Neighbors and Chickens

[chickflick]

It's funny, I was on another post saying that there are good people out there when so many people were saying the world is such a bad place. Good neighbors are a godsend. When my husband and I both had surgery, Brad, our next door neighbor was there to help us. Krisrose was there to help us. Neighbor across the street brought me food and cookies. Doesn't any one know how to be a good neighbor anymore? Thank you Krisrose for letting those gazillion kids ride Bubba.....those were my grand kids and their friends. And to hear them talk about it....what a joy! And thanks for taking care of my chickens so often this summer!! And by the way, I helped myself to a couple of Heath bars this morning!! And yes, I help Krisrose with her chickens...I'm the hawk watcher. It goes two ways, be a good neighbor and you'll have good neighbors. Well, most of the time...except for the jerk that lives between Krisrose and me!!

 

[DuckLady]

Quote:
No worries. We all have different experiences with the neighbors.

Now if anyone could suggest a way to get rid of unannounce mil visits, too.. well, I'm be happier 'n a pig in a pile of poop.

I found it. We moved from a swanky upscale neighborhood near her and out to the country where there are no street lights, run off culverts in front of the house, no plowing when it snows, GERMS and BUGS.
She tried finding us once, got lost and didn't try it again by herself. Then she got one of her boyfriends to drive her out and they ended up driving into the culvert in front of the hsoue becasue they were arguing.

Haven't seen her uninvited since.​

 

[Windy Ridge]

Quote:
LOL! That sounds like our place. We live in the middle of nowhere... and we actually did move out here (in part) so we could avoid uninvited guests. I love guests, mind you. But I like to choose my guests carefully, because I don't like most people... and I like to be able to have my "hermit time" alone.

When I lived in town, I actually had an individual knock on our door at 6am one Sunday morning. I chose not to answer the door because I was having my coffee, I was unshowered and not awake, and I simply didn't want to see anyone at that time. This person actually went around the house trying to knock at and peer in all the windows. My car was outside, so he was sure I must be home.

Hmph. The ideas people have about what is and isn't socially acceptable behavior is really jaw-dropping sometimes. The neighbors in this case probably are telling themselves they're sparing you the trouble of having to come down and show the chickens yourselves... that it's just easier for you this way. The truth is more likely that they know if they ask your permission directly, you have easy power of refusal. If they just go on in, it will be more uncomfortable for you to approach them about it. AND AFTER ALL, they reason, IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN.

(I've grown prematurely curmudgeonly, as you may have guessed!)

 

[PeiTheCelt]

Although I agree that they're not the MOST rude people on the face of the planet, their behavior is inappropriate. Next time they come over, pull Grandma and Grandpa aside, and tell them you don't mind them wanting to share chickens with their kids, but you don't feel comfortable with them showing up at your home unannounced all the time.

Ask for a telephone call in advance, and if they can't do that, put up a gate and lock it.

No one should expect the right to walk into someone elses property unless they're good friends or close family.

Good luck.

 

[Chellester]

I'm glad I saw this thread... I am one of those types that don't like unannounced company, and I always thought there was something wrong with me.

I'm lucky afa neighbors are concerned, because they are either a.) related to me, b.) older people with old-school politeness and know how to pick up a phone, or c.) I don't know them, they don't know me, and we don't bother each other.

If this happened to me, I would first ask your DH if he said something to them like "glad you like the chickens; stop by and see them anytime." If he did, then he gave them an open invitation to do exactly what they're doing. If this is the case, you need to tell your neighbors that you and your DH have different ideas about visiting and to please call first before they come over. 99.9% of people are going to understand married people have different views on things and accept this explanation. If they're the 00.1% who don't understand this, you don't want to socialize with them anyway.

Otherwise, I would suggest that for every time they do this in the future, the next day you return the favor by stomping though their yard with your kids/grandkids/whatever and see how they feel about it.

 

[arwmommy]

I also understand the need of tact with the neighbors, as there is nothing worse than living next to an enemy! So I do think you need to be careful about how you handle it.

I would just say (with a big, friendly smile) "Sorry guys, this just isn't a good time! Why don't you give me a call next time so I can make sure its a good time?" (big, cheery smile)

Seriously, they may think that you guys are "like family" and don't mind at all. Or they may be horrible people. Either way, you don't want to live with contention!! (Especially if they ARE horrible!)

The day we moved into our new home (we were in a neighborhood that had JUST been built, so everyone was moving in the same week or two), my stepdad was hauling a trailer of all of our stuff behind his big truck. He must have hit the corner light/end of our neighbors car with the back of the trailer and didn't notice it. They came over later, after they noticed their back end messed up and saw the trailer also showing some damage. My stepfather denied it was him (he didn't feel anything), even though his trailer had a missing light on the side that was found at the neighbors car! It was obvious to everyone that he did it.

Instead of saying "I'm so sorry, I had no idea!" and handing over his insurance info, he denied it and had a big screaming fight with our neighbor! The people I am supposed to be living next to for the next however-many-years!!!

I went over later and explained that he has always been a grouch, and that he was currently undergoing treatment for cancer (in fact, he was attached to a chemotherapy drip that day!) and was even *more* unlike his usual self. I assured them that WE were not mad at them, and would have done exactly what they did in the situation (talk to the person responsible, call the police when they denied it, require insurance info, etc). We have lived here for 5 years now, and while we don't "hang out" together, we watch each other's animals when we are gone and are VERY friendly to each other!!

Be nice! Be firm! IT ALL COMES BACK TO YOU!!!

 

[Southern28Chick]

I have no trespassing signs and a beware of dog sign out by the road. I have a little over 3 acres and my house and hen house is directly in the middle of my land. There is absolutely NO reason for anyone to be on my property. I don't really have "neighbors", I do have people that live on my same road but no one close to my house.

The no trespassing and beware of dog signs are for MY safety. If someone's kid comes stolling through my woods they could trip and fall and break a bone and whose fault would that be? MINE! If someone comes into my backyard and my dog takes a chunck out of their a$$, whose fault would it be? MINE!

If you choose to come onto my property without my permission and I have warning signs out and you get hurt, I won't be held responsible because I have those signs.

Even if you're family, you better call first. My BIL came drivin up my drive one night at 11 and my motion detector light came on. I look outside and see 5 men standing in my driveway. He'll never show up without calling again...it was dark, he was unannounced and he got a shot gun in his face!!! (until I realized who he was of course)

I'm sorry this is so long but people need to understand that just walking onto someone elses property is not only extremely rude and inconsiderate...it can also be very dangerous.

 

[seminolewind]

This is a great thread. I see I'm like alot of you about my backyard being an extension of my private domain. My "needy" neighbor who only speaks Spanish-well I gave his son a rooster, food, a waterer, and a new dog house for the rooster, and then he started asking us if we could build him a door for his "ghetto coop". Before that, it was the lawn tractor, the weed wacker, etc, we wonder what he did before we moved in next door.
I am a bit of a hermit, I enjoy my time at home with my pets and my DH. I don't always answer the door. I know there are good neighbors , like the one we have on the other side, young people with kids, if he saw something wrong in our yard, he would take care of it if we were not home. Now and then we say a few words over the fence. They mind their own business, and so do we, but in a friendly way.
Someone in my backyard uninvited makes me feel violated.

 

[BJ]

Seminolewind just gave me an idea! Before next spring, when I order more chickens, I'm going to ask "the neighbor" if they want me to get a few chickens for them! Then they will have one at their house....!!! Whatever they decide, it will open up the line of conversation to discuss their habits of coming into our yard.

 

[ali]

that's a beautiful idea,

kill um with kindness! always works. (SOMETIMES)