Does anybody else have trouble keeping people from messing with their coops at night?

[Liz Birdlover]

Maybe they were looking for a place to sleep, that's a weird situation, coop broken into but nothing or no one missing. Times are tough due to covid19 & they are going to get worse before they get better, unfortunately.

 

[Rldad1]

You are waaay more patient than I am. If that happened to me somebody would be spread-eagled on the ground with a shotgun to the back of their head while I called the cops. If anybody shows up after the no trespassing sign is posted, I would call the cops and press charges. If the cops don't want to help, call the mayor and the chief of police and inform them that you will be contacting all of the local media and air all of your grievances and that you will be happy to tell the media how little support your local authorities are providing.

Put up an electric fence, post a sign warning anyone who enters that electricity is in use and to enter at their own risk, then make it HOT!!!

 

[Pandemic pandemonia]

I wouldn't strip them. YOU may need to be able to remove them someday. Look for tamper resistant screws. They take a tool not readily available to the general population at the hardware stores.

There are also latches that when installed and latched the screw heads are covered.

That's interesting.

 

[Pandemic pandemonia]

Maybe they were looking for a place to sleep, that's a weird situation, coop broken into but nothing or no one missing. Times are tough due to covid19 & they are going to get worse before they get better, unfortunately.

Yes we know they have been staying in an abandoned home next to my property and a person just bought it. They were up there about a week ago chasing them off the police were again. We knew they might be taking eggs and birds for food too but we felt like if it happened then we would be ok because they need them for food. This is just weird though the way they are leaving things open or moving things around. I think they moved our solar pool heater so they wouldn't step on it maybe or maybe to drain the tubes from freezing. We already blew the water out though. They moved it twice. I can't have them leaving the coop door off or pens open. I have suspected they could be trying to hide or get inside something for some warmth. Right now there is no heat but still the shed or covered pen is out of the rain and a bit warmer. I told my neighbor I was a bit concerned I might run into someone when I went out to feed the birds sometime. I'm not that worried though.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Trust me, this is to steal eggs and possible chicken. Why else would they do this?

 

[Pandemic pandemonia]

Trust me, this is to steal eggs and possible chicken. Why else would they do this?

I was getting three eggs a day. I'm getting one a day now but they have been messing around up there for a long time. The thing that is a change is now they are using a drill or screwdriver to unscrew the coop doors. Weird thing that happened was they took the porcelain egg from the one cook it was gone for awhile then re-appeared. That kind of proves they are after eggs I guess. I thought about putting old ones in that coop for them but I really don't want to make them sick. I put that fake one in when I thought my Brahma rooster was a hen possibly but he's a roo for sure now so no eggs coming from that coop at all. I did this to help feed my neighbors and us in case things got tuff so I'm really ok with giving them eggs but I'd rather give them than have them stolen. I guess they would rather steal them that ask. Maybe pride or they think I wouldn't give them. I am happy if they are getting something to eat and I'm helping provide it but they must not leave the doors open or break in the house next. Someone has been breaking into my sons house and stolen flat screen tv's and even packed up totes of things including paper plates and saran wrap so they can come pick it up later. They took inner doors off the hinges. He had his power cut off and the city will not let him live there until he can pay the bills. Most of his things and some of the furniture I gave him were inside but they are taking clothes and everything they can. We have been boarding up doors and driving by etc. to keep them out as much as we can. Working on cameras and trying to get some kind of security system there that would work on car batteries or something since power is off. Neighbors over there are all suspicious of each other that's sad. They are keeping watch too for us.

 

[Pandemic pandemonia]

I love the idea, but there may be legal ramifications.

Whether it's legal here depends on who you talk to. Animal control says it's fine to have an electric fence but the city code and inspectors would disagree. So funny because I guess the city inspectors won't deal with animal issues at all and the animal people say they won't do anything either about my coop being too close to the house or anything unless a neighbor complains. The law says you can't free range. However one animal control person said you can too. Such a mix up. My sister in law lives in the north end I'm in midtown and she has chickens running the neighborhood up there that aren't hers. People around here really seem to like them so far. I'm pretty sure the crowing will get on their nerves though soon. I can't let them run because we continuously have stray dog running around hunting for food and cats. I have a fenced yard and I have put chicken fencing around a large part of my field too but haven't let the birds in there because I don't have the bottom secured and the neighbors guard dog usually goes crazy if it sees other animals in that area and jumps its electric fence and attacks. I think the chicken wire will keep him out if I stake down the bottom and the birds are larger now. He maybe ok with birds too I don't know. They have been doing better at controlling him since I put up the fence too.

 

[Pandemic pandemonia]

Trust me, this is to steal eggs and possible chicken. Why else would they do this?

I'd like to give people eggs really but I only have three hens. I couldn't get a good breed I wanted when I bought these and bought roosters because that was all I could get when I saw there may be a need for them.

 

[Fishychix]

I'm in northwest Missouri a bit north of Kansas City.

I live in the city Jesse James was killed in the home of the Pony Express. It really is a nice town and the only reason this is happening is people are going homeless or unemployed or maybe addicts. Many are getting hungry and maybe they may want some eggs or a warm place to live so they are breaking into houses people have been kicked out of or stealing from them to buy food. My sons house was broken into his things were there but he had not lived there for a year because he couldn't pay his sewer bills. They keep coming back taking things. We barred the doors now expect the windows to be broken or it set on fire eventually. That happens when squatters move in and light fires to keep warm around here. It's bad for some people right now. Shelters can't hold them all.

Oh. That makes a lot more sense now. Trust me it doesn't have to be homeless people. Thats how a lot of people make money. Break into abandoned houses, steal the stuff and then sell it on the internet or wherever.

 

[Pandemic pandemonia]

I'd like to give people eggs really but I only have three hens. I couldn't get a good breed I wanted when I bought these and bought roosters because that was all I could get when I saw there may be a need for them.

Eggs are cheap at the store but the store is a ways from here. Our local neighborhood grocer shut down a few years ago. These homeless people with no money probably have a hard time getting way out to where the stores are then have no money. They are giving food away some days across the hwy from me but only once in awhile. Last time the line started at 6am and kept going till past 11am. This is awful. I want to help and I think having chickens in the neighborhood would be a good thing right now that's why I'm trying to do this really not just for us. However once I start it there maybe too much of a demand for what I have. Three hens who only produce 3 eggs or only 1 now just isn't enough to begin to offer eggs. I could kill the roosters but they are supposed to grow to 13 lbs and can be kept alive for fresh meat later or breeding so I chose to wait on that and not do it. I am having a hard time even thinking about killing my pretty little guys too but that was the purpose in buying them to have them if we needed meat. So far meat is available at the market if you have the money and can get there. Oh well if they steal a few or one and need to eat them I guess then someone who really needed them will have a meal or two. Sad for my little guys that's why I'm trying to sell them and get hens instead. I really don't want to encourage a bunch of homeless to come to the neighborhood either but knowing so many kids have run away or are facing addiction problems and are so desperate makes me feel like I should try and help feed people but I don't want to encourage crime.