Neighbor's Chickens Trying to Join My Flock

[Brooks_]

 

[Isadora]

Hi everyone! I wanted to close this loop with a bit of good news, so we can all know there was a happy ending for this ongoing saga.

The last straw: after the neighbors' roaming Tom tried to attack my husband and dog again, to the degree that my husband stayed in the house and the tom stalked him from window to window lol, he finally had enough and firmly told the neighbors to rehome their flock immediately (2nd request, but way less patient than he was the first time some months back). Of course, the next day--a hot summer day--the turkey is locked in a small stall in the shed with no food, and my husband and I let him out and told the neighbors "that's not what we want." We offered to pay them to rehome their chickens and then, even though they refused help to find a home, I went ahead and got them one.

Turning Point: An old friend from work who has a large farm in the mountains agreed to makes space in her barn for the WHOLE flock! That's right: they go to go together. It's a rustic set up, but, get this: there's plenty of ventilation! Also, the barn has concrete walls and insulation, so I'll know they are much more comfortable than they had been. They will also get to free range with her current flock, so they'll have a similar lifestyle to what they are used to. Lastly, my friend is retired and I know she will spend a lot of time looking out for her animals (because that is what she likes to do!). In fact, this whole thing has rekindled our friendship, so I've been down to visit her and my godchickens every week--and it's been a beautiful thing.

Happy Ending: The chickens seem to have made themselves at home and merged quite peacefully with the current flock. The turkey has calmed down and continues to be a great flock protector and friend to his new family. Everyone seems happy, and while I miss them like crazy, it feels good to know they are being looked after and cherished. Our neighbors may hate us now for interfering (pride issues), but at least it's actually resolved/taken care of.

Thank you, everyone, for your kind, supportive posts over the past year! You all helped me--and the chickens/turkeys--get through a stressful ordeal, and I'm so happy to report this good news! Please feel free to scroll on for some pictures of the girls in their new digs

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What a fantastic ending!!

 

[Swbertrand1]

LOVE that story! I started at the beginning, but realized it was 29+ pages, so I scrolled forward after reading about the problem with the neglected birds. I love the happy ending, and those birds have surely gone from the outhouse to the penthouse

It stuns me that there are so many people that treat animals so poorly! In fact, it infuriates me. We are all they have if we choose to keep and care for them, and it is our RESPONSIBILITY to care for them well, or let them go to someone that can and will...

Thank you for being the person that cares. Those birds will never know how or why their address changed, but be sure that they definitely know they have it better today than yesterday!

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

LOVE that story! I started at the beginning, but realized it was 29+ pages, so I scrolled forward after reading about the problem with the neglected birds. I love the happy ending, and those birds have surely gone from the outhouse to the penthouse

It stuns me that there are so many people that treat animals so poorly! In fact, it infuriates me. We are all they have if we choose to keep and care for them, and it is our RESPONSIBILITY to care for them well, or let them go to someone that can and will...

Thank you for being the person that cares. Those birds will never know how or why their address changed, but be sure that they are definitely know they have it better today than yesterday.

It stuns and disheartens me, too. We should respect those creatures that are in our care--especially those that we CHOSE to get (i.e. I don't understand why one would get animals if they don't want to properly care for them. sigh.). Thanks for your warm words--people like you and others in this community have helped so many humans and birds alike!

 

[Swbertrand1]

It stuns and disheartens me, too. We should respect those creatures that are in our care--especially those that we CHOSE to get (i.e. I don't understand why one would get animals if they don't want to properly care for them. sigh.). Thanks for your warm words--people like you and others in this community have helped so many humans and birds alike!

Amen! Thank you too - makes me cry.....

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@Swbertrand1 @Isadora T @BrooksHatlen thanks for the happy reactions! It's crazy just how serendipitous this was. I forget to mention: the DAY that they were moved to their new home a heat wave took hold--the kind where the nighttime temps don't even let up (which is rare in the mountains). That night it was stifling, and I knew that if those birds were still in their old, unventilated coop, they'd be struggling to a potentially fatal degree.

Knowing of the impending heat wave, my friend and her husband busted ass to get a whole new coop area set up so they could take them within 24 hours. It was a team effort!

 

[Brooks_]

@buffy-the-eggpile-layer, may St. Brigid smile upon you and the adoptive owners.

 

[Swbertrand1]

@Swbertrand1 @Isadora T @BrooksHatlen thanks for the happy reactions! It's crazy just how serendipitous this was. I forget to mention: the DAY that they were moved to their new home a heat wave took hold--the kind where the nighttime temps don't even let up (which is rare in the mountains). That night it was stifling, and I knew that if those birds were still in their old, unventilated coop, they'd be struggling to a potentially fatal degree.

Knowing of the impending heat wave, my friend and her husband busted ass to get a whole new coop area set up so they could take them within 24 hours. It was a team effort!

Again, thank you for caring! We won't let animals suffer either, and we do what we have to do to make sure that doesn't happen. What you've done reminds me of a story my bf told me from about 20 years ago (before I knew him):

He lived in Va Beach at the time, and on a hot July or August day he watched a dog get hit crossing a busy 4-lane road in Va Beach. The dog was knocked hard to the ground, then tried to get up but was disoriented and injured. Cars only stopped to avoid hitting the dog, but then continued on. He was in a business suit, in a German sedan, and pulled his car across the median into oncoming traffic to block the two lanes of oncoming traffic to get to the dog. He scooped the dog up in the summer heat (think it was a Siberian Husky) and put him in the back of his car (on the leather seats), then took him to a vet. He's not even a dog person by the way!

Not only did he make sure the dog was going to get properly treated, he paid the vet bills since the dog had no collar to find an owner. He followed up to make sure the dog found a good home through the SPCA after it was released from the vet too - maybe that's why I'm with him He LOVES our animals and takes such AMAZING care of all of them!

 

[topochico225]

Fantastic news!!!

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Again, thank you for caring! We won't let animals suffer either, and we do what we have to do to make sure that doesn't happen. What you've done reminds me of a story my bf told me from about 20 years ago (before I knew him):

He lived in Va Beach at the time, and on a hot July or August day he watched a dog get hit crossing a busy 4-lane road in Va Beach. The dog was knocked hard to the ground, then tried to get up but was disoriented and injured. Cars only stopped to avoid hitting the dog, but then continued on. He was in a business suit, in a German sedan, and pulled his car across the median into oncoming traffic to block the two lanes of oncoming traffic to get to the dog. He scooped the dog up in the summer heat (think it was a Siberian Husky) and put him in the back of his car (on the leather seats), then took him to a vet. He's not even a dog person by the way!

Not only did he make sure the dog was going to get properly treated, he paid the vet bills since the dog had no collar to find an owner. He followed up to make sure the dog found a good home through the SPCA after it was released from the vet too - maybe that's why I'm with him He LOVES our animals and takes such AMAZING care of all of them!

What a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing this--the dog was lucky to have a kind hearted human looking out for him that day !! 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