I Just Stole My Neighbors' Chicken: UPDATE! PICS

[chicks4kids]

Hey, Good For You!! You did the right thing! Yeah, he may be a little sad, but at least he knows she's safe. I think it may be one of those cases of "outta sight-outta mind" except for the fact that he wants her eggs still.

Way to go!

 

[rancher hicks]

As always with animals they're welfare comes before our feelings. This is the price we pay for their companionship.

You did the right thing

Rancher

 

[poconoadoptionfamily]

 

[Boyd]

I had two OEG cockerels that were given to me. Those fellows were ESCAPE artists!!!!!!!!! But every night they would fly up onto the top of the runs to roost, or a nearby tree. I would let them in the run daily (if they would go) but by night fall they were bullying their way out past my wife or girls, or would setup some grand escape plan.

Fast forward a year... Those two roosters adopted 3 stray kittens and started sleeping in a big fluff pile with them on our planter box on the front porch. They even came after me when I was bringing out kitten kibble as they preferred this to chicken rations... Good thing they liked the cats.

In the course of 2 nights I had coyotes demolish 90% of my flock. My remaining hens scattered outside the wire that was chewed through and just when I thought all was lost they joined the flock of my neighbors 2 doors down. Since I had only a couple of birds left (and they are so social) I asked my neighbor if she'd keep an eye on them. I figured on hunting out the coyotes for a few nights and start rebuilding...

Raccoon went after and killed one of my kittens and the roosters protected the remaining two. I couldn't get the roosters anywhere near the house after that. I asked the neighbor if she would be interested in them since I was frustrated and getting out of chickens. She said sure. So for almost 2 years now those fellows have been running all the wildlife on Whitney Road away that they can (OEG's are rather fierce ya know) and now sleep on top of my neighbors run and on her trees... Only to join the flock during daylight playtime. Oh, and the kittens? They are now sleeping in trees as well, and look rather funny thinking they are chickens.

I still drive down my old road just to see that funny sight. I've not lived there since July, and I still need to check on my chooks.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
You cant report someone for there animals being taken by predators. You will get laughed at. This type of chicken keeping is pretty normal an the way its been done for thousands of years. They may need a wilder breed though.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Great ending.

Maybe someday they will fix up a secure coop and start again.

BTW....speaking for all of us...we would like to see Henrietta please

Pics L.J. Pics.

 

[debilorrah]

He probably feels bad and is finally acknowledging he is ill-equipped to have chickens. Poor guy.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
You cant report someone for there animals being taken by predators. You will get laughed at. This type of chicken keeping is pretty normal an the way its been done for thousands of years. They may need a wilder breed though.

Yes, thank you, and so true. They would truly laugh at me if I reported free ranging chickens getting eaten by raccoons. They don't even require dogs to be leashed around here, or at least they don't enforce it, that's for sure. Technically, it's their prerogative whether they free range in a way that puts their chickens in the path of predators. We don't have "coop laws" around these parts!

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
Yes, I did get the strong sense that he felt badly. He didn't seem uncaring, just ill equipped and well meaning. He's been a good neighbor to me, I just didn't want to see the poor thing die. And she's very friendly too! Talks a lot and lets me pet her. She's a sweet girl who deserves a decent home.

 

[Ken F]

That's a happy ending for a lucky chicken. You handled this beautifully. I want to be your neighbor!