Well I got the surprise of my life this morning when I was out at 6:45a.m. feeding the chickens. Here's a short version. As I'm just finishing up I turn to grab my wagon and I see a shadow rounding the big coop. Thought my DH came out for something. WRONG! It was my neighbor lady and she came unglued on me, crying, pleading & all, telling me she is a nervous wreck and is going to have a heart attack over my roosters crowing.(No she is not elderly she is a middle aged 50 something fruit loop and seems quite healthy.) She proceeds to tell me that she is at her wits end. She said she doesn't know of anyone who would like his crowing except for me. I said "my children enjoy it as well." She said she can't take it anymore, she's at her wits end and I need to do something.( Get rid of them? Ah NO ) I apologized that he annoys her but I told her that I like the crowing, it's his form of communication and that is what roosters do....dogs bark, cows moo. As I stood there quietly waiting for a reply she continued to ramble on a bunch of BS which lead to her saying that I'm not going to listen to anyone, it's no use in talking to me, that I'm gonna do what I want to, blah, blah, blah, blah. I politely told her that it's my right and perfectly legal for me to have a rooster & chickens if I choose and I choose to have them! She then stomped off across the yard and as she's stomping away yells to me that if I don't do something she's gonna shoot him, that I'm gonna come home and find him dead because I drove her to it! Trying really hard to restrain my mouth I then told her that maybe she should take a pill or two .I didn't say another word, just turned my back and continued to finish up. I know my rights and what's legal and not for my location and zoning. I live in an area that is zoned AG, I have acreage and I'm with in my MRTF rights. Needless to say, I called our township zoning guy who I know on a personal basis. Mind you, I double checked all the rules before getting chickens so I knew what his reply was gonna be but did it to tell him of the threat and just to be 100% sure. Yup, just as he told me before I'm perfectly fine.
Sooo.....if she approaches me again I'm just gonna tell her nicely that I'm within my rights and perfectly legal and that all I can do help her is pray for her. Why do I have to have a fruit loop for a neighbor!!!! The lord is testing me on how nice I can be about the whole thing I guess! I'd really like to tell her to go fly a kite!
Chicken Stock Ideas: I like them all and would be very willing to my share of the work. I also like the suggestion of having 2...one early Summer & one in the Fall. We could have the one in a southern location and one in a northern location as some folks suggested! Makes for fair travels for everyone.