My neighbors car is our predator.

[bakerjw]

I don't have much sympathy if you let an animal roam around roads and it gets hit. If that is considered beating up on someone then so be it but I look at it from a different perspective. I ride my bicycle a lot. 70 mile rides are no real big deal. While out on the road I have had run ins with many animals, mainly dogs, and it is amazing how easy it is for a small animal to dart into a wheel and put a cyclist down. One day myself and some friends We were out in the country going down a small paved road and rustled up a flock of chickens, one of whom ran alongside trying to figure out what to do in the confusion of a bicycle showing up so quickly. Luckily I was able to pull to the center of the road and the chicken decided to cut up out of the ditch. I had a number of chicken incidents that year. Enough to become known as "rides with chickens". If I am riding and someones animal causes me to go down then they are liable.

It sucks that you lost a chicken. It sucks that people drive fast down country roads. If there is a habitual speeder, then call the sheriff and have them come and wait. If they get a complaint day after day after day, they will pay attention. It is much better than hatching some scheme to cause someone to have to swerve into a ditch and possibly be killed or POd enough to come back for retribution. These are not days to be messing with people.

Again sorry for the loss of your chicken. But I would keep them out of the road.

 

[Katy]

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In your original post you said you hear the thud which means you don't know whether your chicken was in the road or not. You also say you can tell in your original post that you can tell your neighbor swerved to avoid the chicken, but now you say you can tell she swerved to hit it? You need to not change your story after you don't find the symphathy you wanted. You don't know whether they were in the road or not because you did not see it happen. I'm sorry you lost one of your chickens, but the fact remains that when you choose to free-range them you run the risk of them becoming the victim of a predator...either metal or furry. I don't think your neighbors are bound to obey your chicken crossing signs.....only the posted speed limit.

 

[Over Easy in Adna]

This forum has changed so much from when I first joined.........



If the car drove through your coop, then you can complain.

 

[dianneS]

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In your original post you said you hear the thud which means you don't know whether your chicken was in the road or not. You also say you can tell in your original post that you can tell your neighbor swerved to avoid the chicken, but now you say you can tell she swerved to hit it? You need to not change your story after you don't find the symphathy you wanted. You don't know whether they were in the road or not because you did not see it happen. I'm sorry you lost one of your chickens, but the fact remains that when you choose to free-range them you run the risk of them becoming the victim of a predator...either metal or furry. I don't think your neighbors are bound to obey your chicken crossing signs.....only the posted speed limit.

The chicken was at the very edge of the yard when I saw her alive. I heard the thud, saw the woman veer to the other side of the road, after the thud. I looked out the window, my hen was still alive, lying with her body at the edge of my yard, head toward the road. She only had trauma to her head and was not run over. I don't believe that she could have been thrown off to the side of the road at all, so that is why I'm pretty sure that she was not in the road.

I know I run the risk of losing them when I free range them. I said that in my original post and I said that they are so much happier free-ranging and the risk of them getting hit is so minimal that it is worth the risk. The benefits outweigh the risk.

I'm ticked off that my neighbor and friend who waves to me everytime she sees me in my garden, didn't have the decency to stop and tell me she hit a chicken. Why is that so hard to understand? I guess I shouldn't expect my neighbor who doesn't own chickens, and just views them as mindless animals meant for food production to get too upset over a chicken. She would probably stop if she had hit a dog. But I would expect fellow chicken owners to understand.

Do I just smile at this woman the next time I see her and try to remain neighborly? That is going to be hard to do.

 

[Lolita]

 

[MomtoSyd&Emma]

I am truly sorry for the loss of your bird. We have 21 chicks/chickens and while I would LOVE to let them out to free range I just cant do it for fear of something like this happening.

 

[luckyramu]

I have lost two dogs to cars. It was sadly because of my negligence. When I was in my 20's I stupidly thought my dog would never get hit by a car, and I let her roam. THUD. The second dog I underestimated our 3' front yard fence for only a second. THUD. Animals need to be well protected from the street, with a HIGH fence. There is no middle ground or bounds to complain. I blamed my stupidity for both mistakes and learned from it. Occasionally my dogs still get out of my back yard because they are sneaky devils (maybe 1/year). I cringe each time.

 

[chickenofthesea]

IMO there is a bit too much arguing going on here. I understand everyone has a different view of what should or should not be done. Sometimes mistakes are made, and sometimes lessons are learned. I remember a while ago reading "if you dont like the post move on" (in this case the post*or reply*) I would hope to make everyones enjoyment of this forum possible, that this could be followed. I know that some disagree with certain topics, and I know that we are all animal lovers or we wouldnt be here! I dont think an argument is needed to make a point. Spread the love!

edited for clarity oops!

 

[ranchhand]

Sorry about the loss of the hen. I have a theory about the neighbor not knowing or knowing she hit the hen. Was she on a cell phone? Did she have the radio cranked up? She may think she swerved and missed it.

Go talk to to her, clear the air now. Don't let it fester and becaome a feud. And yes, keep the chickens contained somehow, so you don't lose anymore.

 

[Tecalli]

dianneS, I am very sorry for your loss and do offer my sympathy.

As this is the second chicken you have lost in this way its time to rethink your approach. As has been suggested, fencing your chickens into your yard seems a good approach to take.

I understand you are mad at your neighbor and are upset she/he did not come and tell you about it. Given it does not appear you are accusing her of hitting your hen on purpose, maybe its you that owes her the apology.

I am a recent convert to the joys of chickens. Mine are my pets and I am very attached to them. If I was driving down the road and accidently hit someone else's chicken I would be very upset. I would feel terrible for the chicken. I would also be angry with the chicken's owner who didn't provide adequate care for the poor chicken. So its possible your neighbor is wondering the same thing-- how do I politely smile an wave at this woman who caused me so much distress and who doesn't care for her chickens properly.

I do sumpathize for your loss and are not trying to beat you up. But before getting angry at your neighbor for your perceptions of her not taking responsibility for her actions, perhaps you should consider that she is angry with you for not taking responsibility for yours-- she may be waiting for you to come and apologize to her.