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- #271
- May 29, 2019
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@BDutch @BrooksHatlen thanks for asking how things are going. the update is a mixture of good and bad, and I'll start with the bad (so it ends on a higher note):
THE BAD: The chickens and turkeys are still here in their same situation. The neighbors have asked why they always come down here and we have explicitly said for the cold water left in the shade, and because they're hungry and eat our food. They joke that they're greedy. When recently caring for their birds last weekend, we came to again find them with no food, low waterers filled with warm, dirty water, and still a bedding that is mostly poop and a ventless shed. I was hoping they'd had at least cleaned or put ventilation in.
As discussed previously, their birds are left to roam around the area (which is technically a breach of county code but I'd rather that then they lock them in the coop, which is the alternative--since they're unwilling to update their pen/run area to properly contain them). Recently their tom turkey wandered up to a funeral service at a graveyard down the way and was pacing around the mourners, gobbling at them. I admit, it was comical, but underscores the irresponsibility at the heart of this. We've thought about reporting this, but are worried the neighbors would just lock them up.
Sadly, my favorite hen that I've become most attached to wandered past our other neighbor's invisible fence and was killed by their dog. I'd frequently chased her away from the area, but that evening I was not around, and I'll forever regret it. Here's a tribute I wrote to share a bit of this amazing chickens life with ya'all:
So, in short, not much has changed, but it is clear that the neighbors are moving and there is thus a light at the end of the tunnel--for ourselves and the chickens (I hope).
THE POTENTIALLY GOOD: My worst fear was that, when showing the house, they'd pen their birds up (especially because they have a very friendly but territorial tom turkey that might be off putting to visitors). They aren't doing that, so I feel a bit better. I can provide cool, clean water and supplemental food during the day, and hope at night it's cool enough that they make it through until they're allowed out to free range again in the morning. Bizarrely, when I asked what they were planning to do with the chickens they now said they may take them with if they find a big enough place, so the chickens are stuck with them likely across the summer while they work to sell their house and fine one to move into. A friend of theirs has a large free range farm and has agreed to take them, but they're still keeping them for now. I'm hoping they see reason (i.e.why would you want to take birds with you that you neglect and show no responsibility for, nor spend any time with?) and will end up getting them to a new home. I wish I could take them, but we have only 1 acre here and no space in our coop/run. Plus, I imagine their chickens are so used to free ranging that they'd be happiest in a similar situation.
So, in short for the good news, they are definitely moving, and the chickens will most likely be in a better situation, though the timeline appears vague.
My biggest concern is the heat and being shoved into a ventless coop at night. Luckily night temps in the summer still go down into the 60s, but it's gotta be miserable (and could still possibly be deathly for some). Because their house now has people visiting, I can have an anonymous call made to animal control and it could easily have been from those viewing the property--but I will only do this if they're in some kind of locked up situation so I can be sure animal control sees the full extent of their situation. I don't feel confident anything would be done if they're free ranging. When I last talked to animal control, they said livestock is tricky, but if they're locked in a shed with no outside air that would be a problem.
I think that's about it for now. I'll update with any new developments or if I forgot something. My apologies for the recent silence, I was trying to mentally step away from this (plus just wrapped up a crazy semester I had to focus on). Thank you all again for the support and providing me a venue to talk through this. You've each been a huge help to me.
THE BAD: The chickens and turkeys are still here in their same situation. The neighbors have asked why they always come down here and we have explicitly said for the cold water left in the shade, and because they're hungry and eat our food. They joke that they're greedy. When recently caring for their birds last weekend, we came to again find them with no food, low waterers filled with warm, dirty water, and still a bedding that is mostly poop and a ventless shed. I was hoping they'd had at least cleaned or put ventilation in.
As discussed previously, their birds are left to roam around the area (which is technically a breach of county code but I'd rather that then they lock them in the coop, which is the alternative--since they're unwilling to update their pen/run area to properly contain them). Recently their tom turkey wandered up to a funeral service at a graveyard down the way and was pacing around the mourners, gobbling at them. I admit, it was comical, but underscores the irresponsibility at the heart of this. We've thought about reporting this, but are worried the neighbors would just lock them up.
Sadly, my favorite hen that I've become most attached to wandered past our other neighbor's invisible fence and was killed by their dog. I'd frequently chased her away from the area, but that evening I was not around, and I'll forever regret it. Here's a tribute I wrote to share a bit of this amazing chickens life with ya'all:
So, in short, not much has changed, but it is clear that the neighbors are moving and there is thus a light at the end of the tunnel--for ourselves and the chickens (I hope).
THE POTENTIALLY GOOD: My worst fear was that, when showing the house, they'd pen their birds up (especially because they have a very friendly but territorial tom turkey that might be off putting to visitors). They aren't doing that, so I feel a bit better. I can provide cool, clean water and supplemental food during the day, and hope at night it's cool enough that they make it through until they're allowed out to free range again in the morning. Bizarrely, when I asked what they were planning to do with the chickens they now said they may take them with if they find a big enough place, so the chickens are stuck with them likely across the summer while they work to sell their house and fine one to move into. A friend of theirs has a large free range farm and has agreed to take them, but they're still keeping them for now. I'm hoping they see reason (i.e.why would you want to take birds with you that you neglect and show no responsibility for, nor spend any time with?) and will end up getting them to a new home. I wish I could take them, but we have only 1 acre here and no space in our coop/run. Plus, I imagine their chickens are so used to free ranging that they'd be happiest in a similar situation.
So, in short for the good news, they are definitely moving, and the chickens will most likely be in a better situation, though the timeline appears vague.
My biggest concern is the heat and being shoved into a ventless coop at night. Luckily night temps in the summer still go down into the 60s, but it's gotta be miserable (and could still possibly be deathly for some). Because their house now has people visiting, I can have an anonymous call made to animal control and it could easily have been from those viewing the property--but I will only do this if they're in some kind of locked up situation so I can be sure animal control sees the full extent of their situation. I don't feel confident anything would be done if they're free ranging. When I last talked to animal control, they said livestock is tricky, but if they're locked in a shed with no outside air that would be a problem.
I think that's about it for now. I'll update with any new developments or if I forgot something. My apologies for the recent silence, I was trying to mentally step away from this (plus just wrapped up a crazy semester I had to focus on). Thank you all again for the support and providing me a venue to talk through this. You've each been a huge help to me.
