My neighbor won’t stop complaining

[bobbi-j]

Our other next door neighbor did that, but no. I don’t trust this one.

Is there a fence between you?

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Is there a fence between you?

Of course. It’s the new one. She stuck bamboo trellises on top of it, so she’s got like 7.5 feet there.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

My flock and I moved into my mom's house for a few months while we were waiting for our new house to close (took waaaay longer than it should have because of COVID). At the time, I had 6 hens and 1 rooster. A neighbor called the county to say I had 7 roosters. Roosters were not allowed, but I figured a few months wouldn't be too bad. County guy was totally cool. He said I could keep it rooster indoors. Even if I had all the windows open so that the world could hear him, he was legal indoors. So I brought my rooster inside.

Neighbors kept complaining because the hens (who were totally legal) were "as loud as roosters." My son was utterly fed up. So he would go in the backyard and "COCKLE-DOODLE-DOO" at the top of his lungs. Also legal. The county guy thought that was hilarious. He advised us to ignore the neighbor, whi h is what I suggest you do. Relax in the shade of that lovely, chicken-friendly zoning ordinance.

We could've recorded the rooster and played it on huge speakers on full volume. Still legal.

Stupid laws.

Oh, and -

While Cali is pretty much what most folks say it is, I am allowed to have as many roosters as I want in some if the most beautiful country anywhere up here in this part of Northern California. It ain't ALL bad here...

You’re really allowed to have roosters in the Gold Country? I had to give up mop the foster rooster With his first crow.

 

[SourRoses]

If I had only heard normal hens' egg songs, I wouldn't be saying this, but...

We had two extreme singers. After many years keeping many different breeds of chickens.
The batty ones were Cream Legbars, although I've heard of several breeds doing it.
They would sing extra loud for hours. They would start up singing again every time another hen laid an egg, even when the actual layer made minimal noise. It was an all-morning affair. It was driving me bonkers.
Roosters crowing don't bother me, and I've never paid much attention to a typical hen singing. So, at first my mom didn't believe it was really an issue. Her hearing is... not great.
Then we figured out that her bathroom insulates her room from chicken noises, but my room has no such luxury. Even my office area is much louder.
Acoustics can be weird that way. The topography of land and exterior shape of buildings / internal layout / materials used, can change what one party is hearing compared to the other.
When we rehomed those noisy hens? OH MY, the relief! We're back to normal chicken noises for normal lengths of time.

Some questions to maybe consider...
1. How many breeds of chickens have you owned? Do you know if these are normal noises/volumes? The part where you said they all set each other off made me wonder, as quieter hens don't tend to do that.

2. Have you stood on her property facing your hens during egg songs to see if there might be acoustic differences in what you both experience?

As I said, I never would have thought it could be a problem if I hadn't been acoustically tortured by chickens.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

We originally got our chickens from the pound. The four of them still living are

One factory hen, About 5
One RiR, about 6
One Marans, confirmed at 4
One Mutt of unknown breed, has feathery feet, about 4.

We got two from the feed sore.

One Easter Egger, about 3.
One Buffy, about 2.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Next time the hens start making "too much noise", I'd probably get our my leaf blower or chain saw or tambourines or whatever and hang out right at the property line. See if she prefers the noise from just the hens.

I can send my 3rd oldest over….she is just learning the trombone….it doesn’t sound bad. It not the greatest… my chickens look at her like she has lost every piece of her mind.

I would ignore her. If your in your limits, your in your right. Doesn’t matter if she likes it or not. I would put no trespassing signs up too. More to keep her from thinking she can come in your property and argue about it with you at your home.

 

[Aunt Angus]

You’re really allowed to have roosters in the Gold Country? I had to give up mop the foster rooster With his first crow.

Yep. When we bought the property, we had to sign an affidavit acknowledging that we live in a rural/ag area and we know we'll hear and smell ag related stuff.

We aren't in a city or an HOA area. That may be the difference.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

I’ve told her flat out

Yep. When we bought the property, we had to sign an affidavit acknowledging that we live in a rural/ag area and we know we'll hear and smell ag related stuff.

We aren't in a city or an HOA area. That may be the difference.

Im glad rural still exists up there. For what it’s worth, I’m so sorry for the Bay Area denizens, the Tahoe ppl, the ppl who moved to Sac etc being a problem.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I’ve told her flat out


Im glad rural still exists up there. For what it’s worth, I’m so sorry for the Bay Area denizens, the Tahoe ppl, the ppl who moved to Sac etc being a problem.

They're not all problems. It's really the wealthy ones who work from home. They are able to live in this beautiful country and live an almost resort-style life- amost, if it weren't for the mills, the cows, the horses, the roosters, the pot growers... You get the idea.

I'm what longtime residents ignominiously dubbed a "flatlander," having moved her from rural Sac County. But I'm up here farming. And I am FAR from wealthy. Once folks know that, they're much nicer.

I just don't advertise that I'm a teacher. They really don't like teachers up here. Like, they hate us. I've experienced a lot of hostility.

It hasn't been an easy transition, I tell you what.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

They're not all problems. It's really the wealthy ones who work from home. They are able to live in this beautiful country and live an almost resort-style life- amost, if it weren't for the mills, the cows, the horses, the roosters, the pot growers... You get the idea.

I'm what longtime residents ignominiously dubbed a "flatlander," having moved her from rural Sac County. But I'm up here farming. And I am FAR from wealthy. Once folks know that, they're much nicer.

I just don't advertise that I'm a teacher. They really don't like teachers up here. Like, they hate us. I've experienced a lot of hostility.

It hasn't been an easy transition, I tell you what.

The teacher thing isn’t on you. It’s just unrealistic expectations.