Not sure if this belongs in here...about 2 months ago our neighbor behind our farm passed away and her two daughters, both who live other places, came to clean up, sell and do what needs to be done to get the house on the market. We went over the other day to offer our condolences, the one daughter made a comment about chickens. I smiled and said I am the one with the chickens, she snorted and said it sounded like my rooster was upset, when I asked what did she mean, she said he crows ALL the time and insinuated it was disturbing. I tried to smile and say well they crow, he is young. I then made a comment about the feral cats to her cousin, who is our neighbor down the road, that we we have been trying to trap them. This woman got all indignant, said that HER mother use to feed them all the time then proceeded to tell me their names. I smiled politely and asked "So your going to take them when you sell the house?" Daughter said of course not, and did I know that feral cats are protected in VA from being trapped, that they are spayed/neutered and part of the house.
The conversation went downhill from there, from complaining about the roosters crowing, I have 2, a Buff Orpington and a young Banty cross who sounds like a broken wind up toy, to my husband target practicing and sighting his weapons on our property. The next day when my husband went back to see if there was anything we could use on the farm, he was looking at a large stew pot, she came over, then told him it would be perfect for chicken soup or stew. He said he turned and told her that ALL our chickens had names, they each had personalities, we knew each of them by breed and on our farm, we did not eat our pets.
I have not met anyone who was so nasty about chickens till now. How do you deal with someone like that? I also know that feral cats in VA are not protected and for her to say I can't trap them and take them to the pound, well, they go after my girls, they will disappear. This is more of a rant than anything...I just was really put off by her nastiness right off the bat....and yes, I had my little Banty Moe crow throughout the day, as if I go out and sit with them, he will crow when I talk to him.
The conversation went downhill from there, from complaining about the roosters crowing, I have 2, a Buff Orpington and a young Banty cross who sounds like a broken wind up toy, to my husband target practicing and sighting his weapons on our property. The next day when my husband went back to see if there was anything we could use on the farm, he was looking at a large stew pot, she came over, then told him it would be perfect for chicken soup or stew. He said he turned and told her that ALL our chickens had names, they each had personalities, we knew each of them by breed and on our farm, we did not eat our pets.
I have not met anyone who was so nasty about chickens till now. How do you deal with someone like that? I also know that feral cats in VA are not protected and for her to say I can't trap them and take them to the pound, well, they go after my girls, they will disappear. This is more of a rant than anything...I just was really put off by her nastiness right off the bat....and yes, I had my little Banty Moe crow throughout the day, as if I go out and sit with them, he will crow when I talk to him.