My loose chickens have been claimed!

[KDbeads]

I had spoken to city hall about all the loose chickens that have been running around trying to get themselves killed and she had told be she didn't know who owned them and that if I could catch them I could keep them. So I caught one. Built the coop this weekend and was in the process of rounding up 2 more this morning when a neighbor dropped by to let me know someone had finally come forward with an ownership claim

For now I'm going to let city hall deal with it and if any come into the yard I'll round them up. Told city hall that if they really wanted them back that bad she could come pick them up when I'm home. I'm thinking they'll be gone this week if not this afternoon but if she doesn't show I still have the birds. City hall is siding with me and all the others who have complained about the flock running loose in the streets. I can see both side of the situation so I'm not upset.

Luckily I managed to get a dozen EE eggs that will be shipped this week so now I have to build an incubator. I will have chickens one way or another

 

[cassie]

If you want to keep the chickens and they are penned up you can charge board for them. If the board is not paid the chickens are yours.

 

[joebryant]

Good luck, sounds like they'd be better off with your care. The actual owner should only get the road kill.

 

[KDbeads]

So far nothing, but I've got a call in to our AC officer who rushed to her first grandkid's birthing today. Once she gets back we'll figure the whole situation out because there may be a chance that these are a different set of birds than what is being claimed. These are red sex link looking mutts and the others are all black. One major thing against this 'owner', if they do belong to her, is the condition I caught this roo in. I can feel the entire keel bone and his rib bones. The 2 hens look better but won't let me touch them at all to get a better idea, very very flighty, hard to even get close to them.

It's a very small town, things get around so fast it's ridiculous so for all I know she's already realized she is up against one of the rescuers (me, I rescue pets mostly) here in town and may back down.

 

[KDbeads]

Had a lovely meeting with the AC officer this morning. In short, if the chickens are free roaming and I can catch, they are mine. The woman who claimed them refuses to pay any fines or boarding fees for the birds. So therefore they become strays.

Whoo hoo!!

 

[anngili]

Yea! Congratulations!!

 

[fldiver97]

Happy to hear that the chickens now have a safe and caring home.....That women (if she even "owned" those chickens before) should be ashamed (and then some).....

Good luck catching the rest of them!!!

 

[joebryant]

That's good fortune for you AND the chickens. Nice story; "all's well that ends well."

 

[Karrie13]

Congratulations!! How many more are running around loose?

 

[KDbeads]

We've counted 50 in separate flocks so far but about 2/3 are roos. I'm not really wanting the roos. Had 2 hens rounded up last night into my garden area but was never able to actually get them in the coop so they escaped before I got out there this morning

however they 'live' on my block so I should be able to catch them again but next time I don't have to be stealth about it. AC officer and I have an agreement, she gets any hens she'll call me and for the roos, one of the feed stores have been taking them. And if I get any fertile eggs, there are a bunch of kids in the 4H project this year that may be willing to hatch them for themselves. Sounds like a win win all the way around. Plus I have more coming so I'll have to expand my coop/pen in the next few months