How do I keep next door neighbor's free range roosters away

[bairo]

In all seriousness, there is some risk of transference of bad bugs to your flock as already stated.

Otherwise I would say this: If a daytime predator comes around, your birds dont have to outrun it. They only have to out run the neighbors roosters

 

[Mattemma]

I would have asked them to contain all animals a long time ago. Do it now and don't just single out the roos,but it is your choice. I see how rough roos can be with mating,and would not want to deal with neighbor roos in addition to my own.

Just tell them, "I need you to keep your roos off my property as they are causing issues with my hens." You should not have to justify your request with reasons,but if you want to offer them.....rough mating,unwanted fertilized eggs,spread of disease.

I got a roo.Never looked sick.When I added him to the hens 2 hens got ill.Disease happens.

Many neighbor do not take kindly to requests to do things differently.Do your best to minimize the risk of making your neighbir a NFH,but sometimes all it takes is one simple request and they are angry.

 

[ijon1]

Chicken dinner.

 

[corgiscatsandchickens]

Put up a fence. Even if your kids like to visit with the neighbor's other animals, this can and likely will lead to problems:

1. Spread of disease from neighbor's animals to yours.
2. With your hens around, the neighbor's roosters might become agressive towards your children.
3. Your neighbor's roosters, if they have long spurs, can seriously tear up your hens.
4. Your children should only be playing with your neighbor's animals when your neighbor is there to supervise. Children get hurt, animals get hurt. You love your kids, presumably he places value on his livestock.
5. Combine 1&4. If your hens contract an illness or disease, they can spread it to the neighbor's chickens. YOU will be liable if your flock strays to his--and if you free range them, they will.

I'm sure it's lots of fun for your kids to play with the neighbors livestock, but this is where you have to be the grownup. We live in a world where people who can make trouble will. Your neighbor sounds like someone who is only interested in their own convenience. A neighbor who will take advantage of your limited knowledge of livestock (getting a hen knocked up?) is a neighbor who will take advantage of you in other ways.

Put up a fence and continue to educate yourself.

 

[CluckHeaven]

I wanted to give everyone an update on the path that I chose and the results... After speaking with our neighor to make sure that they would have no issues if we free ranged our little flock (14 chickens), meaning that they might wnader into their yard - I decided to let the flock free range and see what would happen with the one rooster that kept coming over.

This was an experiment to see how the rooster interacted with the flock - and if it went poorly then I had identified a local rooster that was available and was going to procure him and put him in charge of our flock - with a goal of fighting off the other roo if necessary.

It went extraordinarily well - this rooster, while aggressive in coming to visit the flock previously, does not peck at them beyond occasionally keeping them in line... He mates -or attempts to mate- most all of them - and a few of the girls are submissive almost always, while some of the others scoot away. I watched from the house the first day, and as the hens free ranged the rooster would identify the ones that were the furthest away and move them closer to the coop and run - which was amazing to me since this was only day 1. At the end of the day I went to lock up the coop after they had all gone in (around dark) - and there he was sitting in the coop roosting with them. I was concerned that our neighbor would miss hte rooster that night and told her - and she donated the rooster to us since he liked it so much. Turns out that the 3 roosters that she has were just taken in as a favor to someon else - and the other 2 never come over to visit our flock.

In fact, now that he has his own flock he has not left and returned to our neighbors - this outcome is best of all worlds as far as I'm concerned.

 

[centrarchid]

I am dissapointed in the lack of drama. Just kidding.

Do not be supprised if some of your hens that tend to distance themselves from immigrating rooster move to be with neighbors other two roosters. The optimal (relatively high 8 to 12 ) hens to rooster ratio related by most backyard keepers and those with more intensive methods is most likely not to be observed by your ladies. If roosters can spread themselves out during day then hens will very likely distribute themselves such that there will be six or more likely less hens per rooster. Hens benefit from being in smaller groups so long as it does not come at expense of forage or rooster quality.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Cluckhaven ought to be able to have her own property without the neighbor using it without permission to graze his own animals. It isn't about whether or not the roosters are doing any harm. At issue is property rights and invasive inconsiderate neighbors who think they own and are free to use anything and everything that falls within their line of sight.

X2 Everyone's animals belong on their own property. Period. Anything else is irresponsible ownership and being a bad neighbor. Unless there is a signed reciprocity agreement, which there is not, obviously, in this case. Talk to your neighbor.

Edit: Glad it is working out. I suspect there will be some future developments, however.

 

[Ole rooster]

This probably has to rate as one of the strangest threads I've seen since I've been on here. Pregnant chickens from gettin knocked up. Can't eat eggs for religious reasons. But at least the roosters weren't accused of raping chickens.

But as to the concern of bad bugs being brought over by the roosters, I would almost bet this deal is almost like one flock. They've been together to much to be strangers. Free ranging the same land. How do the hens react to the bad boys coming over?

Ah hah, I just came up with a thought. If the roosters are not of the breed the OP would want to carry on with her hens. Now hows that for a reason?

 

[CluckHeaven]

The knocked up comment was a joke - but when it got out of control I just watched and laughed.... I did get some good suggestions and things to think about - so thanks everyone for piping up!

 

[goldnchocolate]

At the end of the day I went to lock up the coop after they had all gone in (around dark) - and there he was sitting in the coop roosting with them.

In fact, now that he has his own flock he has not left and returned to our neighbors - this outcome is best of all worlds as far as I'm concerned.

That is so funny!! Do you have any pictures of your flock and their new beau?