Katanahamon
Songster
- Jun 25, 2021
- 590
- 1,427
- 186
Love your screen name..I have a few “UC Sunnydale“ college shirts..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.
!! IMHO you can tell a TON about people by how they treat animals (and their mothers! lol). On that note, it sounds like you found a keeper! All the best to you and yours, and keep being beautiful humans that look out for our furry/feathered friends 
