Neighbor's Chickens Trying to Join My Flock

[Stillplaysindirt]

Thank you. That's the plan. I just hope they don't take it as an assault on their pride. I'd tried the whole "believe me, I've learned this the hard way" humble approach (which is an honest one--i've learned what I have through others and my own mistakes) and the one where I send detailed articles from BYC, like on ventilation, and they kinda smile and nod and ignore it. But I will give it a go. If this doesn't work I will likely be a sucker buying double my feed so I can help them, because I don't know that I could call animal control. Beyond this, we have a great relationship and I care about them. They just have "toughen up" (or lackadaisical) attitude about their birds.

I have seen people who abuse their kids in the same way. "Makes them Tough." no it doesn't. It beats them up. I think it's a good idea to video the hens stmpeding for food. If they can't understand this, they are abusers. I believe hens would rather find their own food, if there was food to find. My hens have enough food, yet, they love being out and about, looking for their own. By the way the hens act, there is not enough for them to find. Give me their number and I'll call the authorities. I hate abuse, planned or just unaware. It's all the same if you're hungry.

 

[Rosebud25]

That's a good idea. I'll have to poke around. I'm a member of an active facebook group called Virginia Backyard Chickens, but not sure if that's a good starting place due to lack of anonymity.

Beyond that I know a few fellow chicken keepers here that might have some insights. Thanks for all of your help with this--I appreciate all your posts!

Rescue is only going to make things worse. And your name will come out when they prosecute your neighbor

 

[RRCornell]

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.

They may take things personally but that's not your responsibility, yes, they are the neighbors. I like the idea of showing video and feeling the keels as an Opportunity for Growth for them. If they don't take the info then your next option is to alert authorities or ask neighbors to pay for the food their chicken eat. No matter how you dice it, they aren't really doing their chickens a service and they may not like anything you tell them. Neglect is neglect.

 

[kcan2]

This way you are positioning yourself as asking for their help instead of telling them what they should be doing.

Exactly...
There's nothing offensive about stating the facts in a kind/firm voice:
"Your chickens are in my yard, what do you want me to do about it?"
Or, "what are you going to do about it?"

 

[Sylver Queen]

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!

Goodness. Maybe if you feed them and they keep coming over you'll just end up with all the extra eggs and be an innocent bystander, and your neighbors will be inclined to feed their flock enough so they can have eggs again! Bless your kind heart.

 

[Rosebud25]

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 think the easiest and best decision is to let their chickens on their own move in with you. I know it's not you first choice but you already said you have a soft spot for a couple of them. Animals go where they are fed properly. Free range still means you have to feed properly. Once their chickens start disappearing maybe they will take notice. Then confront them with "well they moved into my hen house and I don't know what to do about it??" Turn the whole situation on them after the chicken moved to your house.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

I totally agree! If I went out there to give my chickens a handful of layer feed, they would come running to me, but then look what I had in my hand like I was crazy, LOL!

Same with ours! I recently began removing sod in some new areas for this year's vegetable garden and the chickens love to be out tilling the soil for me and finding goodies. They see me coming outside with a dish, they think it's the treats I am about to toss over their "job sites". They won't even go for the pellets until I put them back in their coop during our lunch time. I know they do eat their layer feed because it's always gone by the time I go back out to do more yard work. They are spoiled, haha.

To hear that OPs neighbors' chickies are running down the hill and devouring the food she gives her own flock makes me think hmmm.. these birds need a lot of protein and much more food in their diet. I am wondering if they might have worms. This is similar behaviour to a neighborhood cat from when I was a kid, it had worms so it would go wherever anyone was free feeding and eat all the other kitties' meals. Another thought I have is they sound like their neighborss may have noticed their birds wouldn't eat more than a small amount of their feed when there was plenty of forage, to the point that they assumed that's all they need all the time. They probably don't realize there isn't nearly as much free range snackage right now, especially if they are not home all the time to keep their chickens company and really observe how they behave.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

I don't even think Animal control is allowed to say who told them about the neglector, even if you don't ask them to.
You 100% allowed to make an anonymous call.

I think in this situation it would be obvious who made the call. They have seen OP feed their birds, they know OP knows what their birds' living conditions are.
I only say this based on experience...
I made an "anonymous" call on my neighbors who were repeatedly burning in a barrel nine feet from my house, after several attempts to reason with them and asking them to stop. They would burn while we were gone, and we would come home to a house filled with garbage smoke. When they would use the burn barrel it resulted in visible smoke buildup near the ceiling in my house and was landing me some misdirected complaints from the other neighbors who thought it was me. I used to be good friends with them until I made the call after several conversations about it. They knew I was the one who complained. They still don't talk to me and it's been months.

 

[RooFarm]

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.

This sounds like abuse to me.Chickens without food,and filthy water?Just because chickens are "tough" or "hardy" is NO reason to keep them that way.Mine get FRESH water regularly throught the day,in large gallon buckets,so any dirt falls to the bottom,leaving clean water on top.They are also replenished with food throughout the day,so they never go hungry.No ventilation??What about the heat in summer? Chickens NEED LOTS of fresh,circulating air,drawn in,and the hot air DRAWN OUT to keep cool.I have no less than 6 large fans to do that,without causing a draft.Chickens cannot sweat,so they exhale the heat out,and their bones and feathers are hollow,which also helps get rid of heat.but they NEED circulating air.In winter I have 3ooo-5000 watt heaters to keep them warm,all insulated against drafts of cold air.Maybe thats why mine live an average of 10-15 years

 

[BDutch]

@buffy-the-eggpile-layer ,
You had 9 days to think it over. Every possible opinion has come by at least three times in this thread now. All with the best intentions of course. And it must be really hard for you to take a next step. Otherwise you would have already.

IMHO: It’s time to make a choice how to act NOW. My choice would be filming the chickens eating you’re feed and sending it in a WhatsApp to the neighbours. And don’t forget to mention that they steal you’re feed and you can’t afford it to feed two flocks. ‘Put the ball where it belongs.’
This really seems the best idea if you don’t want to go over for another dispute.

Another possibility to solve this if you let you’re husband or someone else who is firm but understanding to do the talking for you. Letting other people read this blog is not the best choice if you ask me.

You can also just wait until spring is really there, hoping there is enough food to scratch for the neighbors chickens. (But I doubt if there will be enough) This would give you a whole season to decide what to do next winter and maybe the problem goes away by itself by then.

Reporting animal abuse surely is a no go if you want to keep a friendly relationship.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do. I’am curious what you’re choice will be. But please do make a choice without further delay. And take into account that doing nothing is a choice too.