Neighbor's Chickens Trying to Join My Flock

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Honestly I'm really not interested in having "tough conversations" that could sour a neighborly relationship. On the other hand the behavior of the chickens would annoy me. Personally I think I'd just go with the path of least resistance and leave feed out near the property line. I wouldn't be splurging on good food either lol. But if you can afford a bag of cheap feed and it keeps the peace between your neighbors and the hens I would go that way. I realize this would not be for everyone. But I just personally wouldn't cause a stink over this.

Yeah I'm still on the fence about putting out extra feed (cheaper stuff) to supplement what they're getting. Though we may try to bring it up politely next time we happen to be chatting (so it's not a confrontation)

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I definitely agree with much of this. This situation isn’t ideal. The neighbors aren’t being mindful of their flocks needs....in our perspective. However, They actually think they are doing fine. They do provide feed, they provide shelter, they let the chickens free range...in their mind they are doing what they need. Maybe they are the kind of people that are taking advantage, but most likely, since they are hardly around, they are simply oblivious and/or stubborn about their beliefs when mildly confronted by the neighbor (OP).

Having had bad neighbors myself, I do not recommend creating ill will bc if the neighbors are the type to be really obnoxious, then it can really impact daily life, more than just some hungry chickens. But, it’s not fair to OP to have to try to deal with clearly hungry chickens either.

I wish OP good luck! Hopefully this will be resolved without any additional issues.

Yes, I really do think it's unintentional. They both work, have two toddlers and two dogs in addition to all the birds. I don't think they're putting much thought into it at all, which is the problem.

 

[Brooks_]

Yeah I'm still on the fence about putting out extra feed (cheaper stuff) to supplement what they're getting. Though we may try to bring it up politely next time we happen to be chatting (so it's not a confrontation)

If you have extra eggs, scrambled eggs would be a good option. Good protein and nutrients.

And do bring it up politely the next time you're talking with them.. Try to emphasize that well fed birds are strong and tough birds.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Animal control? for chickens?! what are they going to do? Some one gets them, and they will just become meat. Chickens can eat pretty much anything so you don't need it to be just feed. In the rare chance that you live in Alabama, USA, I will take them.

Not Alabama, unfortunately. I don't think they'd part with them anyway. I've decided to just be straightforward about it next time we talk, and in the meantime offer supplemental goodies to their girls and hope for the best.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I realize that it's difficult to process the idea that people you like, with whom you have a friendly relationship, are cruelly neglecting their animals but that's the fact here.

By feeding their birds for them you are enabling their behavior.

The bottom line is that they HAVE NO RIGHT to,

A. Allow their birds to leave their property in search of food,

B. Expect you to feed their birds for them.

By expecting you to take care of their birds for them and ignoring the fact that you've told them their birds are on your property and eating your feed they have proven that they're not good neighbors and not friends. Rather, they are taking advantage of you.

My husband loves this response lol... he's like, "THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG." In all honesty, I don't believe they are thinking through it enough to be intentionally taking advantage of us. But we need to make it apparent that we are knee deep in all of their birds and their birds problems all the time. They joke about how the chickens run down here when they see me, but I don't believe they know how much feed they're consuming here. I hope if they know they will realize they need to feed their girls more.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Yeah I want to mention the keel bone thing, just because I don't think they know (I didn't know that until I had a few sick hens and learned how to assess this). But it's hard not to come off as someone on a high horse when saying, your chickens are emaciated lol. Thank you for the kind/thoughtful response

I'm sorry that you are in this situation. I feel bad for you trying to work out what is best, and for the poor hungry chickens.

Like other posters, I suggest getting videos, being polite but firm, and maybe showing them the skinny chickens. If they then ignore you, tell them you just can't feed their chickens. If they still do nothing, call animal control.
That's just my 2 cents, best of luck.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

If you have extra eggs, scrambled eggs would be a good option. Good protein and nutrients.

And do bring it up politely the next time you're talking with them.. Try to emphasize that well fed birds are strong and tough birds.

Right now we are rolling in eggs--especially because a couple of theirs started leaving eggs in our coop. We did mention to the once to fix a big scramble for their girls (when they were telling us they had too many eggs), but they thought it was weird. I'd be excited to see how their girls like a big scramble. Ours go nuts for it.

 

[CJLR]

You could try putting out kitchen scraps for them to eat

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

She's already feeding and caring for these birds when the owners are out of town and the birds are already getting into her coop and run. What's done is done. Doesn't sounds like biosecurity is really a thing in this situation as she already feeds and tends these birds whether the owner is there or not. Just makes sense to me to put the food where it keeps them closer to the owners property.

It's up to OP what's easier. Is calling animal control on the neighbors easier than just providing them a little extra corn or scratch to keep them out of her coop and run?

OP seems to love these birds and animal control will only either piss off the neighbors with warnings or they'll take the birds and she won't see them again. OP also has a good relationship with these neighbors.
My gut feeling is talking to them won't change their minds.
I would just feed the hungry animals away from my flock and be done with it.

I think I'm going to try a two-pronged approach: supplement their food best I can, and also let the neighbors know what's going on next time we are in conversation (so it comes up organically and not as a confrontation).

Unfortunately we realized biosecurity is out of the window pretty early on--their birds are always all over our property and mind do free range sometimes, too. So just have to cross our fingers and hope we don't pass anything too terrible back and forth.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

You could try putting out kitchen scraps for them to eat

I'm going to try this. They are a bit wary of anything "new" because I don't think they were exposed to much beyond feed and what they've been eating in the lawn (ex. they won't eat grapes or red cabbage, which my girls go crazy for). They will eat TONS of feed though.. they eat so fast they are sneezing and coughing the whole time (not because they're sick but because they are inhaling it).