Neighbor's Chickens Trying to Join My Flock

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Is it possible to SHOW the neighbors how their chickens are aggressively eating your food? They might be more willing to believe you that their girls are really hungry.

They've definitely seen their chickens booking it down to my run and they see them flock to the pans of water I leave in the shade, too (they've previously joked about it). They've also seen me give them food (hard not to because their home sits on a hill that overlooks our property). So I would have a case should I argue that they're underfed. Right now, I'm trying to make sure they don't overeat, though, because the new challenge is the rising heat/humidity and the fact that they refuse to add ventilation to the shed they sleep/lay in.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Oh gosh. If i was in your situation i would be in the same delima. Feeling sympathy for the chickens and wanting to feed them. But also being aggravated knowing it wasn't my place/job and couldn't really afford it. Etc, etc. Not to mention the extra mess and possible contaminants and destruction their chickens could bring. I have severe anxiety and not a confrontational person. I avoid it at all costs, even if it means i suffer, lol. I can't really tell you how i would handle it. The last thing i would want to do is cause potential bad blood by saying something. A text or a letter would be the way i would eventually do. Or have my husband do the dirty work for me. He isn't scared, lol. Maybe the nicest approach is just kindy explaining the financial aspect of it. Id be more willing to explain how their chickens are eating your chickens food, and you cant really afford to feed extra. Maybe ask them if there was a way to keep them home to prevent it. Although their chickens food/water/environmental would also irritate me, im not sure if i could bring myself to tell them what theyre doing wrong and offer advice. That part would be what i would be affraid of offending them and causing issues, lol. I maybe would report it, but if i was the only neighbors, id be fearful they'd know it was me and did it behind their back. So you see, im a chicken shit in other words, lol.

I really appreciate you writing this--makes me feel less alone. The only thing I perhaps hate more than confrontation is animal abuse/neglect, and being forced into this situation is paralyzing (and extremely emotionally taxing). If this goes on much longer my mental health will be down the toilet, to say the least.

My husband might be confronting them should they stay longer or decide not to move. His axe to grind is that their birds are always over here, including a Tom turkey who's territorial/aggressive with our dog (this same Tom recently wandered into a funeral service at a graveyard by our homes and heckled the attendees--quite a spectacle to watch from our window). But he will basically say that they need to manage their flock; and that NO, that does not mean penning them into a ventless coop situation, which is not okay, but slowly working out a plan to make their situation better and more under control.

I do plan to call animal control should there be a hot summer's day where they're all locked in the shed. I'm hoping that doesn't happen, though.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

It took a LOT of courage to call Animal Control. Great job- that couldn't have been easy.

If any of those birds die because of the neglect, they are subject to a Class 6 felony, which can include a fine of up to $2,500 with jail time of 1 to 5 years. I sincerely hope it does not come to that.

Praying for you and those sweet birds. All of y'all don't deserve this.

I hope none die, either. I'd rather be seen as "wrong" in the neighbors' eyes and their chickens end up being fine more than anything. If they did die due to this, though, how would that be proven?

If they end up being locked into the shed on a hot summer's day that's when I'd call--Animal Control would walk into a ventless, oven hot shed, packed with chickens and poop, and I'd hope they'd take action then.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@buffy-the-eggpile-layer , how are you and the neighbours/ their chickens doing now?

They are still all okay--none have died, to my knowledge, except for a turkey hen who had been sleeping in their car port instead of the coop at night (sitting on eggs). A fox dragged her off

While they hadn't previously heeded my suggestions to leave the shed door open during the day (at least) and move their black, rubber water bowls into shaded areas, TODAY, I happened to notice the door was open and I didn't see the water bowls out in the open field. They did have company all weekend so maybe they were more critical of how they were managing their flock. I've also made a show of filling up pans of water and putting them in shady areas around our property (and they and their guests have definitely seen their chickens flocking towards them throughout the day). I hope this is a sign they'll continue to do so, even during the work week.

