neighbors chickens are going to become my chickens.

[sueandthe6]

Ive lived where I am for 4 years. for three of those years the neighbors JRT comes and poops in my yard, knocks over my trash and barks non stop and I can tell she is outside. I know its a she-not cause I have ever gotten close but because they advertise puppies every so often. I only got my chickens this past spring- and only started free ranging mid summer. The neighbors apparently got chickens much more recently and they seem to prefer my yard. there is a hole in their fence and I cant really get to it cause it is all grown up on my side. On theirs it is exposed due to the cows they have I imagine. I drove up the driveway and left a small roll of fence and a note saying I don't trust my dogs with the chickens and I know when mine are out but not theirs and if they keep coming in my yard might get killed. I put a piece of wood where the break was so they could see it from their side to fix. that was a week ago and no luck. So again today- I had to chase them back home. A lot of my property is hilly and they come downhill through brush. I can not chase them all the way back home. Last week one day they were mingled with my girls when I went to put them to bed after ranging. Will my guys bail out on me> ? I want to think not since its his girls coming to my place and when my girls range they stay mostly on a different part of the property than where the fence break is but I still worry. If I need to fix the gap myself it will mean hacking down shrubbery/brush (wineberry and rassberry growth and small trees) that I am just not physically able to do easily. IF the chances of them abandoning here for there are slim- I may simply let happen whatever may happen and if I find a dead one on my property the dogs get an extra meal. Do they stay loyal?

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm not sure chickens are capable of any sense of "loyalty". If yours range in a part of the yard away from the fence, it might be fine. I'd be more concerned about that JRT getting a hold of my birds than I would about the chickens mingling. For those concerned about biosecurity, it's too late for that anyway. Is there no other option than cutting down the brush for fixing that fence? I think I'd try to find a way (or hire it done if necessary) just to keep the dog off my property.

 

[Naser]

I would put more nesting boxes and dummy eggs and hopefully their hens will start laying for you or they get broody in your nesting boxes

 

[sueandthe6]

I'm not sure chickens are capable of any sense of "loyalty".

maybe loyalty isn't exactly what I mean- but I am a dog person- and I know my dogs know where home is. I realize the chickens don't get attached like dogs- but are they huskies always wondering what else is out there or sheps who know where home is and stay there.

I actually haven't caught the dog on my property for a good 2 months now. The owners or dog might have gotten the hint cause the last two times she was here I really went a little nuts...one time she was in the driveway and I was coming home. I laid on the horn and floored it all the way up the drive-(stone drive) so I am sure they could hear the spinning tires. She was plenty ahead of me- no risk of hitting her- but they didn't know that and then the other time she was at the bottom of the hill and I started pitching small stones...again way way out of my reach and I am bad aim anyway but from their house I picture them seeing nothing but me yelling go the hell home and throwing. I love animals- I work at a shelter, a day practice vet and an ER vet so I have no intention of really harming her- but do want to leave an impression.

As for the chickens the first time they were mingled- it was when my girls were free ranging. Ironically- just this afternoon when I went to put my girls away- they AND 4 out of 5 of the intruders were inside my girls run. I did close the door and just stew for a good 10 minutes about keeping them hostage just overnight. I think I need to actually talk to these people first and get a feel for what they think about it all. If I was warmer I might have considered it but its below freezing at night and the extras would have nowhere to sleep that was sheltered. Then my two cochin roos who are just 4 mos +/- started in on one of the reds and she fought back. The process of adding 4 adult birds to my crew hit me and reality sunk in. I opened the gate and everyone headed out-they moving bit faster than my guys. LOL Maybe the good scare will keep them away?

 

[bobbi-j]

Maybe, but I doubt it. If they were in your run, were they eating your feed, too? If so, they'll keep coming back for a meal. Kinda makes you wonder how well they're fed at home, doesn't it? I'd talk to the neighbors - maybe offer to fix the fence with the materials you dropped off there - and ask them to keep their chickens at home because you don't really need to buy extra feed for them. Or give the neighbors a bill for half your feed costs.

