Neighbor's Chickens Trying to Join My Flock

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

What about taking a video of their birds going into your coop and gobbling your feed like they are starving. Which they are! Maybe if they see that their birds are actually moving out of their home and into yours they may see that they have to take better care of their birds

at this point they've seen it for themselves... I'm not sure it registers. I wish they'd just give them to a better home because it's clear they don't actually want them (if you can't even manage to feed or provide fresh water for an animal... why do you have them?).

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I have no advice. That's a tough position to be in. I just want to know yo are being heard. Like you, most people would be concerned. Breaks my heart. I'd try to talk with them, yet I know why you wouldn't want to. It's scary. If they continue the neglect, I'd call the authorities. It's not right to starve those who depend on us. I can't imagine how the turkeys are doing. Probably starving too. Tough, really tough. I'm sorry more stress is being forced into your life. As if things were tough enough with Covid and the crazies that come with it. Let us know how it goes. Bad situation.

Thank you for this warm message. It means a lot (and I am tearing my hair out over this, though I know it really isn't my problem). I am getting closer to a hard intervention, especially after this Easter Weekend, when I found out they're birds were being kept in a dark, airtight coop without food or water while they were out of town (thank goodness I decided to ask if they wanted us to do anything with the birds... that's how I found them!).

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

That's so upsetting! I can't believe people can be okay with this (and in my case, it baffles me that you can't even think to put out clean water in the shade or provide food). And you summed it up perfectly, no matter what I say, nothing sinks in, and it just makes things chilly. Such a tough position to be in.

My two cents. No one likes to be told how to do their job. If they think they're fine they are going to think that until someone with more authority steps in. Saying hey I think we have a worm issue might do something but they probably wont feed them anymore than what they are now. Sucks, I've had neighbors like this. Nothing I said ever sank in, it ruined the friendship, and I should have just called animal control to begin with. Starving dog. So bad that when vet started feeding properly it had a heart attack. Two months later they had another dog. Smh... thank god laws exist now.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

You're waaayyyy more tolerant than me.

In your shoes, I would have just trapped all the hens wandering over and I would take them directly to my local Animal Control (who does handle livestock). While there, I would mention how absolutely starved they were and how they were stealing from my feeders. I'd also point out that when I picked them up, they felt emaciated. This ensures they feed them properly for recovery while they hold them for an owner to claim and if the owners did, they'd be properly educated and possibly a wellness check on any animals back home as part of having birds returned.

If they even thought to check with animal control. They read as very uncaring, like people who would just assume a predator got them and shrug it off, meanwhile the birds would get adopted out in a much healthier condition than when they arrived.

Edited to add: Yes I've done this before, multiple times, no I don't regret it. People like that get mad at the animal control who has their animal(s) and don't even think about who might've brought them in. Assuming they cared enough to even notice (most don't notice or care).

I'm tucking this away... It might come to this. I'm at wit's end after this weekend's events (see previous posts). I'm fuming.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

If that’s the case then they need to get Jungle fowl not layer breeds.
Humans have bred chickens to be domesticated layers for our convenience. They need extra calories because they lay 100s of eggs a year. Feral birds or jungle fowl lay few eggs and usually only in spring/summer so they can get away with less feed.
Still, it’s patently unfair to expect DOMESTIC laying hens to be capable of this especially in winter!
These “well to do” people need to read a book once in a while or do without animals.
I’m sorry but I’m not nice about it. I’m tired of seeing the neglect and abuse animals are put through.
I’m curious if they have the same attitude towards their dogs or toddlers?
In some states the animals would be taken away. Period.
I’m cautious and choosy about whether I even want to be friends with neighbors.
I want to see what kind of people they are! How they treat animals, children and disabled or elderly is a huge part of the decision.
If you have no success with your next attempt please consider your local humane society/SPCA. If you can’t confront they will! That is what they do.

THANK YOU! That is exactly what I want to say... chickens have been bred to crank out eggs at an unnatural rate and need specific nutrient dense foods to keep them laying (not like their jungle fowl ancestors). I wish they'd read... I 've sent them so many great articles--often from BYC--but I know they go ignored. I'm pretty sure they don't even bother to read them at all (otherwise I'd see some ventilation added or something).

The weird thing is, they're GREAT with their kids (thankfully) and very devoted to them. They're good dog keepers in that they pump a lot of money into training and such, but the dogs are at home all day while they work 8-5s (which isn't necessarily bad). I think the birds are considered second class citizens to the humans and dogs, and more a lawn aesthetic than anything else.

The way they've been treating their chickens, especially as of this weekend (see previous posts), makes me seriously doubt they are at the core good people. I just can't imagine good people being okay with the level of neglect I witnessed. It's beyond trying to make birds tough, and just straight up being irresponsible and uncaring.

 

[aart]

I might have turned a corner and am feeling less empathetic towards them.

WAY less empathetic!
Considering what you found upon seeing their housing.

 

[NatJ]

This is what I found: all the chickens and turkeys were in their pens in the completely airtight coop with no light. The turkeys pen had NO FOOD OR WATER. The chickens had water but no food and they were pecking at their feeder. This is in the afternoon.... and they were not planning to be back until the following night. WTF?!! I about lost it.

It's too late now, but if a similar thing happens again you could call Animal Control at that point.

In most places, Animal Control can do something if they find that animals have NO water, or have NO food provided within a reasonable length of time.

So Animal Control could have come to see no water (turkeys), no food (both species), no instructions for you to feed or water at all. (You say the owners asked you to let the birds out the next morning, but did not ask you to provide any food or water.)

 

[rayrose]

These people should not be allowed to own chickens.
CALL ANIMAL CONTROL. IT'S TIME

 

[BDutch]

@buffy-the-eggpile-layer
I didn’t realise it was that horrific.
It changes my view on how to act if I was in you’re position. I presume you don’t want these people as friends anymore. But correct me if I’m wrong.


Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Maybe you could try to get hold of a brochure of animal control and put it in their mailbox. It might give them a warning they have animals they supposed to care for.

Just text them next week that you noticed they don’t like to care for their poultry and that you are willing to take over the coop/animals for free. If you are lucky they sell them to someone else for profit or agree to donate them to you. Both solutions would be a lot lot better than the way things are going now.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

It's too late now, but if a similar thing happens again you could call Animal Control at that point.

In most places, Animal Control can do something if they find that animals have NO water, or have NO food provided within a reasonable length of time.

So Animal Control could have come to see no water (turkeys), no food (both species), no instructions for you to feed or water at all. (You say the owners asked you to let the birds out the next morning, but did not ask you to provide any food or water.)

Yes, too late now because I loaded 'em up good. I added a couple extra feed bowls, too, and placed waterers in the shade (hoping they'll take notes lol). Things are a bit complicated regarding what I can do/maintaining a friendly relationship. I'll elaborate in a post to follow later today (it's potentially got good news in it).