My Neighbor shot at Me and My Chickens This Morning

[Abriana]

Here's the problem. It will. These guys are going to be trouble.

Too bad moving is probably not an option.

 

[dunnmom]

I'm glad you talked calmly and a compromise can be reached. You've handled it better than a lot of people would. Shoot! My own husband would have been completely mental if someone threatened us in that way. It's just the way some people react to anger with more anger.

 

[theoldchick]

I think I would have pooped my pants if my neighbor came shooting at me with pellet guns. Some of those pellet guns like big bore rifles when pointed at you! This is a very dangerous situation. Your angry neighbors obviously lack communication skills and quickly resorted to primitive anger to get their point across. If you plan to remain, time to put up a six foot tall board fence. I know you shouldn't have to since the neighbors are nutty. You'll have to put up security cameras, too. I feel for you and wish I had an answer for you, but real help will come from law enforcement. Be sure to document everything with photos and videos.

 

[bobbi-j]

I have two other neighbors with chickens that have a rooster. One on the left and one on the right, two doors down.

I was actually concerned with my customer's safety as well since I have a lady coming for one of the roosters this evening. And the other two are listed for sale also. I don't intend to keep more than two at any given time, but need at least one since I am breeding Black Sumatra.

I am concerned about my coop being burned down right now. And I am concerned about my safety since I am home alone. I'll have my husband show me which ammo goes to which gun in the cabinet tonight. I had load training with a shotgun after a home invasion back home in Mobile in 2010. But I'm unfamiliar with my husband's arsenal. Otherwise, it's the Viking sword in the hands of this Bezerker.

The neighbor is crippled and his wife passed away from cancer a few years ago so we're not worried much about him coming up here-- except that he did threaten my sister in law and mother in law with a gun when they were hunting on our land near his house last fall. His son is a bum who has no job and has probably been doing all of the dirty work for his dad who can't physically get up the hill to our property. They're really only upset that they can't watch TV without hearing crowing.

The police told them that we had more roosters than we wanted and were actively reducing their numbers and to give it a week. They informed him that if the noise didn't die down in a week or so, that he could attend a township meeting and try to get the chicken laws changed for our area.

I told the police that we only assumed from the cursing incident two days ago that there was a problem, but even prior to this husband and I had been discussing putting up a privacy fence to reduce noise for this neighbor in the winter time when the leaves are all gone. Recently we wondered if we should plant Evergreens instead since a fence can be expensive. And I had been actively selling the extra roosters prior to that.

The main issue, the police admitted, is that this man and his son have a record and are not sane. Thank you all for your support.

If they're too worked up and don't look both ways before crossing the road to get to my coop they'll get hit by one of the Semis or dump trucks and other noisy Agriculture/Quarry vehicles that frequent the road- and are- frankly-- ten times louder than any four roosters combined.

Although it's expensive, I would think the privacy fence would give you more protection. It's not that hard to walk between trees.

I'm not sure if it's a comfort or not, knowing that they are known to the police. On the one hand, at least they know that you're not making things up. On the other hand, they sound like scary neighbors!

If you didn't have kids on the property, I'd say set up some booby-traps on the property line. Shooting at you, or your chickens is mentally ill behavior! I agree that giving the neighbors their way and getting rid of your roos is the fastest way to resolve the issue, but it's completely unfair, and the resentments will still fester since things have already gone this far.

The problem with setting booby traps on their land is, if the neighbor got hurt, the OP would still likely be liable for injuries. It's just the dumb, convoluted way our legal system works these days. There are dozens of old, abandoned farm places around here. Even if they have no trespassing signs, if someone goes into an abandoned house and gets hurt, the land owner is liable.

I'd say things have gone this far too quickly!! The birds are 8 mo old and have only been crowing for only a month or two. Had the neighbor come up, knocked on my door, and talked sensibly, I could have assured him that the extra roosters were being sold as quickly as possible, and that we would be willing to put a noise barrier/privacy fence for him.

The fact that the cops had his number and tried calling him before coming out-- tells me that he may have some mental issues and they're watching him.

I wish you all the best. I think getting familiar with your husband's arsenal is a good idea. If things continue to escalate, I would even consider carrying while doing chores if you feel you could actually use a gun to defend yourself. If you're not comfortable with that, then definitely leave it in the house. Please keep us posted on how things are going.

