Help me decide what to do...story & questions

[Tdub4chiks]

I believe good neighbors are very hard to come by and once they become a "bad" neighbor, it's very hard to change. Do what is right and be a good neighbor.

 

[CMV]

I generally never try to integrate a single bird into an established flock because chances are good that the flock will not only not accept the new bird, but will beat the stuffing out of the new bird. A prolonged integration period (after quarantine, of course) is what I recommend. If you have a (or better yet, a few) low ranking, docile bird(s) in your flock that might want a new friend then maybe put that bird in with your newbie to kind of create a small separate group that can be eventually integrated together. I have always found that integrating multiples is considerably less work than trying to integrate a singleton.

Good decision. And good luck.

 

[poconoadoptionfamily]

Enough with the bickering. How is the hen doing? She had such a close call.

 

[GAchick]

Quote:
No, your original post asked if you should keep her..... You asked that if you nursed her back to health, shouldn't she 'belong' to you. The question of whether your flock would accept her is entirely secondary to 'should you keep her, knowing who she probably belongs to'. And, you stated that they 'probably wouldn't know she was gone', as though that made stealing morally okay. What is best for her is also secondary to 'this is someone's legal property'. Even if they do not take care of their chickens in exactly the same way that you care for your chickens. Stealing is stealing, whether you pick her up under your arm and walk away from the owners property with her, or are an accessory after the fact...Even concealing the fact that you have her at your house, under the guise of 'doctoring' her is wrong.
It is the owners right to put her down if they choose.

And lest someone accuse me of being 'excited', no, I am not 'excited' over this. I was just raised to know right from wrong, and, my opinion was asked, on a public forum...

 

[chkn]

It's never stealing to remove an animal from an abusive or neglectful situation. Besides, there are a lot worse things you can do than withhold information over two pounds worth of chicken meat. She's not doing it to increase her wealth.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

Quote:
Wow. Really? How did you get that this chicken was in an abusive or neglectful situation? A large, free range flock is not a neglectful or abusive situation. If it were, then you are saying that the OP keeps her chickens in a neglectful, abusive manner. I raise purebred, exhibition birds. My daughter also has birds that she raises and shows in 4-H. We have a large flock made up of several breeds but we know each and every bird out there and know when one is missing. We would be very upset and hurt if one of our neighbors found one of our birds injured and didn't bother to tell us. And, yes, we do occasionally eat our birds. Who's to say that the neighbors don't know their bird is missing? Who's to say that this isn't some child's pet? The fact of the matter is this is not the OP's bird, it is someone else's. It is the property of someone other than the OP. Keeping it would be stealing. As far as I've seen on this thread, the OP hasn't even contacted the neighbors yet to see if it is their chicken and, at this point, is still only assuming they know who the owner is and that the owner will cull the bird rather than caring for it.

I don't feel that the OP should be worried about whether or not the bird will integrate with the flock. I think the OP should be trying to find the owner.

 

[bywaterdog]

Quote:
Rescue from what? I live in New Orleans and after Katrina I had "animal rescue" folks try and break into my yard to " rescue" my cat. It did not matter that I was home, or that I live in a part of the city that DID NOT FLOOD, or that I had plenty of food and water for both myself and the cat, they were working a crowbar on my side gate. Animal looters is a better name.

Property is property, calling a orange an apple don't make it one. Find the owner and give it back.

 

[BooBear]

WOW

.... This is an interedting post for what should be a simple and obviuos answer to. If the chicken is not yours then you need to return it. You should not expect a reward for the return such as keeping the bird. Keeping the bird on the sly to heal it and expecting your neighbor should give it to you out of gratitude is wrong. Hope you conscious kicks in and you talk with you neighbor honestly about the hen. As state eatlier on the post good neighbors are hard to come by, so you should foster good to your neighbor as a good deed is golden and will help maintain good vibes between you both. Hope you make the right decsision.

 

[tammyd57]

Quote:
The owner of the chicken has not been contacted yet. So NO one knows if it is an abusive & neglectful situation or not. And if it were, to legally 'rescue' an animal takes more than your 'good' intentions. Someone just taking your animal and claiming they are rescuing it is STILL stealing.

Let the rationalizations continue...................

 

[billfields]

Quote:
Sure it is. Like it or not, animals are property and unless you work for the ASPCA or other such law enforcement organization and what you do is backed up by laws and court orders, if you take some one's property it's stealing no matter what your motive. If a kid goes into a store and shoplifts for thrills is that okay because s/he is doing it for fun and not to increase his/her wealth? If I decide that, in my opinion ,your chickens are being neglected and I take them that would be okay with you?