Having problems with my neighbor...

[jrjoplin]

I'm surprised that if they've integrated themselves into your flock you don't have an issue with them going to your coop to roost. It sounds like a fence isn't wanted by you or your neighbor so it comes down to each owner minding their own chickens. It sounds like the owner with a containment issue is your neighbor. I know that you have a semi attachment to his chickens. I understand this as my neighbor has a small flock (3) and I probably know his chickens better than he does as his coop sits next to my shop. Still, they are his chickens and their care and containment are his responsibility. Your neighbor needs to accept that if he is going to allow his hens to free range onto your property that they will be bred. If he can't handle that he needs to revisit his chicken keeping practices.

* I agree that with two hens unwanted chicks are probably not an issue unless he wouldn't notice one of his girls setting a nest for three weeks.

 

[Mrs. K]

If he locks up his, and you don't, your flock will be over there, pretty much regardless of the dog. And if you lock up yours, his will be over on yours.

Really, your birds and his birds do not respect which bird belongs to who, they are considering themselves a flock. If your rooster hasn't, he soon will be rounding up those other two hens to put into HIS coop. The only way to keep them separate, is to fence both sets of birds and keep them locked up for some time.

That way the neighbor's hens won't belong to your flock anymore, they will become strangers, and your flock will attack them and drive them away when they do come over.

You might consider, keeping the whole flock and giving the neighbor eggs? Working cooperatively you could use two coops, so as to have a bachelor pad. Two coops are wonderful.

Mrs K

 

[sophiaw00]

I will ask him about that. He probably wouldn't care if I took them. He has no interest in keeping them. They were his daughters and his daughter got bored with them, and so they became his responsibility but he doesn't like taking care of them.

 

[chickenpatch]

I'm glad I've helped, as long as their backs don't start losing feathers... That'll start a new problem that'll be harder to fix.

I know you've probably been told this a million times but... Just keep in mind, you have the upper 'legal' hand here.... You shouldn't be working like this trying to find a resolution to HIS problem. Your property, your responsibility - his property, HIS responsibility.

 

[chickenpatch]

If this guys not reasonable... You may as well just put a fence between eachother

 

[sophiaw00]

Don't have the money to fence it and it would really suck if it came to that conclusion because our dogs are best buds. I'll talk to him again tomorrow and ask him about these solutions. Hopefully he'll be reasonable.

 

[chickenpatch]

I understand the financial situation.

Good luck with tomorrow and let us know how it goes

 

[TBirdsTheWord33]

You've been given some great advice already. I think you should have a friendly conversation with your neighbor ASAP and explain the extreme unlikelihood of chicks ever being an issue. If that doesn't seem to appease him, I think offering to take in any unwanted chicks (though you and I BOTH know that's NOT going to happen) could do the trick. I also like the idea someone mentioned of offering to keep his hens. I'm confident you will reach a solution to this "bump in the road." Best wishes to you and please let us know how it works out.

 

[centrarchid]

Your rooster covering his hens will require no adjustments in his management or reproduction so long as eggs collected.