How to keep people away from our chickens?!

[itgns]

I am one of those people that tell it like I see it and I hope no one jumps down my throat for this but.....
if your chickens are in your yard then people need to stay out of your yard and you need to inform the authorities when people trespass!

That being said-if your chickens keep getting out of your fence then that is your fault. If I was being a good neighbor and placed a chicken back into a yard to HELP my neighbor, then I would be upset if my neighbor got snooty and uppity with me for touching her chickens! If you don't want people trying to catch and return your chickens then keep them in the yard. Build them a run and problem solved.

^^^^ Agreed with all of this.

As for trespassers, walking out onto the porch with a rifle (usually unloaded unless we feel actually threatened) has done the trick for myself as well as some of my friends. Then again, we live outside city limits.

 

[newbie32]

^^^^ Agreed with all of this.

As for trespassers, walking out onto the porch with a rifle (usually unloaded unless we feel actually threatened) has done the trick for myself as well as some of my friends. Then again, we live outside city limits.

LOL yes that will work too

 

[Cluky]

so I have a coop in large city as well an unfortunately I have tell you you are inviting trouble by letting them free range. this is a city people aren't used to it. for us only time we see truly free range ones is when they escape from somewhere so that is probably what everyone thinks.

 

[thomasboyle]

Maybe I am cruel but a way to do an electric fence that would not hurt the chickens but give the intruders a jolt

Coffeychicks is right, an electric net fence will definately keep people out of the yard! I've touched mine twice now, and boy does it surprise you!

You could also take lemons and make lemonade, and sell the eggs to people who ask. I sell 6 dozen a week, and use the money to buy all the corn, feed and scratch needed for the birds, so I get the enjoyment of having chickens, and they don't cost me anything!

 

[newbie32]

Coffeychicks is right, an electric net fence will definately keep people out of the yard! I've touched mine twice now, and boy does it surprise you!

You could also take lemons and make lemonade, and sell the eggs to people who ask. I sell 6 dozen a week, and use the money to buy all the corn, feed and scratch needed for the birds, so I get the enjoyment of having chickens, and they don't cost me anything!

Free chickens sounds good!!!!

 

[aggiemae]

I tell unrully children and drunk adults that the chickens are suffering from a highly contagious disease....and I keep a bottle of hand sanitized in a bin by the coop door for the people who are allowed to touch our hens

 

[hen madame]

This is so sad...maybe people in my neighborhood are more respectful. My coop and hen yard are near a road that runs to the back of my property. I do have people that stop by and look at my babies, but so far all have been very kind to the birds, and always ask if they can approach the chicken yard.

Actually, there seems to be a "Chicken Effect" that just makes city dwellers very curious about farm creatures. I have met so many wonderful people since I started raising chickens and I enjoy being able to answer questions when they do come into the yard to watch them. I guess I feel like a chicken embassador spreading the word on the wonders of hen keeping. Of course if anyone would try to harm them, I could get pretty ugly really fast, but so far folks are on their good behavior. I also am home a lot so I can keep an eye on things in general. In the evening I do padlock them in to the coop to keep them safe from any teens looking to cause mischief.

I guess I knew that folks would be curious as my yard is so open to public spaces (I have a huge park behind the house as well), so I just embrace being able to educate people on the nature of chickens and where people's food comes from. I also know I may run in to a bad egg (sorry) at some point, and I do dread that day, but as I said my backyard is very visible and there isn't much I can do to change it besides erecting a huge privacy fence that would block my beautiful view of the forested park, and I'm not going to do that either.

 

[cassie]

You really need a fence for any number of reasons. If you look you ought to be able to find an attractive and inexpensive fence. Lattice maybe. Or livestock paneling and plant some climbing roses to cover it.

 

[hen madame]

You really need a fence for any number of reasons. If you look you ought to be able to find an attractive and inexpensive fence. Lattice maybe. Or livestock paneling and plant some climbing roses to cover it.

I'm not sure if this was in response to my post or not, but if so, to clarify, my chickens have an 8 by 4 foot coop and enclosed run and a 20 by16 foot yard surrounded by a wood and black coated wire fence that stands at 6 feet tall.

 

[newbie32]

This is so sad...maybe people in my neighborhood are more respectful. My coop and hen yard are near a road that runs to the back of my property. I do have people that stop by and look at my babies, but so far all have been very kind to the birds, and always ask if they can approach the chicken yard.

Actually, there seems to be a "Chicken Effect" that just makes city dwellers very curious about farm creatures. I have met so many wonderful people since I started raising chickens and I enjoy being able to answer questions when they do come into the yard to watch them. I guess I feel like a chicken embassador spreading the word on the wonders of hen keeping. Of course if anyone would try to harm them, I could get pretty ugly really fast, but so far folks are on their good behavior. I also am home a lot so I can keep an eye on things in general. In the evening I do padlock them in to the coop to keep them safe from any teens looking to cause mischief.

I guess I knew that folks would be curious as my yard is so open to public spaces (I have a huge park behind the house as well), so I just embrace being able to educate people on the nature of chickens and where people's food comes from. I also know I may run in to a bad egg (sorry) at some point, and I do dread that day, but as I said my backyard is very visible and there isn't much I can do to change it besides erecting a huge privacy fence that would block my beautiful view of the forested park, and I'm not going to do that either.

See I think people will respect you and chickens better when you have a great attitude like this!!! I was a little irritated with the thread starter for being mean to friends and neighbors who were trying to help her when her chickens got out. Then she couldn't figure out why they were throwing rocks at her birds!

Of course there is no excuse to be mean to animals but I am just saying that if she had handled it differently-like you do-then she probably would have less problems!!! I already posted a comment on that but I wanted to say I love your attitude about it and I would've respected a woman nice like you and her birds!!!!