Employment at Cobb Vantress

[bluehenluvr]

First, Ill explain my living situation. The property I live on is 60 acres. There are 4 houses on the property. My husbands grandson lives in one house, about 120 yards away. I was informed Friday that I had to get rid of my chickens because the Grandson had applied for a job with Cobb Vantress, and was going to be given the job, but only if I got rid of my chickens. ( Bio security, Im told) WTH? I am, per se, a neighbor. Do they think they are going to come to my house and inspect? I am beyond upset about this. What would you do?

 

[theFox]

Who owns the property?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Also, is the property one parcel, or several? Do you have a rental agreement of any sort (either as landlord or as tenant)?

There are two separate considerations. The obvious one is legalities; whether the grandson can actually enforce the "you must get rid of your chickens or it will cost me the job" and second, the interpersonal relationships--the extent that his even asking or your refusing to comply would damage the relationship.

You need to know the full extent of the prohibition--it may simply be that he cannot come to your home if you continue to have chickens, which is not quite the same as him not getting the job. It might be a case that HE must not live within a certain distance of anyone owning chickens (which would be difficult to enforce, because how would he necessarily know that he is in compliance? I can see that he might be able to know that he was out of compliance if aware of a neighbor who has chickens, but one does not always know everything about ones neighbors, including what animals they may have.

I am not familiar with the company, but assume it is either commercial layers or meat chickens. Most commercial chicken companies of both sort are extremely particular about their employees having contact with any chickens other than their own. For what it is worth, teh END epidemic in 2002-3 that resulted in the depopulation of well over 3 million birds began via a worker at an egg factory in California who attended an illegal activity with chickens one evening and did not change his clothes before going to work the next day. Not sure whether the activity was across the border, or if birds were smuggled in; either way, in a commercial poultry facility, the disease spready VERY rapidly and within days birds were being depopulated if they were even located within a 1 mile radius of any bird that tested positive for END.

edited to add: I cannot imagine telling a relative how he or she must live in their own home (to include their front/back yards); if I applied for a job that had certain restrictions, I would feel it was MY problem to live with them, not someone else's.

 

[theFox]

The company is a top tier broiler breeder.

 

[bluehenluvr]

The property is split between 5 siblings. We are all family. I rent this house from my daughter in law. I want to do the right thing for the family, as the young man needs the job. On the other hand, Im a bit put off that he would expect me to give them up. Legally, this is his mothers house. If she wants to make me get rid of them, I would have to do so or move. I guess the question here is, how is an agreement like this monitored? How can this company expect his neighbors ( per say) to sell their flock? The land is legally seperate. ( It isnt real close to my house as it is)

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

You should ask him to provide you with the specific provision that he must abide by. Since the land is legally separate parcels, that makes it less likely to be an issue than if it was all one parcel. Is there a lease? If so, what rights are listed as far as livestock or pets are concerned?

 

[bluehenluvr]

The arrangements/ lease provide for me to have my two horses and a small flock of chickens. Cobb came out today to inspect his place, but did not come up here. My birds arent even close to his property. I guess we'll see if he gets the job.