alarms you, but I wanted to alert you to the possibilty he was a bad guy after more than chickens. PLease do all you can to be safe and alert with your child and yourself, just in case.

Oh, and some people have stolen chickens, so it is possible.

 

[Mattemma]

I would call the police.He is not a neighbor and is lurking in the woods. I see on the news a mom,her friend,and 2 kids are missing.The one kid(13yo girl) was found 4 days later tied up in a man's basement.They have not found the rest. Better safe than sorry! If it was permitted a shot or 2 in the air to let that man know you are armed.

 

[Chickenaddict]

It is very common here to have chickens stolen. I personally have never had any stolen but know plenty of people who have. I have both my coop and run locked when I am away. I have however seen my creepy drug addict neighbor behind my coop snooping around, next day one of my hens was dead, I suspect he poisoned her.

 

[ZombieChickens]

Keep us posted on what you decide to do. I'm on the "call the cops" team. Be careful.

 

[davekrista]

Quote:
Those back woods ARE used for hunting, but..... from what i understand from my brother who hunts, hunting season isn't for another week or 2. My neighbor and landlord do sometimes bring friends of theirs over to see the chickens and ducks but normally if they see us they will say hi to us and not walk away. We are friendly people and are proud of our chickens and ducks so we don't mind when others come to say hi to them. But this guy kind of did spook me out.

My husband has our only car at work, so it did cross my mind that he didn't think anyone was home and possible i spooked him when he saw me. I don't necessarily think he was casing my house, from the angle he was at was at the back and you couldn't see my house, just the chickens which is why i am thinking more along the lines of harming or taking my girls.

 

[Doormantnt]

I'm in the self-defense group. If available I would notify the police....but for a tresspasser being held at gunpoint. If he had reason, and right to be there, he would not have slinked away, yall would have talked. He now knows there is a woman, and young child (leaving at noon) who live there.

I just think you need to be able to take care of yourself and family. Most states have a right to carry on your own property....and a firearm, AND THE KNOWLEDGE to use it can go along way in your "visitors" decision making.

Good luck, and keep us posted....but careful with allowing "visitors" to come unwelcome, or announced.

TNT

 

[nuttyredhead]

Please be careful! This does not sound like some random guy taking a walk. I would call (i hope you already did!) the police and ask tehm to step up their presence in your area. You cannot be to paraniod, especially nowadays.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Sounds creepy to me either way. That was my first thought when I read your post was he was casing your house or you. Once he was gone there isn't much the cops can do but on the chance he was still hanging around and saw them it might enough to make him move on. Lock everything up tight and keep your eyes WIDE open at all times and a phone handy.

Steve