Neighbor Took My Chickens

[JacinLarkwell]

OMG! She needs to be horsewhipped! For a grownup to take property from a child is absolutely wrong! I did not realize that you were not an adult either. I am so sorry! She absolutely needs charges brought against her for certain baby. This is absolutely uncalled for. She is a thief and a trouble maker. She is not a neighbor. Do not call her that. It is too nice of a term for her. I am glad your parents are getting involved. I am fuming. My ears are burning. I bet your parents heads are about to come off. I know mine would be because mine really is from here. If I was there I would handle her for you. It wouldn’t take me but just a second to have this problem rectified for you in just a Heartbeat. Please keep us posted. This is just wrong and she knows that she can take advantage of you because you are young and she thinks she can get away with this. That has no bearing on the matter. You still have rights and more so. Do not let her get away with it. You call the police yourself if you have to. They are yours. Good luck baby and you stand up for yourself. They are after all chickens and they could not have done that much damage.

Actually chickens can cause a lot of damage, especially over a period of time

 

[Flockincrazy]

my neighbor down the road tried that once I called the cops they went down with me all she had to do is open the gate where she was holding them i said chick chick and they came running that means food in my flocks mind but I took the cops with me so just incase she tried any funny business I had a witness and someone to protect me i now tattoo my chickens belly with our symbol

 

[aart]

rather violent don't you think? settle down.

Ditto Dat!!

 

[no fly zone]

My chickens free range, and sometimes they get out of our yard. One day I noticed that four or five of my younger ones didn't come back. A couple belionging from that group did return. I thought that was strange. We looked around a bit and spotted a cockerel that looked almost exactly like one I was missing. We talked to the owner of the house and she said yes, she had caught some chickens in her yard and she had them locked up because they were being "destructive". I asked what kind of damage was done and she said "They've been pooping everywhere so I locked them up." We described the chickens we were missing and she said thats what the ones she had looked like and she'd also seen a black and red cockerel "A pretty, unusual looking bird" coming over but she couldn't catch him which kind of gives me the hint that she would nab him too if given the chance. She said he'd been bringing over a white speckled hen, one that usually stays in our yard over. She didn't seem keen on giving them back and asked for pictures of them. We didn't have any at the moment

So it seems that she doesn't want to give them back, but they are my chickens and I really want them back. I have no idea why they'd even go over there unles they were being fed as this house is a ways from ours. So that gives me the suspicion that she was trying to lure them over there? I'm also missing a peachick that likes to wander around with said chickens and I wouldn't be surprised if she had him too. I dont want to jump to conclusions though. I do have some other chickens I'd be willing to trade in for the ones she has. When we were talking to her she wasn't being very reasonable but we're trying to figure out how to get them back. My chickens are all penned now to avoid losing any more. Thoughts and tips please?

Call the police or hire Liam Neeson.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

Actually chickens can cause a lot of damage, especially over a period of time

I realize that but in this situation we are only discussing a relatively shorter period of time from what we are being told. Until more facts are relayed from OP that is what I am going to continue to assume.

 

[bobbi-j]

Technically she stole them. Her asking for pictures sounds reasonable BUT how many people have knocked on her door claiming them? I doubt many.

No, technically she locked up chickens that have repeatedly come onto her property, at the very least, being a nuisance, probably causing damage.

Call the police, have third party witness to the whole thing, if need be file a police report for future records of misconduct. Then talk to a lawyer for advice on what can be done to mediate the situation to getting your property back. Chickens are your property.

That were on someone else’s property...

You are going to have to slap the person who took them with a restraining order or no contact to prevent this from occurring again.

No, OP is going to have to keep their chickens contained, and it sounds like they are working on doing just that.

Seems to me she's being difficult for the sake of being difficult.

Or fed up with trespassing chickens.

I realize my point of view isn’t going to be popular, but OP is lucky those chickens didn’t end up in someone’s freezer. Part of the responsibility keeping chickens or any other animal is keeping them contained to one’s own property.

OP, I do hope you get your birds back. I know you realize how important it is to be considerate of others by keep them home, and are making steps to do that.

 

[aart]

I realize my point of view isn’t going to be popular,

I found it refreshing to see someone apply logic to some of the raging vitriol.
Thank you.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

The neighbor can absolutely be fed-up with trespassing chickens. I think we have agreed the OP has to do better at containing the chickens, which is being done - repairs to the fences, etc. And I think most of us have agreed OP needs to pay for any documented damages done to the neighbor's property.

But, the neighbor, as fed-up as she may be, is being unreasonable. The owner has stepped forward and asked for the chickens to be returned. She has refused on the basis of needing proof of ownership. It's an unreasonable expectation since they're chickens. They're not registered with the town and it's unlikely they've ever been to a vet to establish a record. Depending on the age of the birds, photos may not be accurate either.

At this point, it is theft. She knows who the owner is as OP spoke to her about it. But neighbors know which neighbor has the unruly animals so it's likely she knew the chickens belong to OP before OP even knocked on her door.

All of that aside, she is only legally allowed to contain the animals until an animal control officer or other town official can bring them to the pound. From there, the OP can pay a fine, pick up the chickens, and be done with it.

The neighbor needs to either return the birds or notify a town official so they can be taken to the pound.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Ask for your chickens back, say you have pictures of them to prove it (even if you don't), and *threaten* to call the police. Why is this a 5 page debate?

 

[Pullet Press]

Why is this a 5 page debate?

I have no clue.