My neighbors are neglecting their chickens

[Peppercorngal]

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.

Room for them? But you said they are in YOUR barn???? A few more chickens, a little rabbit, how much more room would it take? And just as easy to feed 40 chickens as 4! You know you want to rescue them, so talk to the owners and get it over with!

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I'm lazy, so I would be very pissed if I was put in a position to where I have to do extra chores when it is not my responsibility. With that said, if this is the first time they've done it, I can look past that.... I mean, I don't know about you guys but sometimes when I'm busy during the day and have unexpected errands to run, it sometimes screws with my schedule in my head and I forget that it's time to fill the feed/waterer and only kick myself afterwards when I finally figure out what it is that I'm forgetting but can't pinpoint.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

I used to own a rabbit, so I do know how messy they are. But this rabbit clearly is being neglected. If it were possible, I'd ask you to mail the rabbit to me! I'd ensure it a better home! But from what somebody told me, rabbits and chickens get diseases from each other. You may not want to keep the rabbit near your chickens to be on the safe side.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I don't like this at all!

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

I don't like this at all!

Me neither! What brutes to mistreat poor innocent fuzzy animals!

 

[CCUK]

Talk to your neighbours first. There might be a bit more going on than you realise. True they should be keeping better care of them but sometimes life can take over. If they don't have time for them or have lost interest then they should look at rehoming them ASAP.

 

[Kris5902]

Were I in your position I would be offering to buy/take on the animals, they are already on your property, so space isn’t really the issue here. Yes it’s a little more time. Now I’m not an expert on the legality of these things where you are, but I do know that here in Canada the property owner CAN be held responsible for cases of neglect/animal abuse on their property, even if it is being done be a “tenant or renter”. This could be putting you in a very bad position.

Talk with the owners, make an arrangement for care of the animals, offer to buy the animals, or have them remove the animals from your property if they are unwilling/unable to care for them adequately.

 

[NNYchick]

Were I in your position I would be offering to buy/take on the animals, they are already on your property, so space isn’t really the issue here. Yes it’s a little more time. Now I’m not an expert on the legality of these things where you are, but I do know that here in Canada the property owner CAN be held responsible for cases of neglect/animal abuse on their property, even if it is being done be a “tenant or renter”. This could be putting you in a very bad position.

Talk with the owners, make an arrangement for care of the animals, offer to buy the animals, or have them remove the animals from your property if they are unwilling/unable to care for them adequately.

I was wondering this very thing. As I was reading the posts some were recommending that she call animal control, I would think she would have some type of liability being they are on her property.

 

[Kris5902]

Generally when it gets to the point that animals are being removed by authorities due to neglect, every animal on the property is seized... dogs, cats, livestock. It is a scary prospect. It is always better to speak with the owners first if you can, and as there is an existing rental arrangement, it’s not quite the same as walking up to a complete strangers property and saying something about how they are caring for their animals.

After a friendly discussion with no improvement/progress, I would move to eviction, and then involving local authorities. After throughly documenting my attempts to resolve the situation in a timely manner. Here in a tenant/landlord situation that usually involves registered mail of notices, sometimes through a notary public.

 

[cmom]

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.

This doesn't really make a lot of sense. The neighbors are paying you so they can keep their birds in your barn but yet they have an area where they keep their birds and you looked into the coop (more like a pen rather than a coop), and counted 6 out of 7 chickens and yet 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. Can you post some pictures of the setup?