 

[lazy gardener]

I think your first step is to have a heart to heart with them, let them know your feelings. Sounds like they're too socially inept to figure these things out on their own. Then let them know what you EXPECT from them. In terms of the fence: Who does the fence belong to? Is it theirs, or yours? Or is it jointly owned. Who put it up in the first place? That will determine who is responsible for repairing it. If it is your responsibility, perhaps they'd allow you to come over to their side where the fence is cleared to patch it up with the wire you've already bought. If it's their responsibility, you can let them know that their animals are not welcome on your land, and you will take what ever action is necessary when they show up in the future. If the conversation comes to this, you'd better be VERY sure that your animals NEVER cross that property line. Consult your animal control officer to see what action you can legally take. Any dog running at large is a predator. And any dog not under owner's control and on owner's property is running at large.

 

[aart]

3 years of neighbors dog problems and you haven't spoken to them at all....ever?
Or you have spoken to them.... and it didn't go well.... and now you can't communicate with them except to drop off some fencing with no clear explanation?

Time to start a real conversation, face to face.

Agrees that it would be good to find out what the laws are and who owns/is responsible for the fence with a hole in it.

 

[ralleia]

In my experience, I have found that chickens generally decide that "home" is where their chicken coop is.

We've never had to herd the chickens back to the coop. Instead they naturally went back in to roost when it started to get dark. The only issues that we have is when one or two decide they would rather hang out UNDER the coop overnight.

I can understand if you have trepidation about talking to the neighbor...sometimes on these larger, semi-rural properties that can cause more issues than it solves, especially if you are a newcomer to the area. We have lived here over eleven years and we are still considered newcomers.

Might you use an electric poultry fence if you are concerned about the flocks mixing and the JRT going after your hens?

 

[humphrey farms]

I would put more nesting boxes and dummy eggs and hopefully their hens will start laying for you or they get broody in your nesting boxes

This is just cool! My neighbors chickens have been coming across a two acre field into my fenced one acre chicken yard all summer & fall. Now it is winter & they have decided to roost with my flock & lay eggs for me.

I was getting upset about them eating all the great feed we provide until they decided the grass was greener on the opposite side of the fence!

They are a different breed from my own flock but my main rooster, "Paul", doesn't seem to care! SO, it could & does happen!!!!! Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[sueandthe6]

so I haven't wandered to my neighbors directly because I work at a local shelter and am on call 4 nights a week. This includes bringing the shelter vehicle home and I suspect any contact I make will not go well since I think they will see me as some AR nut based on that alone. I am far from it- my dogs are in kennels outside when it is nice in the summer and I have dispatched my fair share of living critters. I understand dogs get loose sometimes and even outside dogs can be well kept but people don't get to any of that- they see shelter and think lunatic. So I have opted to try less direct.

That being said I may qualify as a chicken thief right now because tonight I have one extra chicken in my coop I think. I free range my girls 3 or 4 days a week for a couple hours at a time. Most times I cannot allow them to go to bed themselves because I am leaving for work before it gets dark so they do not head in themselves. Today I had a limited amount of time but left them out around 1 30 in the afternoon. When I went to put them away around 3 30 I went out with some oatmeal and everyone followed me in. As I was closing the gate I noticed one lone red wandered again INSIDE my chain link. I have just short of 5 acres and the neighbor has probably 3 and this chicken comes to my yard and goes INSIDE the fence??? My girls want out most times faster than I can get the gate open but this darn girl goes in???***?? Anyway- I was running late and didn't have time to herd everyone back out to let the wandered go home so I shut the gate and left. Felt a little guilty/nervous cause she was alone-at least the other day there were two-but what was done was done. It is supposed to stay somewhat temperate overnight so I told myself what will be will be. Came home from work about an hour ago and went creeping around. Thought maybe I would see her roosted on the roof support beam but she wasn't there. Either she is in the coop with them- or she made it over the fence. There is abit of a scattering of white feathers under one shrub- but she isn't in it- and it isn't too too many feathers. When I was first introing the baby cochins- my "used to be Columbian wynadote-now brahma" was quite the witch to them so I suspect its her feathers I see-less likely one of the leghorns- and I am just not seeing the red wanders cause of the dirt and rain. So tomorrow I only work till noon but stop to check on the girls before I leave. We'll see then how many heads I count. I really don't want to keep this guys birds- Id just like for them to stay home. <sigh>