No news on if/when they plan to move (though I'm 99% certain they are). I might offer to help them find their flock a home as a way to get some details and fast track their rehoming. I do think I will be forced to call Animal Control if they ever have them locked in during a hot day, so I sincerely hope that never happens. It still stinks they have to be locked in at night, but it seems they've been able to tolerate it thus far. I have family interested in purchasing their property if it goes up, and I realize I could definitely ruin that prospect by getting animal control involved. I just don't think I can mentally/emotionally handle the fact of them being locked in there in the heat--I'm already pretty overwhelmed with what's been going on to the extent it effects my sleep, productivity levels, and my relationship with my husband, TBH... I know that's not a good thing.

 

[Isadora]

--I'm already pretty overwhelmed with what's been going on to the extent it effects my sleep, productivity levels, and my relationship with my husband, TBH... I know that's not a good thing.

I'm sorry to hear this, especially about the husband relationship part, that is so sad. I tend to obsess over some things that really don't matter, like replaying conversations in my head when I think I said something unintelligent, etc. I hope you will be able to keep your chin up and have some perspective.

 

[vintage]

They are still all okay--none have died, to my knowledge, except for a turkey hen who had been sleeping in their car port instead of the coop at night (sitting on eggs). A fox dragged her off

While they hadn't previously heeded my suggestions to leave the shed door open during the day (at least) and move their black, rubber water bowls into shaded areas, TODAY, I happened to notice the door was open and I didn't see the water bowls out in the open field. They did have company all weekend so maybe they were more critical of how they were managing their flock. I've also made a show of filling up pans of water and putting them in shady areas around our property (and they and their guests have definitely seen their chickens flocking towards them throughout the day). I hope this is a sign they'll continue to do so, even during the work week.

No news on if/when they plan to move (though I'm 99% certain they are). I might offer to help them find their flock a home as a way to get some details and fast track their rehoming. I do think I will be forced to call Animal Control if they ever have them locked in during a hot day, so I sincerely hope that never happens. It still stinks they have to be locked in at night, but it seems they've been able to tolerate it thus far. I have family interested in purchasing their property if it goes up, and I realize I could definitely ruin that prospect by getting animal control involved. I just don't think I can mentally/emotionally handle the fact of them being locked in there in the heat--I'm already pretty overwhelmed with what's been going on to the extent it effects my sleep, productivity levels, and my relationship with my husband, TBH... I know that's not a good thing.

That is really rough. It sounds like your neighbors either don't know how to properly care for their chickens or don't care. It's now impacting your household.

You can take this with a grain of salt, but I would focus on the things you can control and let the rest go. The things you can control at this point, after giving everything else the old college try, is buying some extra (cheap) feed. Extra water too. Advice if they ask for it. You can't change how they shelter their chickens and if you intervene by calling animal control, everything will sour quickly. Letting their neglect seep into what should be a sacred and safe place (your home) is not worth it.

You've done your best thus far, OP. I hope you can find some peace in that and let go of what you can't control.

 

[Isadora]

That is really rough. It sounds like your neighbors either don't know how to properly care for their chickens or don't care. It's now impacting your household.

You can take this with a grain of salt, but I would focus on the things you can control and let the rest go. The things you can control at this point, after giving everything else the old college try, is buying some extra (cheap) feed. Extra water too. Advice if they ask for it. You can't change how they shelter their chickens and if you intervene by calling animal control, everything will sour quickly. Letting their neglect seep into what should be a sacred and safe place (your home) is not worth it.

You've done your best thus far, OP. I hope you can find some peace in that and let go of what you can't control.

Very well put. I had similar thoughts rattling around in my brain but couldn't figure out how to write it.

 

[BDutch]

Wow, I didn’t read the last part of you’re reaction carefully and mist the emotional part. Sorry to hear this.

Isadora and Vintage have good points.
I do hope the neighbours leave pretty soon. Hope all problems will be solved for you and you’re husband with them leaving the premises.

 

[Keepittogether]

Oh wow sounds like the story of my life right now... except I am dealing with more birds... now feeling the strain and knowing things need to go in a better direction. It is not a sustainable situation. Considering sharing how they can rehome a lot of their birds. Honestly am not sure what to do next. My first approach was kind but now I see it will have to be more practical still kind as possible. Language and culture differences make this more difficult. I am not sure what their expectations are. I guess me and Google translate will have to take time and make another attempt to resolve this more functionally soon. Meanwhile we have a feral cat issue...

 

[topochico225]

How's it going, OP?