Keeping the neighbor's chickens out of my yard

[Aquira]

Maybe you can print out the information that says they need to keep them contained and such? And then tape it to their front door or mailbox or something. And potentially put a note saying that the city will be notified in x amount of time if they don't do anything about it?
I'd say, do that. Then wait a week or two to involve the city.

 

[Evanloveschickens]

That is theft

no it’s not. when an animal is on your property it is yours.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

no it’s not. when an animal is on your property it is yours.

No its not

 

[Evanloveschickens]

No its not

it’s not?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If an animal has an owner, you can not keep it just baciluse it's on your property. Doesn't matter if it's a chicken, dog or horse.

it’s not?

 

[ChocolateMouse]

no it’s not. when an animal is on your property it is yours.

No, it's not. Not in the USA. Animals are property. For example;
If I steal your computer, and then put it on your neighbors lawn, is it still your computer?
The law says, yes. It's still your computer, and should be returned to you. If the neighbor doesn't turn it in to the cops or give it back that's illegal because what if I just stole everything you owned and left it all over the place in other peoples houses and then you own nothing? Finders keepers is usually a rule for children, not written into law for this reason.
So if somehow an animal belonging to someone else is on your property it's still THEIR animal, just like it's still your computer, but it's ALSO on your property unlawfully. This is to keep people from piling stuff that isn't yours on your land and to ALSO keep people from doing the aforementioned computer theft. You can turn it into the appropriate authorities or request a permit to remove property that isn't yours from your land but it IS illegal to just keep it. Another example, you require a permit to remove derelict cars from a property because those cars aren't owned by you, even if you have no idea who owns them.

In this case, the appropriate authorities would look like catching the chicken and giving it to an animal warden, or having the animal warden catch it.

 

[Evanloveschickens]

If an animal has an owner, you can not keep it just baciluse it's on your property. Doesn't matter if it's a chicken, dog or horse.

they have to have legal proof it belongs to them. I found a siamese cat in my yard and the microchip didn’t have a label or address or number so I could keep it

 

[NatJ]

I'm in Virginia. If someone else's animal comes on my property, I am allowed to call animal control. Or I am allowed to pen up the animal, and charge the owner for taking care of it. But it's still not my animal. (Yes, various details are spelled out in the law, about kinds of animals and how much to charge.)

I am not allowed to keep the animal.
I am allowed to kill someone else's animal only under specific circumstances (like if it's a dog actively chasing livestock, or if any animal is endangering a person.)

Many other states have similar laws.


In the OP's case, I think a chicken-proof fence (cheap netting on cheap poles) could be a good solution.

Or catching/trapping the chickens and taking them to the animal shelter.

Or reporting the code violations.

But I think that keeping or eating the neighbor's chickens should not happen unless the neighbor agrees. (Could ask: "If those chickens come here again, can I eat them?" If the neighbor says, "Go ahead," then it's fine.)

 

[ChocolateMouse]

they have to have legal proof it belongs to them. I found a siamese cat in my yard and the microchip didn’t have a label or address or number so I could keep it

So you're saying you put forth the legally required due effort to find the owner first?

Like if this person has so much as a photo of their flock that wouldn't fly....

 

[Sammy1122]

I’d just scare the birds out your yard repeatedly and if they don’t like that.....oh well.