I'm a little paranoid about a creepy lady that "creeps" on my birds.

[Moochie]

It's this woman that walks around the neighborhood, she's taken a fancy at looking at my birds. I wouldn't have a problem with this if she didn't look through the tiny spaces within my backyard fence (wooden fence), making my dogs bark like crazy, looking over the front yard fence to see the grow-out pen with the ducks...
It all started when we had 5 ducklings out with my mom and I in the driveway. There's alot of grass on our driveway so we were letting them forage and I was walking up and down the driveway to have them follow me around. The woman was walking in the street and she stopped and stared at the ducklings. Alot of people do this as not a whole lot of people have farm animals in our part of town. I smiled but she didn't notice me and kept her attention fixed on the ducks. My mom said "hello" and she started to walk away as if she wasn't staring. I didn't think much of it, other neighbors like to see our animals and I welcome them if they ask first.
We didn't see her for awhile. The ducklings turned into fledglings and we dug them a bigger pond. The woman started coming around again as the ducks got bigger. I was getting mail like 3 months ago and she was close to the fence peeking over, I said "hi" and she walked away. I did think it was a little strange.. After another month my mom was gardening outside and she stopped by and said "your chickens and ducks are so cute" my mom thanked her and told me about it. Our chickens are in our backyard.. How could she have seen them? We have a 7 foot wooden fence and the only way she could have looked is if she peeked through the tiny cracks/spaces in between each plank of wood.
Sometimes she looks at our grow-out pen which right now has 20 young birds, and it makes my dachshunds go nuts. I was sitting down with the youngins, letting them jump on me and what not, and I saw someone through the fence. I got off the little chair in the pen and the figure walked away. That happened last week. I'm not entirely sure that was her but I'm still uncomfortable with all of this. Can I tell the police here or something? My mom says not to pay attention to her but I feel like she's gonna steal my birds.

Should I try talking to her? She's a little old looking and she seems a little off.

 

[Snooglerat]

She could be crazy or a lonely old woman who used to have chickens and misses them. Either way, I can see how she can be unsettling. Maybe ask her if she has had chickens before?

 

[teach1rusl]

I'd say she just enjoys looking at your pretty chickens/ducks. Since yours are inside a fenced area, the lady probably has no intentions of stealing them. She probably just doesn't have much of a life - she could be a little touched in the head, or she could just be lonely and socially inept (most likely). The next time you catch her peeping at you and the birds through the fence, I'd look up, smile, and ask her if she'd like to see one of them (but don't invite her into your yard, take one over to the front yard for her to pet maybe?)...
I love animals, so I'll probably end up being one of those creepy old ladies peeping at everyone's animals...LOL

 

[devora]

Should I try talking to her? She's a little old looking and she seems a little off.

Yes.

Many of us who are old and off are still worth talking to.

 

[erinszoo]

We have a little old lady who comes by our house too down the alley. We just have a chain link fence and then a river cane fence six feet inside of the chain link around the chicken yard. She brings her dog which I don't particularly like but she just stands outside the fence and talks to her dog about the birds very quietly. Our geese just loved her when we still had them and they didn't like anyone. She sometimes will say hi to our daughter or our son but won't talk to us at all. She seems to really like watching the birds and she isn't hurting anything so we just let her be. I would do the same with your visitor. You might try leaving her a half dozen eggs or something (if you have them) with a note outside the fence. She could just be scared that you'll yell at her or something. Just a thought.

 

[joan1708]

I'd want to know who she is and where she lives. I agree, it is strange. Maybe she likes the birds and likes checking on them or maybe she's looking for a reason to call animal control. I would make sure your birds are legal also.

 

[Mattemma]

Ask her not to peek through the fence as it upsets all the animals and makes you uncomfortable.Offer to hold up/show a bird if you want.

I don't mind chatting with neighbors,but having someone peek through the fence would make me very uncomfortable.If I said hello and they just walked away each time I would be pretty darn annoyed.I would not put up with that for very long. If it were a man I doubt I would be as tolerant,but women are often seen as less threatening.

Regardlss of her reasons, if it is causing you discomfort ask her to please stop.As you mentioned before your family welcomes visitors,so extend the *olive branch* and see what she will do.It is up to you in the end if you want to put up with her behavoir.

Me, I would not try to ignore her.Peeping into yards and homes is frowned upon,but probably not illegal(except that whole peeping tom sexual stuff). I read NFH do it (stare into yards)all the time and your only option is to block the view.

Hopefully she will talk to you instead of walking away the next time. Best wishes!

 

[cafarmgirl]

I agree with Mattemma, the peeking would be very unsettling! Next time you see her you could ask nicely if that was her looking thru the fence the other day. Tell her you were just wondering because it startled you to look up and see someone. I would just try chatting with her first, tell her she's welcome to come see the birds when she see's you in the yard. Something along those lines, and see how it goes. If the peeking and slinking around continues you might have to just tell her that it makes you uncomfortable and to please stop.

 

[Moochie]

My birds are legal and I will try to talk to her next time! I'd love to show her one of my birds and have her pet a bird.

I know when I was a kid I loved to pet peoples' dogs or see a goat at a petting zoo.

And since this is on a predators and pests forum, I have another question. What can we do about a gopher snake? Saw one 3 times today and I'm worried to death about my 4 day old chicks outside. They're outside because it's hot, locked up in a pen that's covered to keep out big predators (hawks, critters), it will keep out the laying girls too, but because I've never seen a snake until today I'm sure that one can go through the chicken wire. Our neighbor wants it for his yard because he has mice and he did try to catch it but it's fast. Mom and I went up to the hardware store a little while ago and bought snake repellent. Do you think it will work?

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Why am I thinking about the bird lady in Mary Poppins right now......