neighbor extremely upset -- looking for solutions

[featherpants]

In one of your next conversations with your neighbor, if I were you, I would let her know what's up and coming when your girls reach laying age. And at that point, I would also offer her some free eggs when they do start coming.

I have an old grouch living next to me, and he was also upset at me for having chickens in my back yard, (complained they upset his dog). Well, guess what! He got another dog, and the puppy gave his older dog something to do! PLAY! I also give him fresh eggs, from time to time. He doesn't complain to me anymore, and even talks to my birds every now and again.

Sometimes, when you extend your hand in compromise and friendship, this puts the ball in their court. If they don't reply in like kind, like others have said, "at least you tried", and you'll feel better with yourself for having done that.

But really, the free eggs may do the trick. I'm not sure about advising her to get another dog, to give her current dog something to do, other than bark though. Terriers aren't the same as German Shepards.. If she gets another Terrier, they may BOTH bark. But it's a shame that all her dog has to do with its time, is bark. I'm glad my neighbor got his dog a companion. And neither of them bark at my birds anymore. They came to the conclusion that it's pointless, as the birds ignore them, even when right up next to the fence! (And we have a 5 foot chain link, and a 4 foot, old rusty wire fence, seperating the dogs and chickens.)

I wish you the best of luck, and many eggs for all your time.

 

[Lund121671]

if you can legally have chickens in your neighbor hood there is nothing you need to do. A barking dog how ever in a neighborhood is a problem and she should figure it out. I don't see where there is a problem of any kind on your part. You should tell her I am sorry your dog is barking, but it does not seem to bother me as much as it does you!

 

[Renee']

Quote:
These don't work. We have bought three of them (both battery type and plug in type). Absolutely WORTHLESS.

 

[1stepcloser]

Hmmm...I was reading through all of the responses and tripped upon the cayenne pepper part. My neighbor's dogs are freaking obnoxious. They (4 of them) rush our fence line and try to fence fight with my dogs. Luckily my dogs respond to an immediate "come" and do not play along but I am so SICK of those dogs and the neighbor's screaming at them...when she responds at all. So do you just sprinkle at the fence? I am thinking I am going out there under cover of darkness tonight and try that.

 

[Sissy]

cayenne pepper is good, dogs dont like it,
but chx do and I give some to our hens
in their feed every so often
its peps up the hens for laying.

 

[PortageGirl]

Sprinkle is probably a little too gentle a word... douse it generously I'd say! It really won't hurt anything... though it's going to affect your dogs too, and since they're on your side of the fence, maybe start a little conservatively, then add more if it's not effective enough. They'll sneaze and rub their muzzles on the grass, and act offended about it. They will probably then approach carefully again to double check, then stay away. I did this when I lived in an apartment that had a terrace/patio, and some dogs were 'watering' my potted plants and planters. I scattered it very liberally all over the planters and the area around them.

the ground looked positively RED! //edit again// I may have overdone it but I was pretty annoyed. LOL

 

[MIKE555444]

Hmmm tell her that she should consider quieter pets...

Like these

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

So would cayenne pepper work for coyotes too? They are canine after all...

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Hi neighbor - I didnt read every post but I'm quite certain that 99% of them are not really what you want to hear. Not everyone is the same and it's clearly just not in your nature to take a tough stand with the neighbor, you're to peaceful to risk strife with someone you'd much prefer to just get along with, even when she's in the wrong.... So even if everyone feels it's wrong for you to placate this woman, you have to do what you really want to do. I know you've been worried about her and her dog since you even got the idea to get chickens. All dogs are different but my expereince with terriers is they are yappy no matter what, sometimes I think they dont need a reason at all to yap, they just like to hear themselves. I cant remember how much space you have? It has to only be one fence that you share with her - right? Can the chickens range on the other side? I dont remember what kind you got, but we have been able to keep large RIR's inside 4ft. "temporary chicken wire pens" but just stapling stakes every few feet onto a roll of chicken wire and then pounding into the ground to make a little pen, wherever we want. That could be an idea for letting them out but not by her property and yapper. Hope you get other ideas. If all else fails of course you can always fall back on how wrong she is but that's sort the easy way out at this point.......

 

[Warfrost]

The problem here is not your flock...it's her dog. What would happen if it were a child, or your own dog near the fence and her dog was pitching a fit? Are you expected to keep EVERYTHING away from the fence? The last time I checked, your animals and quite frankly, anything of yours has the RIGHT to roam freely on YOUR own property. If the barking dog doesn't bother you personally, I wouldn't worry about it. It is honestly not your problem. She needs to train her dog, or wait until the dog is use to the chickens and gets over it. It really irritates me when people think that they have the right to dictate what others do on their land. It isn't your fault she works at home- she could just as easily take her dog in the house, but she's trying to make YOU deal with it. It's your backyard...use it as you wish.