Need coop/confinement ideas

[ThreeHRanch]

So after 2-3 years of having vacant properties on both sides, i have new neighbors on both sides that just moved in. My flick has been free range on all the properties for years. Even when we had neighbors, they loved our chickens coming in their yard because it helps keep the bugs and especially ticks away.
Well one neighbor is totally cool with my chickens coming in their yard. They even asked what kind of food scraps they can give them. Great people. The newest neighbors however are already a problem.
They over the last week have been moving in little wooden and wire cages and huts. And the crowing starts. Sounds like 20 or so roosters. I think we all know what THAT means.
So yesterday, as they are setting up yet more cages, one of them hollers at me as Im exercising a horse, that I need to lock up my chickens. That they are coming on their property and eating their chicken food and dog food.(they have a pit bull chained to a dog house in their pasture...whole other issue).
So to try to keep the peace, or at least keep my birds safe,
Any ideas (cheaply)on how to keep my birds from leaving my property? Ive never had to deal with this before.
I dont like the idea of locking my birds up in cages, that kind of defeats the purpose of free range and pest control.
I have approx 1.5 acres(not including the horse pasture out back.
Suggestions?? Ideas?

 

[sourland]

The only thing that comes to mind is a fence along that property line if you do not want to pen your chickens up.

 

[DallasCriftins]

Sounds like you are a bit stuffed I have 2M high stock fencing yet my birds go over it as if it is not there if they want to.
Yours having got used to your neighbours land will probably try to get to it if they can.

Maybe electric fencing will be the answer till they are 'trained'.

 

[aart]

OhBoy...that stinks. What are the laws on cockfighting in your area? Chained pit bull doesn't sound good either.
Are they renters or owners, if renting- you can always hope they leave.

Fencing is the only thing I can think of and that's rarely 'cheap'.
Clipped wings and a floppy and/or angled in top section on the fencing so they can't land to go over.

You might need to build a run and range only at certain times, how many chooks do you have?...hopefully the 'cool' neighbors don't change their tune after they experience the less romantic aspects of chickens in the yard, steps, patio, etc.

My empathy for your situation and Best of Luck finding a solution, hopefully you keep us posted as many others find them selves in the similar situations.

 

[donrae]

Okay, first off, as soon as you knew folks were moving in to that property you should have either spoken with them or confined your birds. Just because your birds ran wild there while it was empty doesn't mean it's yours to let your birds on. The neighbors never should have had to ask you to keep your birds off their property.

Since your birds are habituated to going over there, you're going to have some sort of fencing to confine them. You may have to give up your free ranging for a bit until finances allow you to build a perimeter fence. Tractors and electric poultry netting come to mind as easy, quick confinement solutions. Plus, confining your birds to a place on your property helps them develop the habit of staying home. Unless there was some spectacular reason for them to go to that property before, it shouldn't be hard to keep them home once they make a new habit of it. But you'll want to work on budgeting for a perimeter fence, at least along that side.

Continue to check with the other neighbors, also. They may be fine with the birds there now, but in spring when they're trying to put in a garden or landscaping they may feed differently. It's really best to keep your birds on your own property.

Don't be so quick to judge about that pit bull, either. Be glad it's chained, would you rather it were running loose eating your chickens? I've had to chain dogs when I first moved into a place that didn't have appropriate fencing. Kept the dog on my property and helped him know where home was until I had fencing built.