My big fat chicken fight

[littlegorb]

just an update. so friday the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission had their monthly meeting and i was on their agenda. i have not yet heard what they decided. i have asked the investigator to inform me asap as to the outcome of their decision. this has really been a long process and i am ready for it to be over with, one way or the other. if they find a reasonable cause, i'm not sure what to do next. i'll keep you all posted. i still have my girls, they are just 18 miles away so i am doing alot of driving to see them and care for them. keep fingers crossed!

 

[horsejody]

 

[Georgiapea]

Best of luck to you. Communities everywhere are changing their local laws to allow backyard chickens. I wonder if there are statistics to show how many have actually done this to date...............

Georgia in Alabama

 

[suburbanchx]

ok, i just want to say, rabbits don't make noise at all besides ruffling the bedding! Don't you agree?

 

[SmahtFahm]

Keep fighting! I know it's hard, but keep it up! We started chickens this year (26 of 'em), but we're in a more rural area. Our chickens started wandering in our neighbor's yard, so she told us nicely. We put up a fence (we own 2.5 acres, and all 3 sides around her property) on the section we saw them going in. We hadn't seen them since, thought it was the end of the matter. Then I get a knock on our door a month later, it was the Board of Health--she'd called because they were pooping on her lawn (uh, one or two spots?) and she complained. Luckily, there's no leash law here in town and it's an ag-friendly town, but still, the guy suggestsed that I maybe extend the fence on the one side, so I did. I'm no longer speaking to my neighbor, as we had it out after the BoH was here. She accused me of not doing anything and I said I DID do something and hadn't seen them in her yard. She says they still come and I know it, but duh, I have 3 kids, do you think that maybe I'm not paying close attention and think it's rude to stare into someone's yard? I've been a lovely neighbor to her up until then. Anyway, we want to put up a fence, but to it legally, you have to have it staked for property lines--$2,500 (and that's without a fence!). So I put up a fence along one edge of the property (300 feet) but there are still two other sides that should get done. Ironically, there are trees that have fallen and she's never moved or cut up, AND she's got a huge wood pile of yard debris right on our property line, so it would involve land clearing even to get to a place where I can put up a fence. And by fence, I mean a 1x1 hammered into the ground with chicken wire strung up. When we are able to afford a fence, we're going to put up something TALL AND UGLY facing her, make her feel all boxed in on 3 sides. We've been good neighbors to her, but calling the BoH? That's not someone we're going to ever make happy, cranky old lady. So now I do see our chickens in her yard and I just shrug my shoulders and figure I'll fight that battle if it comes to it. But since she won't clear her part of the crap from our land, I'll use that as an excuse and see where it gets me. Ugh!

Good luck, I wish you the best. It's insanely stupid what your town is doing, the pride of some people (city council and mayor!), idiots! And for the record, I own rabbits too and they're quiet except for the rustling of bedding and little water nips from the bottle. My kids are WAY louder.

 

[Wifezilla]

I have very little patience for people that can't keep their animals in their yard...chicken or otherwise. That hardly compares to a woman being prevented from owning a beneficial pet.

 

[SmahtFahm]

You don't have to get snarky about it. My point was that the woman over-reacted, instead of calling us and letting us know that the fence section wasn't working. We've been great neighbors to her (always one sided, us giving to her and helping her), so it was unnecessary and overblown. We agreed when she called the first time to let us know the problem, she has a right not to have our chickens in her yard. We hadn't seen them in her yard since we put up the fence section, and had she let us know that it wasn't working, we would have responded immediately with more fencing and working with her to figure out where they're getting in. But instead of communicating, she over-reacted and now I don't care to work with her. The rights are on our side, ironically. She doesn't want to clear her debris from the property line and I don't have time to do it (once again, us doing for her), so it will have to wait.

My point was to support this woman and to say that I understand misconceptions and attitudes towards chickens, a little communication goes a long way! I hope it works out for her, though the city/state certainly are taking a long time deciding it, aren't they? Hope good news comes SOON!!!

Btw, if they come through for you (I hope, I hope!), you should charge them for all that driving you do every day to get your eggs! That is definitely more than the cost of the fine! Even funnier would be if these people watched the chickens (so fun!)or actually tried one of the fresh eggs--to watch their eyes light up at the gorgeous color, and "ooh" at the taste, they'd get it then!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

It is possible that your neighbor felt like she wasn't being listened to since your birds continued to come in her yard. So she went to the next level. Many people do not like confrontation, and would much rather have someone else take on that role. Since it is her trees that are fallen on your property, you might want to follow your own advise and confront her directly about clearing away her debris.

I don't know if you confine your birds at night or not, but if not it is quite possible that they are roosting in her trees and messing up her yard during the very early morning hours when you might not be looking outside, and therefore not see them. Also, you didn't say how tall your fencing is or what kind of chickens you have. Some breeds are fairly good fliers. Most can hop or fly over a 4' fence, very few over an 8' one (although bushes or other items can be used as steps).

 

[SmahtFahm]

I did tell her she'd need to move her debris, but she (as always) said she wasn't strong enough and didn't have help (nevermind her 3 grown, able-bodied, but chronically unemployed kids she has living with her)! You are right--she said she assumed we didn't care, but I just asked her why she didn't at least give us the chance to do something. We hadn't seen the chickens in her yard, thought the problem was solved. A little note, even in the mailbox, would have been helpful, as we responded positively and promptly to her when she first notified us. Our chickens are in a coop, they're closed in at night, so this is usually in the afternoon that they occasionally wander over. I intend to chainsaw the tree limbs (and leave her her part) and put up a fence, they don't seem to fly and respect the fence (it's 4 ft. chicken wire). Sorry, Littlegorb, didn't mean to hijack the thread. Any news yet on their decision?

 

[horsejody]

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Any updates?