Neighbor's Chickens Trying to Join My Flock

[damnyankie]

Two options: 1. Leave food and fresh water where they can get it. 2. Call/report animal control.

You have the priorities wrong. 1. Call/report animal control 2 leave food and fresh water where they can get it. This is nothing less than animal abuse and needs stopped.

 

[Lil Bit North Farm]

Thank you @BrooksHatlen and @3KillerBs for the advice. I'd first like to try and reason with them tactfully--I do believe if they truly know their hens are starving they wouldn't want that (they just are skeptical of my advice, like they were about ventilation lol). I think they believe chickens are tougher than they are--and they ARE tough, but they do need basics. When I went to close up my run I had to carry some of their chickens out, and some have really prominent keel bones I'm wondering if worms are also a problem.

I have been giving them some feed to supplement but we've been running through it like crazy now--they REALLY EAT. I also always leave water out. I'm not sure how my husband would feel about feeding them regularly because we may end up with all 12 of them and the turkeys down here on our much smaller property, but that's something I've been quietly thinking about. Let me know if you have any ideas on tactful breaching of the topic.

Thanks again for responding!

I'm not sure reasoning with this neighbour would work. I tend to agree with the others..... a quiet anonymous call to animal control.

 

[SkipperDoo]

I'm having an issue with my neighbors flock storming my run and eating like they're starving whenever I let my girls out to supervise free range. It wasn't always like this: a few of the neighbor's hens who were always getting bullied would come down and snack/hang out (I also saved one from near-death from a turkey attack). But in the last few weeks, they suddenly started acting ravenous and would wipe out my flock's supplies in no time.

Well, last week we were tasked with watching their chickens while they were out of town. The first time we were to check on them was an evening; and we were horrified to see they had no feed left. But upon alerting the neighbors, they said they only give them two cups in the morning and that's it because they want them to free range for their food. The sad thing is, before we found out they were getting rationed, we filled their feeder up and they all ate it like they were starving. So, I think the reason some of the lower rung girls from their flock are desperately clamoring into mine for feed and clean water is because they probably aren't even getting any. And when I say desperate: they will dart in under my feet any chance they get, attack the feeder to the degree that it's swinging all over, and keep eating even if my girls start attacking them. This is new behavior. I hate kicking them out, but I have to sometimes.

I'm in a tough spot. I've bonded with these girls and I don't want them to be starving, but I also can't afford double the feed for them, nor is my run reliably open access. It's also impossible for me to keep them out all the time when I supervise free range because my girls like to come and go. Some of the neighbors hens even run in there and lay eggs now!

So, I want to tactfully tell the neighbors that I think they may need to up their girls' feed rations, but I'm worried about coming off judgy, and these neighbors pride themselves on raising a 'tough' flock (the girls' coop is a a large shed with no ventilation, and their water buckets have algae growing in them--they also used to pen them in with turkeys until one of their girls nearly got killed, but luckily ran down to my run where I found her). I feel bad and want to help them but realize it's not my place. What's the best way to handle this?

I should also note that we have a good relationship with said neighbors, just very different approaches to chicken-keeping. They are busy and hands-off, and we work from home, are always the ones to watch them when they are (frequently) away, and otherwise are always swarmed by their chickens and the ones to discover issues.

I'm sorry that you are having to endure this. I had a similar. I left my neighbor my phone number with a note saying to please call me if I can help at all with your dog or chicken when you're not home....Well he never responded and he was in another state for 5 days and there was a severe snow storm and temps were at zero. I went over to check on the chicken that was in a tiny prefab coop. When I looked inside I could see through many gaps of the thin wood it was made of. There were maybe 20 pieces of pine chips, so no deep method was being used and the coop door he never closes at all. I finally found the water bowl which was half buried under ground and water was frozen. I brought a new bowl and water. Put food inside coop and outside and cleared what snow from the tiny pen I could. I wrapped the coop with a tarp to try and keep the wind from blowing through all the gaps. The chicken was mean, poor thing, pecked my hand hard and drew blood. I felt so bad. Every morning when I take my dog out I look and see if it's still there because I can't believe the coyotes, Fischer cats or raccoons haven't gotten to it. You only need to touch the pen door and it opens right up. I won't even go into the dog shown no love at all and left out in cold with no shelter for hours sometimes. The owner is a quiet guy and shows zero emotion. I am torn with how to deal with it without coming across and telling him he shouldn't own any pets at all !!!!!!! I ordered a thermal igloo dog house that I will say my friend had it but never used and wanted to know if I knew of anyone that could use it, and hope he says yes. If he doesn't I will then have to let him know it's against the law or ordinance to leave a dog out without shelter for longer then a specific amount of time. It's so hard to see. I understand you not knowing how to deal with your neighbor. Maybe say when you checked on them and you saw the algae in the water and just say your friend had that before and the chickens got really sick. Tell them you read that they can't get enough food from foraging and they must be fed the amount recommended for flock size and to feed in more than one spot so bullied ones can get their share. I hope all works out well. It's very frustrating to see

 

[SkipperDoo]

I'm not sure reasoning with this neighbour would work. I tend to agree with the others..... a quiet anonymous call to animal control.

