Help with neighbors chickens

[Abby12]

Not sure where I should post this, but I do need advice. For the past year we have had chickens and one rooster come into our yard. They belong to the people living next to our property. There is a patch of woods between our yard and theirs. I have never had a problem with the chickens. In fact, I have come to love them and enjoy watching them free range around our yard. They are so sweet. They always come running to meet me when I walk outside, even the rooster.
The problem is their owners got some more chickens and several roosters that have been bullying them. The new flock are so much bigger than the first ones (the sweet ones). The bully roosters are constantly coming into our yard chasing the sweet ones around our house and flogging them. We try to chase the bullies out of our yard, but they keep coming back. Those sweet chickens have lost so many feathers and look horrible. And the sweet rooster has a broken foot. I'm sure it happen because he was trying to protect his hens. Even though he's hurt, he is still trying to protect them. He has been hopping around on one foot for a week. Will his foot heal on it's own?
And now, one of the hens is under our deck. She looks traumatized. I don't know what to do. I can't get her to come out.
I have never talked to the neighbors. Not sure what to say. I don't like the way these chickens are treated, but they aren't mine. Any advice?

 

[II Arrows]

I think it may be time to go introduce yourself and explain what's going on. Maybe you could foster or adopt the chickens you find sweetand joyful to watch. If your neighbors are willing to hear you out of course, it never hurts to ask. It doesn't take much to build a coop with a little run. My advice, go speak with your neighbors. Good luck with everything

 

[Abby12]

Thank you for your reply. I would love to have them as our own, but how do we keep the bullies away from them? As it is, the sweet ones stay in our yard from sunrise to sunset. The problem is we keep having to chase the bullies away. This is about to drive me crazy.
I know we need to go introduce ourselves, but not sure what the solution can be.

 

[II Arrows]

You can build yourself a little chicken coop with a run and keep the ones you want in the coop/run. How many chickens like to call your yard their home? As for the bullies you won't be able to stop them from coming into your yard unless you put up some sort of fencing, either wood chain link, a hot fence (electric) I'm not sure the layout of your property so it's kinda hard to say what the best option is for you.

 

[aart]

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with other people's lack of integrity.
It is their responsibility to keep their animals contained.
Hopefully they don't realize it's happening and will take care of it immediately.

You need to try and talk with them, but first find out what the laws are regarding livestock in your area.
Knowing the local laws/regulations may change your approach to them,
and it's always better to be more informed when approaching a possible 'conflict' with a neighbors animals.
You may realize after talking with them for 1 minute that talking is not going to be the solution.


Building a coop for the sweet ones is really not a viable solution,
the birds are not yours and even if they give them to you the problem of the other chicken chaos remains.

You might put up a fence on your side of the woods, but why should you have to incur the expense?
Depending on the length of the border, Tpost's and 2x4 welded wire or even lighter posts and deer netting might help.
You could always employ an aversion therapy, jet stream on garden hose applied liberally
every time they come into your yard for a couple days might convince them that your yard is not the place to be.

 

[centrarchid]

time of year - molt



Pictures needed because I do not get full based on what is written.

 

[Abby12]

Update - The chicken that went under our deck last night, is dead. I guess that is why she went there. We are leaving for church right now and plan to talk to the neighbors when we get home. There is someone at church that raises chickens and will talk to him about the laws.
I know we can't have the sweet ones or any chickens while they have theirs. There is no way to have the area fenced off. The bullies even sneak down the road and come through our driveway. We have used a garden hose and all kinds of things. They just keep coming back.
Can anyone tell me if the rooster's broken foot can heal or is it inhumane to let him hop around?

 

[centrarchid]

Pictures needed of broken foot at least.

 

[Abby12]

We took the dead chicken to the neighbor today. He was just a young kid that doesn't seem to know a lot about chickens. I don't know anything about chickens, so I can't say much. He said someone gave him some baby chicks that turned out to be all roosters. He just started mixing them with the other chickens and found it wasn't working. He has five roosters but he said he is getting rid of them. He is hoping the rooster with the broken foot will heal.
Sorry I couldn't get any pictures. He had them all penned up today. I guess we will just see what happens next.

 

[aart]

We took the dead chicken to the neighbor today. He was just a young kid that doesn't seem to know a lot about chickens. I don't know anything about chickens, so I can't say much. He said someone gave him some baby chicks that turned out to be all roosters. He just started mixing them with the other chickens and found it wasn't working. He has five roosters but he said he is getting rid of them. He is hoping the rooster with the broken foot will heal.
Sorry I couldn't get any pictures. He had them all penned up today. I guess we will just see what happens next.

Ah.....that kinda makes sense. Hope he gets rid of the extra cockerels.