HELP! problem with neighbor

A couple things about your post.
So are you really looking for a solution or is this just tit for tat?
I wouldn't care about his chickens coming over EXCEPT he has traps set 24/7 by a wildlife control person to catch raccoons, foxes, possums, skunks, etc which are then killed.
If you really don't mind the chickens why make it a big deal just because you don't like his wildlife control method?

I am seriously to the point of contemplating shooting his chickens when they come on property.
I also don't get this part. You are so upset and furious about him killing predatory wildlife that you're willing to kill his chickens? That seems harsh and worse then what he is doing. Seems you dislike him so you're gonna take it out on these chickens.
Seems strange to be so mad about him killing stuff that you'd turn around and kill the chickens.
He's not protecting his birds in the way I want him to so I'll show him he is doing it wrong by killing them.
Honestly I can't wrap my head around this.

Build a fence is the solution. It may not be your obligation to do so but you were already gonna give him fencing. Put it up on you all's property line and be done with it but doesn't seem like you're really looking for a solution but just want to be mad and spiteful.
 
My neighbors have dogs that come on my property and sometimes leave presents. It's not worth my time to get upset with my neighbors. It's much better for me to clean up the mess and forget about it. At least you enjoy the chickens when they visit....
 
Get familiar with the laws in your area. If your neighbor is legally allowed to trap and dispatch nuisance animals that threaten his livestock on his own property, there isn't really anything you can do about that.
Odd to split hairs in regards to shooting his chickens. I'm not seeing a difference between you shooting his birds and him shooting a neighbor's dog. Oh, except the chickens are just annoying you, and the dog is killing his birds. Kinda sounds like a really good way to start a fight that you're not going to win.
Where I live, nuisance animals include roaming dogs that are threatening and killing livestock. Not fun to rush out to your birds screaming, pens being torn apart and destroyed, and an out of control neighbor dog snarling at you in your own driveway. If dogs are going to behave in that manner, then they are going to get treated as any other predator.
 
Here's my marginally-legal advice: Start disappearing the chickens when they come on your property, as long as the neighbor isn't in a position to see you do it. I'm not going to tell you to eat them, but that's what I'd do.

The traps become ineffective because dude is losing chickens anyway, dude loses chickens to defend so wildlife control becomes pointless, and maybe he smarts up and stops letting them free range due to "predators" if he does get more chickens.

Technically as a poultry owner you are a farmer, and entitled to defend your livestock. Stray chickens are a threat to your flock because they could potentially introduce disease and breach biosecurity. That means removing the chickens from your property one way or another.
 
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Honestly it sounds like you don’t really care for your neighbor. I get it. I have had several less than awesome neighbors and have had run ins with a couple.

One neighbor would antagonize my dogs (yellow lab & black lab) by spraying them with water through the fence and who knows what else then turn me into the city for the dogs barking at him.

I had another neighbor threatening to shoot our basset-beagle cross because we wouldn’t debark him. She legally couldn’t turn us in to the city for barking because she was too far from our property so she started threatening violence. We reported her to the police because we have a kid that plays in the backyard with the dogs.

I find it easier to either move or figure out a creative way to work with the situation. How long is the property line between your property and his? Could you put up a fence along that side to keep his chickens off your property? Or maybe a thorny hedge like barberry bushes or roses? Something equally unfriendly to man & beast. Maybe some of those sprinkler that sense movement and pelt the intruders with a good stream of water?
 
Yikes.

I don't have much advice to give, but shooting his livestock is not a good idea in my opinion. You are asking for war at that point.

I've had a dog attack and kill my breeding buck (goat) and have lost two chicks to add to it. If I could, I really would have shot that dog. Your neighbor is allowed to defend his livestock. Nothing worse than a predator costing you hundreds of dollars from killing what youre living and working hard for.

However, with them coming on to your property, Im not so sure if it is legally wrong to rid of them (for good reasons though, not out of spite), but if your neighbor finds out you're only asking for more headaches. It really just depends on your state and county laws in the end.

Worst case, either build yourself a fence or get a lawyer for advice... I hope you find some kind of solution to this.
 
I think you need to stop worrying about what is legally occurring on someone else's property. If you want to address the chickens crossing onto your property, contact animal control. I'm sure that will be one of their most burning issues of the day and will be jiffy on the spot to respond - NOT.
 
Also if the chickens are legally not permitted to roam at large and be on your property, snap a few photos of them when they come visit, it will strengthen your case.
My neighbor's chickens keep coming in my yard. I like chickens and had hens for many years, thus why I'm a member of this site, but my hens had a 30' x 40' run attached to their coop and were not allowed to roam freely. I wouldn't care about his chickens coming over EXCEPT he has traps set 24/7 by a wildlife control person to catch raccoons, foxes, possums, skunks, etc which are then killed. I love wildlife, which is one reason I've lived here in the country for 30 years. Yesterday he caught and killed a fox (I can't get the screams of that poor baby out of my head) and I am UPSET & FURIOUS; plus it is spring and it was probably a mother fox that has kits. To me this neighbor is irresponsible for not keeping his chickens fenced in & safe but sadly he is legally allowed to kill all the wildlife in the area - and yes I did call the game warden. I am seriously to the point of contemplating shooting his chickens when they come on property. The game warden couldn't tell me if THAT was legal. My husband tried talking to the guy a year ago about putting up a fence instead of killing the wildlife and even offered him 50' of good chain link fence for free...the jerk won't do it. Do other chicken owners have any advice that would help this distressing situation?

One additional tidbit, this neighbor has threatened to shoot another neighbor's dogs for coming on his property and killing a chicken.
To clarify - it's not that I really mind his chickens at all - the problem is that he kills all the local wildlife rather than fence in his chickens.
A couple things about your post.
So are you really looking for a solution or is this just tit for tat?

If you really don't mind the chickens why make it a big deal just because you don't like his wildlife control method?


I also don't get this part. You are so upset and furious about him killing predatory wildlife that you're willing to kill his chickens? That seems harsh and worse then what he is doing. Seems you dislike him so you're gonna take it out on these chickens.
Seems strange to be so mad about him killing stuff that you'd turn around and kill the chickens.
He's not protecting his birds in the way I want him to so I'll show him he is doing it wrong by killing them.
Honestly I can't wrap my head around this.

Build a fence is the solution. It may not be your obligation to do so but you were already gonna give him fencing. Put it up on you all's property line and be done with it but doesn't seem like you're really looking for a solution but just want to be mad and spiteful.[/QU

Yes, I am incredibly upset about the wildlife being killed. He's killing the foxes, the racoons, & the possums for no reason other than his irresponsibility to fence his chickens. I have lived here 30 years and have always enjoyed the wildlife. You say grow up and put up a fence as a solution??? Exactly how is that fair and how does that help the wildlife? My reasoning is if there are no chickens, there's no reason for the nut to continue killing off the wildlife.
 
To clarify - it's not that I really mind his chickens at all - the problem is that he kills all the local wildlife rather than fence in his chickens.

Well... unfortunately if he is within his legal rights to trap/kill the particular animals that he is on his own property, I don't think there is much you can do about it.

Unless perhaps you want to go the route of contacting a local government official and work on having those laws changed.

The piece of the scenario you can do something about is the fencing issue and the roaming chicken issue.

Perhaps if you had electric fence around your own property, or along the property line, predators would visit less frequently because they've been zapped and it's harder to snag a free meal and then they are less likely to be trapped/killed.
 

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