My neighbors are neglecting their chickens

[littlepip]

My neighbors pay us to keep their chickens in our barn. I was letting my ducks outside to free-range one afternoon, and I walked by the area where my neighbors keep their chickens. Since it's been humid lately and around 90 degrees, it was really stuffy in that area of the barn. The chickens were being really loud, and squawking more than usual, like they wanted something. I looked into the coop (more like a pen rather than a coop), and I counted 6 out of 7 chickens. I walked inside to make sure that all of them were there, and saw one of them sitting in the corner, wings slightly spread, panting, with her eyes slightly closed. I started to panic, as my neighbors weren't home at the time, and went over to pick the hen up and see if I could find what was wrong. she was limp, and let me pick her up. this was a little weird, since she was the kind of chicken that would peck your fingers off if you touched her. I instantly thought of heat exhaustion, and blamed myself for not running a fan inside that area. I went over to the waterer, thinking I would dip her beak in to drink, but it was COMPLETELY DRY. BONE DRY. I knew there was no way that they had drinken all that water. the waterer was HUGE (I would say 5 gallons). I also have 7 chickens, and they don't even finish a 5 gallon water in an entire day. It was only about 1:00pm, and the heat was HORRIBLE (80% humidity, 96 degrees F). These chickens clearly hadn't had water for the night prior, let alone today. I filled their waterer, and they drank for about 10 minutes straight. I started running a fan, and offered the sick hen some ice water, and she started to perk up. This wasn't the only case of neglect, there have been several occasions when the chicken's had no water, sometimes even no food. they haven't been outside in 3 weeks, and the door to their pen is sometimes carelessly latched, allowing them to escape at night when coyotes are out. What do I do? I don't want them to lose a hen due to their carelessness and neglect.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Why are you letting your neighbors use YOUR barn for THIER chickens? It would seem that they feel that you are going to take care of them as well. You can chose to do a few things. Ask them if you can buy the chickens and take them over. Stop renting your barn to them and have them take their chickens. You MUST talk to them and try to find out what they are thinking, maybe they don't want the chickens any more. They don't seem to care and if they don't belong to you they are not your responsibility. I would do the same thing in your place, I'd take care of them, but I would talk to the neighbors and find a way to permanently resolve this. It's not fair to you or the birds! Good Luck, I'm pulling for you!

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Oh those poor chickens! I would certainly have words with those people!!

 

[StaffordshireLady]

Is there any sort of animal welfare organisation that you could ask to call over? That might get the owners to act more responsibly?
You must be so worried about them all.

 

[littlepip]

I plan on talking to them and expressing my concern. they also have a rabbit that is constantly out in the heat, in a small hutch in which it barley fits. I would adopt these animals, but seeing that I already have several chickens, ducks, goats, and horses, I don't have enough room or time to take care of them. They're discussing moving, so perhaps these animals will get new space.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Aww, poor bunny. He is in the shade, I hope, with fresh water? Poor animals. Is there a humane society you can call?

If you cannot keep the animals yourself, is there an animal sanctuary or shelter you can take them to?

 

[littlepip]

nope. not even in the shade. it's been over 90 degrees, and bunnies can die in temperatures over 85. I'm going to give their animals ice water today, to hopefully save them from heat stroke. today is the hottest day this week.

 

[littlepip]

I'm going to take the bunny inside the barn, in front of a fan.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

How awful! You need to contact an animal cruelty officer! That is animal abuse!! Is the rabbit hutch too heavy, can you move it into the shade or place something nearby that will provide shade?

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Oh, Ok! Great! But you need to contact the law about this!