Maybe try to add some diatomaceous earth to their food, it should take care of the worm problem. Read up on how much and often to use

 

[Tashua]

Talk with them facts are facts - then animal control ,it’s abuse after being shown the truth .
I’m surprised they are laying if starved like they seem to be .....

 

[Maxine Green]

You could make if a funny approach with a video of their chickens feasting at your house. And say Hey, I just want to show you how your chickens free range right down to my feeders. Some where on this site I read the amount free range chickens need, I don't remember the amount now, so don't quote me but it made me realize I needed to give my guys more food. Perhaps it was like 4 oz of food a day for each chicken. You might also include something like, Well, they try to pay their way, they leave me eggs in return. Sometimes funny easy going sticks with people

 

[wolfinator]

Two cups of feed for 11 chickens is not enough daily even with free ranging and you're having to deal with their ignorance as a result. Each chicken depending on size should eat an average 1/2 cup daily of feed. Perhaps start taking their eggs, when they see none in nests they'll think they quit laying and ask for your advice on why. Then mention that if a hen is not getting enough nutrition, they will stop laying and suggest giving them a bit more feed because they're not getting enough free ranging currently. Then you can offer "their" eggs to them saying your girls laid plenty that week.

Also, you hadn't mentioned about ever seeing predators especially overhead but it's quite clear they really don't care about the health and welfare of their animals. Perhaps if you contacted a rescue and arranged for the ones frequenting your coop to be taken, the neighbor's might think something flew off with them. Meet the rescuers a few miles away from your property if necessary. The chickens will get a good home and plenty of feed.

I have 1 coop (10x18) of 50 chickens that is shared with 14 ducks (they only eat and lay eggs in there, sleep outside). They have free access within a 40x54 fenced pen instead of an unfenced yard that borders woods on 2 sides and a neighbor on the other. Neighbor wouldn't mind but we're only a few miles from an area hawks are routinely released and nest. It's nothing to see 4-5 circling over other nearby farms. I've learned how to mostly keep them at bay using large umbrellas with eyes painted on them. I have a smaller coop for my younger ones with 10 chickens and 4 guinearethat are within same pen but are separated by a fully enclosed smaller pen. I use it as an introduction coop/pen before integrating all together. Between all of them, I go through a 50# bag about every 3-4 days depending on weather. I also buy manager special fresh foods as a treat and get cracked corn seasonally. I also have baby monitors in my coops as an added safeguard - caught a racoon and possum trying to gain entry to my old coop years ago. I raise chicks or other babies several times a year in my built in nursery/storage area so I have to have power installed. I tried adding smoke detectors but they got clogged with dust from straw or pine shavings to easily so I just use baby monitors.

Good luck, it's never easy deciding the "right" approach. I've been there but over a neighbor's dog a few years back. I too fed her after seeing her getting skinnier and skinnier to point I was sneaking food over to her especially after having had puppies. They fed a large breed dog 1 cup of dry food daily and complained she was going through a 20# bag of food a month, that their small breed dog (some one stole a year prior) only ate a cup or less a day. I did speak up. We also put them up a kennel, built a dog house because they wouldn't bring them all inside in -20 temperatures. Yes, it was winter. So I was cooking a warm meal for momma dog and 7 puppies every night and sneaking it over at midnight, I had no dog myself. We assisted in finding homes for most for them. I sadly found 1 dead from exposure after momma escaped taking the rest with her. Don't know fate of other puppies. With the dogs health getting noticeably worse and she was here more than there, we told them since she was constantly visiting us just to let us take her. They did and she's almost 9 now, no longer outside or hungry. Best dog ever.

 

[Ladies of the Forest]

Okay, I’m old, so please give my two cents a listen-to. If you talk to these people first, and nothing changes, when you do call animal control, they will know that it was you. Even if it wasn’t you, you will get blamed because you already spoke to them about it. If you want to remain friends with them, you need a different approach. If I were you, I would get out my phone and take a video of their hens ravenously eating up all of your chickens’ food. Then you can approach them, showing them very politely, that it is so wonderful that they are trying to keep their flock wild, but it doesn’t work in every environment, and it appears that there’s not enough sustenance in your area for them. Blame the environment, not to their misguided idea that these hens are getting enough to eat in their yard. Maybe you can add a story about how you knew someone else who tried to let their flock feed wild too, but it just so happened that, in their specific area, there wasn’t enough to feed their flock enough. Make it about them. Let them know that they’re hens are laying eggs at your place because the mamas know it’s an environment that has enough sustenance. These people are trying to prove a point and are using their chickens to come off as the big “wild flock people who are making it work.” At this point, it sounds like it’s more about their ego than any concern for their birds. Sorry, that’s just the way it is, sometimes. Some people need to prove a point more than they need to be kind. I hope that you can help them to see the light.

 

[3- CHICKS]

Sadly, you must make a decision call. They must care for them or eventually the hens will not be healthy or possibly die. Chickens are sweet little creature and they rely upon their owner for care. No different than any other animal.

We all must take our responsibilities seriously. If they could not provide for them, it is a terrible situation at best. But simply not caring for them is neglect on their part.

 

[Citytransplant]

The more you feed them, the more your neighbors believe their "tough" approach is working because, well, the chickens are thriving. If you don't tell them what is happening, how are they to know? You have to explain this to neighbors. Videoing them is a great idea. Also, refuse to watch them unless there is enough feed for them.