 

[Counting chickens]

I'm glad you talked calmly and a compromise can be reached. You've handled it better than a lot of people would. Shoot! My own husband would have been completely mental if someone threatened us in that way. It's just the way some people react to anger with more anger.

Exactly.
It would't be prudent to shoot at my wife. I don't own a pellet gun.

 

[Counting chickens]

Although it's expensive, I would think the privacy fence would give you more protection. It's not that hard to walk between trees.

I'm not sure if it's a comfort or not, knowing that they are known to the police. On the one hand, at least they know that you're not making things up. On the other hand, they sound like scary neighbors!


The problem with setting booby traps on their land is, if the neighbor got hurt, the OP would still likely be liable for injuries. It's just the dumb, convoluted way our legal system works these days. There are dozens of old, abandoned farm places around here. Even if they have no trespassing signs, if someone goes into an abandoned house and gets hurt, the land owner is liable.


I wish you all the best. I think getting familiar with your husband's arsenal is a good idea. If things continue to escalate, I would even consider carrying while doing chores if you feel you could actually use a gun to defend yourself. If you're not comfortable with that, then definitely leave it in the house. Please keep us posted on how things are going.

bobbi j is absolutely correct. Booby traps are a bad idea. You would almost certainly be held liable for injuries and probably additional damages.

 

[Katnapz]

That's awful! I'm thinking I should talk to my neighbors before I get my first flicks next month.

 

[ronott1]

So those ignoramuses are clearly in the wrong... however you are mistaken about it not bothering them, obviously.

My roosters crowing doesn't bother me either... but some people have single pane windows, back aches, issues sleeping, family drama, and such.

You will be putting your life in danger if you go try to talk to them... indicated by their previous behavior. Some people are simply crazy! I seriously wouldn't recommend that.

Fact is, in my jurisdiction... they could complain to animal control or code enforcement and either one of those authorities would give me a warning. We can have what we want as far as number of chickens UNTIL the neighbors complain about noise... even in the country.

I too wanna know what the officers say... here it MIGHT have been a Hatfield and McCoy shoot out. and we don't own a pellet gun!

Just guessing your neighbors' name is Stew? Stew Pidasso! Glad you are OK! Any reasonable neighbor, I will try to work with. But neighbors like that are best avoided and let the law deal with them as you did.

Definitely must have been scary, heart pumping, head spinning..

I would think that neighbors complaining would need proof of noise--like decibel levels and certain times. Check the actual ordinance. Most communities know that neighbors can be cranks and complaints are not real sometimes.

Roosters usually do not make noise at night. Most places will allow construction or ag noise after 6 or 7 in the morning. My guess is that most places have rules like that.

The odd thing to me is that someones dog can bark all night but a rooster crowing gets people worked up

 

[theoldchick]

In my husband's part of the woods, shooting at one's wife will shorten the shooter's lifespan. Yep, those mountain folks don't like it when you mess with family. They'll get to feuding right quick over such things. Yep, where he came from you don't mess with the wife or the Liquor Still.

 

[The Angry Hen]

I am terribly sorry that you had to go through this and I am very glad to hear that both YOU and your roosters are alright. Behavior like your neighbor's in not an acceptable problem.
I would suggest not removing your roosters from the flock. Yes, your health is first and foremost. Unless you move... you'd probably never get more roosters once you get rid of yours. Do you want to lose that ability of your freedom because another person's bad decision?

This would be a major change to your flock which can cause a couple stress problems for the hens and then again, you probably wouldn't get another rooster.

Not to mention hens can be just as noisy.

A good thing that may be helpful is calling up the Police and maybe seeing if it is possible to have one stay on guard at night until you get an alarm system or camera setup.

At night not only will they try harm again against your roosters... But they may strike even more than just your roosters. (Property damage/vandalism. If they did that and you didn't have proof that they were the culprit, the Police may not be able to arrest him in particularly or keep watch properly).

Cameras, locking the coop and you can even consider getting some type of guard dog are ideas. (Is this a possible for your situation?)

My opinions may be nonsense but I'd like to help YOU and your FLOCK stay out of harms way. Play it safe and watch your back, very glad that y'all are okay. God bless and hope everything works out for you! And do you pack? This is a BIG suggestion. One can never be too safe or have enough protection.