Keeping the neighbor's chickens out of my yard

[eldajoann]

I am looking for some advice. My neighbor has chickens that year after year continue to come into my yard. Year after year (several times per year) I am over there telling them about the chickens and that I NEVER ever want them to come into my yard...and year after year they continue to do so. One year, my dog got extremely sick and after a $1000 vet bill, we finally figured out he must have been eating/licking his paws that had chicken poop on it. I went over there again, to explain this to them...but, guess what....they continued to come over! Our city does have a chicken ordinance that clearly states you can only have 4 chickens and that they have to be in a chicken coop and or fenced in area at all times, but either they don't know about it or they just don't care. I want to be neighborly and not cause any problems. I have even considered getting a fence, but at a cost of around $10,000 to fence in my back yard, that will not happen. Any helpful suggestions, would be greatly appreciated. The last thing I want to do is call the cops, but I am not sure what to do. I thought about calling the Humane Society to see if they would do something.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Have you asked them if they can put up a fence? Is your dog a threat to them?

 

[eldajoann]

They told me to put up a fence. My dog is NOT a threat to their chickens. I have a small dog who is diabetic and blind. He doesn't even go in the backyard that often anymore due to his poor eyesight.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Okay, so you can't threaten that your dog will have a snack. Hmm, I'm trying to think here.

 

[eldajoann]

They told me to put up a fence. My dog is NOT a threat to their chickens. I have a small dog who is diabetic and blind. He doesn't even go in the backyard that often anymore due to his poor eyesight.

My dog has also never gone into their yard, as I am always out with him and he is not allowed to go into neighbor's yards, unless he is following me. He is trained to stay in my yard.

 

[aart]

Report them. Call the ordinance people and tell about the infraction.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Report them. Call the ordinance people and tell about the infraction.

That's an option, but it seems that they want this as they're very last option. I can just imagine the neighbor relationship after that...

 

[Chookwagn]

Claim them as your own.... catch them and if you don't want to keep them yourself... find someone to take them from you.....

... you saw nothing....

 

[NatJ]

I have even considered getting a fence, but at a cost of around $10,000 to fence in my back yard, that will not happen.

You can probably get a chicken-proof fence a lot cheaper than that.

Bird netting or deer netting or chicken wire would be enough to stop the chickens walking through. Those don't require very big posts, either.

Do not put a board at the top to support the netting: the chickens will probably fly up and sit on the board, then come down into your yard.

If you leave the netting floppy at the top, then the chickens will probably NOT come over it.

Chickens usually don't think to fly "over" something. They usually fly "to" a thing (like the top of the fence) and then "to" another thing (like the ground in your yard.)

If you cannot arrange some kind of a fence, you could try a sprinkler with a motion sensor: chickens usually do not like to be squirted with water.

The last thing I want to do is call the cops, but I am not sure what to do. I thought about calling the Humane Society to see if they would do something.

Humane Society might do something, I'm not sure. I can see why you would leave the cops as the last resort.

Maybe offer to build a chicken pen on their property? Potentially cheaper than fencing your own yard, but would not help unless they kept the chickens IN the pen.

 

[Ian Truong]

I am looking for some advice. My neighbor has chickens that year after year continue to come into my yard. Year after year (several times per year) I am over there telling them about the chickens and that I NEVER ever want them to come into my yard...and year after year they continue to do so. One year, my dog got extremely sick and after a $1000 vet bill, we finally figured out he must have been eating/licking his paws that had chicken poop on it. I went over there again, to explain this to them...but, guess what....they continued to come over! Our city does have a chicken ordinance that clearly states you can only have 4 chickens and that they have to be in a chicken coop and or fenced in area at all times, but either they don't know about it or they just don't care. I want to be neighborly and not cause any problems. I have even considered getting a fence, but at a cost of around $10,000 to fence in my back yard, that will not happen. Any helpful suggestions, would be greatly appreciated. The last thing I want to do is call the cops, but I am not sure what to do. I thought about calling the Humane Society to see if they would do something.

Print out this message on a piece of paper to give to your neighbour to see how they would respond to keep their property. If their chicken still come over to you property then you better captured those chicken and keep them for yourself.