How do I handle this

[BigBlueHen53]

My uncle had stage 4 lung cancer she never really took care of him I took care of him for the 10 months that he had left in his life. I made him meals spent all my time with him she did nothing, she would rather go shopping than to stay at home with him. So I would take care of him and all the chickens. Before he got sick me and him would take care of the chickens together my aunt did nothing with the chickens even when he was alive. I live in an apartment so I dont think the landlord would let me have them on the property. When my uncle was dying he asked me to keep taking care of the chickens until they all died. right now they are alive and happy, she just doesnt want to responsible for them anymore

I'm sorry to hear all this. But the fact remains that you cannot change another person or make your aunt assume responsibility for anything she does not choose to be responsible for. You, however, sound like a very caring and responsible individual. So I would encourage you to do all that you can to do what's best for all the birds on the property, regardless of who owns them. Maybe you could integrate the flocks and make them all one? That way you wouldn't be frustrated with her not taking care of "her" birds. Do it for your uncle - and for the chickens.

 

[SamLockwood]

The problem you have is that at the end of the day it's your aunt's property and not yours, so if she's got problems with how something looks

My aunt has 5 chickens 4 female one male a year ago I got 6 chickens and they live on my aunt and uncles property. After my uncle passed my aunt does nothing with her chickens I do everything from feeding them to cleaning their coop on top of taking care of my own. Recently she has now started to complain about my chicken run being shaded claiming they need light all the time I saw online and asked a few people they cant have light 24/7. she is not a chicken expert never read any information on chickens and tells me she only got the chickens because my uncle was alive to take care of them and she rather have them get killed by a hawk. I have plywood as a skirt around the chicken run to protect them from critters and my aunt says it looks like crap I told her its to protect them from the critters they are in a fenced in yard but not all fences are secured but she doesnt believe me. I have no place to put them and also I paid for them not her what should I say to her to make her understand my point of view. Also I have had the plywood around the coop since June and its now September and she is complaining about it now.

It sounds like chicken-keeping was something you and your uncle enjoyed and your aunt only tolerated.

The problem you have now is that unless your uncle put something in a trust or will that says otherwise, your aunt owns the property and it's her that gets to make the decisions on what gets done on that property and how, not you.

So if you slap up plywood to fix a problem with the run and she doesn't like it, it doesn't matter if she takes three months or three seconds to tell you. It's not your property, and if she decides to make an issue of it she can get court orders to throw you and your chickens off it because she owns the property.

So if that's how the lay of the land is, short term you're going to have to work something out with your aunt. Long term you're probably going to have to figure out where to re-home your flock.

 

[AmberT]

I'm sorry to hear all this. But the fact remains that you cannot change another person or make your aunt assume responsibility for anything she does not choose to be responsible for. You, however, sound like a very caring and responsible individual. So I would encourage you to do all that you can to do what's best for all the birds on the property, regardless of who owns them. Maybe you could integrate the flocks and make them all one? That way you wouldn't be frustrated with her not taking care of "her" birds. Do it for your uncle - and for the chickens.

If I could mingle them together I would but the other problem is that her 92 year old sister which is blind and deaf due to old age lives on the property I have told both of them that my chickens I have need a special diet I give them just there feed and once in a blue moon a treat (money for me is tight right now so I just buy a bag of feed) my aunt and her sister feed my uncles chickens all kinds of crap whether its good for them or not most of the time its bread and anything they are throwing out and so far they have respected my diet for my girls. My uncles chickens are supposed to be getting 1 scoop of scratch, a handful of dried worm and a pinch of rasins in the morning. They like to feed my uncles chickens more scratch than there feed and his chickens are 2 years old so there egg production might be slowing down but they are very obese and my aunt keeps asking me why she is not getting 4 eggs a day I tell her about there weight but she doesnt believe me.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If I could mingle them together I would but the other problem is that her 92 year old sister which is blind and deaf due to old age lives on the property I have told both of them that my chickens I have need a special diet I give them just there feed and once in a blue moon a treat (money for me is tight right now so I just buy a bag of feed) my aunt and her sister feed my uncles chickens all kinds of crap whether its good for them or not most of the time its bread and anything they are throwing out and so far they have respected my diet for my girls. My uncles chickens are supposed to be getting 1 scoop of scratch, a handful of dried worm and a pinch of rasins in the morning. They like to feed my uncles chickens more scratch than there feed and his chickens are 2 years old so there egg production might be slowing down but they are very obese and my aunt keeps asking me why she is not getting 4 eggs a day I tell her about there weight but she doesnt believe me.

None of that explains why you can't integrate the flocks. In fact it sounds like an excellent reason to do so for the sake of the chickens who are not being properly fed. Unless you can't afford to feed them all. In which case, would your aunt be willing to contribute toward feed if you were to suggest integrating the flocks and telling her you would guarantee her 4 eggs a day if she did? Could the mixed flocks support that?

 

[AmberT]

None of that explains why you can't integrate the flocks. In fact it sounds like an excellent reason to do so for the sake of the chickens who are not being properly fed. Unless you can't afford to feed them all. In which case, would your aunt be willing to contribute toward feed if you were to suggest integrating the flocks and telling her you would guarantee her 4 eggs a day if she did? Could the mixed flocks support that?

My aunt has a rooster that is very dominating and I would be afraid he would hurt my chickens and it would also be impossible to give one set of chickens scratch and the other set none due to mine having a special diet. My aunt likes to also feed her chickens her leftovers that they plan on throwing out because she cooks large portions and I do not want them eating human food so that is why my uncle has my chickens in seperate areas. I am hoping that I can buy her house before those chickens die because I can get her chickens on a normal diet and I could co mingle them and keep the rooster seperate

 

[Anon112]

It sounds like you need to find a new home for your chickens. I know that's MUCH more easily said than done, but the problems you're describing are not ones that are going to go away.

 

[McChooky]

Your biggest problem is the pup if it isn't de-sensitized and trained not kill chickens.Plywood may be all that saves them from the dog breaking in.By the way Chickens need shade available at all times

 

[LaFleche]

How old is your aunt? Having a 92 year old sister, I assume she too is already advanced in age and it would be understandable that she might just not want to deal with the responsability and all the work that goes into properly caring for your late uncles flock. She might even be willing to rehome them.

Regarding your own flock it might be wise to find somewhere else to keep them. If you take the time look for a new place now, there will be no problems to relocate them in case your aunt may suddenly decide that she no longer wants them on her property.