Good neighbor story

[gryeyes]

My landlady is a great neighbor; the ducks (and chickens) visit her yard all the time. The ducks like to go up to her sliding glass door and settle down while she watches TV. She said it's so odd that she hears them gabble while the TV set audio is on, but when she turns off the TV, they STOP making noise. On the dot, she said.

Of course, she also let me start to keep chickens... she wasn't too keen on the ducks at first, because they are messy, but she's come to enjoy their antics. Although the drilling in the yard near her water spigots is annoying.... She knows their names and tells me stories of my own birds.

The other really cool neighbors to the "back" of me are just wonderful. They were interested in the chickens, asked what breeds they all are - "What's that one? What's her name? Who lays the green eggs?" They buy a dozen eggs from me every Sunday. At first I gave them eggs, but the lady of the house asked me, as I handed her the third dozen, if I was selling them. I am, so she asked how much I sell 'em for... and then left an envelope with the 3 dollars in it on the fence. I told her later I didn't want to SELL eggs to them, I wanted them to be "bribed" by the eggs. After all, Carl the rooster is pretty loud.... Both she and her husband swear his crowing doesn't bother them. They said they paid $5.00 a dozen for farmer's market brown eggs, and she was going to pay me the 3 dollars I charge other people - and she now gets a beautiful variety of colored eggs right from the chickens next door.

Yesterday, I found a note attached to the fence. One of my hens had gone over the fence the day before, it seems, and their rottweiler and golden retriever had chased and killed her. The note was incredibly apologetic and begged my forgiveness. She left the home phone number on the bottom below her signature.

I called the number and left a message telling her/them what happened was just Nature, that that's what happens when chickens go over the fence. It wasn't their dogs' fault, there was no reason for them to worry and there was no reason for them to NEED forgiveness. I appreciated them telling me about it, because I had wondered where that hen was... but it wasn't anybody's fault at all.

I think they're marvelous neighbors. Sometimes, in the bag hung on the fence, I get a bunch of home-grown lavender, tied with a ribbon, along with the 3 dollars and the previous week's empty egg carton.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So I take it you don't have ducks? or chickens?

 

[sarbee42]

Are there any houses for sale near you guys? I have the complete opposite my delightful new neighbours tried to get my ducks stoned by blowing smoke through the fence then decided to pour beer in their water the ducks have since been re-sited to a part of the garden away from them. Also had the council on my back as they'd had a complaint about my dog barking all night which was sorted when I pointed out my dog doesn't live three doors down where the barking was coming from! We had sold the house when the buyers came round to measure up and next doors bbq guests were shouting abuse over the fence about paying for my kids off benefits with their hard earned tax money? We have never been on benefits my husband and I pay more tax than most of them put together we wouldn't have had kids if we couldn't pay for them. The buyers backed out of course so we're now going to rent it out so we can move asap hopefully we can find some tenants that'll give them a run for their money!

Just saw this post and that's absolutely awful! I have been in somewhat of the same situation but dealing with rotten neighbours and my dog. Told them not to stick their hands through the fence and tease her.. They got what they deserved lol.
Can there not be something done about them though? Can you not call the humane society and have them charged with animal cruelty? They sure wouldn't want me as a neighbour if they were doing that here!! I'm luckily blessed with some very lovely neighbours who buy all of our duck eggs when I'm not incubating them and they've had their grandchildren out to see the ducklings in the spring

 

[Amiga]

I just love to hear how creative and neat some neighbors can be

I understand that humans often need to write or talk about the neighbors who are major pains, but by gum I really wanted to encourage us to share the good stuff, too.

Thanks for all the heart-healing stories. And mrslb333, I hope it has turned around for you.

We started this thread quite a while back. Someone revived it and I just read through it again. Nice stories.

 

[70%cocoa]

One of my neighbours bring weeds and clumps of grass over for my chickens after he's been working in the yard. He also says he likes hearing the ducks as they snuffle around near his fence. When he has people over I hear him saying that he has a little duck farm next door, LOL (he says it in a good way). I've several times been told by other neighborus walking past how much they enjoy hearing the ducks because it makes them think they 'live in the country'. So, people around my area are pretty positive about the ducks and chooks.

 

[DaikaijuTorira]

Ah, a good neighbor thread, we've had a few here as well, or at least neutral.

One kept an eye on our first duck when she wandered off long ago, although at the time she had no idea where the duck came from, just that she seemed friendly toward people so must be someone's pet.

Another expressed great joy at being able to watch animals other than the usual cats and dogs right from her own house, and said my ducks were welcome in her yard anytime they wanted to visit.

A third, I went over to apologize once because the ducks were constantly trying to go into her yard. Found out she didn't mind them visiting and had been giving them cracked corn when she was outside with her dogs... no wonder they always wanted to go over there.... She also gave me a heads-up when another neighbor's dogs had broken through the fence and were loose in the neighborhood.

A fourth (perhaps had noticed ours, maybe, maybe not) ended up getting three chicks and two ducklings for their children. Their birds ended up moving in with ours after they grew too big for the neighbors, but every once in a while the children would climb up on the fence to see or talk about them.

There was also the mailman, not a neighbor, but he would stop to see them every once in a while, absolutely loved them. He called me Mama Duck at first, but that changed to Mother Goose when it became a mixed flock.

They were all upset to find out the birds were gone when I told them what had happened with code enforcement. They, like most everyone here had no idea there was an ordinance prohibiting the keeping of poultry.

More recently, we were scheduled for a termite inspection, annual checking to make sure they haven't returned to the attic or anywhere else. The woman who has been doing it each year for the past few years came over. When I opened the door, the first words she spoke: "WHERE are your DUCKS?!" I explained the whole ordeal to her, she couldn't believe it, said as soon as she saw where she had been scheduled to go, she was thrilled, couldn't wait to see the ducks again. Later on, from the attic I heard... "That's just NOT right!" When she came down I asked if everything was ok up there... "Yeah, but the ducks... they weren't bothering anybody, they were always so quiet while I've been here."

 

[Fernleaf]

My husband and I are very lucky to have some great neighbors where our little rental farmstead is located.

Our closer neighbor walks his elderly dog by our place all the time and is always asking how the 'ranch' is doing. He enjoys the sounds of our geese, rooster, and goats and is first on the waiting list for duck eggs and goat milk once our animals start producing.

Another neighbor walked down to ask my husband about our poultry set-up as he was thinking about getting chickens himself. We're so lucky to have such understanding people nearby!

 

[Amiga]

 

[wildpeas]

I also have good neighbors. The ones to the north have cows, chickens, and pigs, are quiet and keep to themselves. Our southerly neighbors are sweet as can be. Their driveway runs right along the property fence and they always honk and wave when they drive out if we are outside. They tell me they like the sound of the ducks early in the morning and bring me lilacs in the spring and hydrangeas in the summer. I dont think we could have gotten any luckier.

 

[vinceV]

Understanding the benefits of knowing your neighbor is very vital. By doing so, you will reap the advantages of a happier and healthier life. If you would like a good neighbor, be a great neighbor.