- Oct 29, 2009
- 8
- 7
- 62
My neighbor recently got chickens and historically, he does not take care of animals or his property responsibly. He doesn't care about me or my property.
If the past is a guide, then he would not care if his girlfriend's chickens died, which they might simply by getting hit in the road. My property is across the road from his, and now his chickens are crossing the road. He has allowed his yard to grow up for over a month and now they are leaving there and coming over into my flowerbed and lawns. I have a large breed dog who I'd rather not develop a taste for chickens, in case we do decide to set up a chicken flock some day. However, I can't keep my dog inside all the time if his chickens are in my yard. I tried herding them back across the street but they have no fear of humans, or for that matter, not much fear of my dog barking at it. I fired off a shotgun and the sound barely startled them. I nudged one in the butt with the gun barrel and that got a squawk, but not a panic exit. There's corn fields all around our property, so they just drifted off into the corn. We also have robust coyote and fox communities here in our country setting and a hawk was hunting over his yard last week, so patience may end up being my best recourse, and let nature take it's course. It looks like he pens them up at night but as soon as he lets them out they start exploring. Then again he might be letting them stay out all night in which case they may even roost in my trees. I don't know if they can fly or if he will clip them, so I don't know if they will be able to fly over any fence I put up. Let's be clear, I do not want to be spending money and time fencing out the neighbor's chickens from my gardens. I guess to a chicken, there would be no way for it to know which was it's home property and which property belongs to the neighbor (mine).
It sounds stupid to be complaining about chickens out in the country but I have many bushels of ripening tomatoes I do not want to be destroyed by his nosey hens. I have wanted chickens for years, however, my gardens and property are not set up for chicken invasion, and since my neighbor is a thoughtless jerk, I am feeling like having his chickens on my property is going to be a challenge. Since i have not ever cared for chickens, I don't know what they will be pecking at in my gardens. Will they eat my small beet and carrot seedlings? Will they peck my tomatoes? Will they eat my lettuce, chard, or other greens? How about my almost ripe grapes? Next spring if this becomes a habit, then I will have more young plants at stake. In order to protect my food crops, do I wrap bird netting around my tomato area? What creative protection methods are there for this kind of last minute scenario to keep chickens away from garden plants and ripening produce?
I'm wondering what liability I have if my dog kills one of his chickens on my property. Do I send him a notice that I can not be responsible for his chickens safety on my property? I highly doubt that if I complain that his chickens are coming over, that he will do anything about it. Plus, he's a violent, dangerous person - always screaming and yelling and threatening his girlfriend. I have had years of problems with his inconsideration, had to call the DEC when he burns huge fires and illegally leaves them smoldering for days. He has been really angry about that. I feel I have to pick my battles in order to protect my family from his rage. Unfortunately, living in the country out in the middle of nowhere does not guarantee that I am allowed tranquility! My property is 2.5 acres and so is the neighbors. Both are bordered by cornfields and roads. Most of mine is mowed but they found my "forest" of pines, my mulched flowerbed, etc. So far they have not found my vegetable gardens which are further away from the road they have to cross to get to me, but I assume it's only a matter of time. Thank you in advance for any insight into what I need to worry about protecting in my gardnes.
If the past is a guide, then he would not care if his girlfriend's chickens died, which they might simply by getting hit in the road. My property is across the road from his, and now his chickens are crossing the road. He has allowed his yard to grow up for over a month and now they are leaving there and coming over into my flowerbed and lawns. I have a large breed dog who I'd rather not develop a taste for chickens, in case we do decide to set up a chicken flock some day. However, I can't keep my dog inside all the time if his chickens are in my yard. I tried herding them back across the street but they have no fear of humans, or for that matter, not much fear of my dog barking at it. I fired off a shotgun and the sound barely startled them. I nudged one in the butt with the gun barrel and that got a squawk, but not a panic exit. There's corn fields all around our property, so they just drifted off into the corn. We also have robust coyote and fox communities here in our country setting and a hawk was hunting over his yard last week, so patience may end up being my best recourse, and let nature take it's course. It looks like he pens them up at night but as soon as he lets them out they start exploring. Then again he might be letting them stay out all night in which case they may even roost in my trees. I don't know if they can fly or if he will clip them, so I don't know if they will be able to fly over any fence I put up. Let's be clear, I do not want to be spending money and time fencing out the neighbor's chickens from my gardens. I guess to a chicken, there would be no way for it to know which was it's home property and which property belongs to the neighbor (mine).
It sounds stupid to be complaining about chickens out in the country but I have many bushels of ripening tomatoes I do not want to be destroyed by his nosey hens. I have wanted chickens for years, however, my gardens and property are not set up for chicken invasion, and since my neighbor is a thoughtless jerk, I am feeling like having his chickens on my property is going to be a challenge. Since i have not ever cared for chickens, I don't know what they will be pecking at in my gardens. Will they eat my small beet and carrot seedlings? Will they peck my tomatoes? Will they eat my lettuce, chard, or other greens? How about my almost ripe grapes? Next spring if this becomes a habit, then I will have more young plants at stake. In order to protect my food crops, do I wrap bird netting around my tomato area? What creative protection methods are there for this kind of last minute scenario to keep chickens away from garden plants and ripening produce?
I'm wondering what liability I have if my dog kills one of his chickens on my property. Do I send him a notice that I can not be responsible for his chickens safety on my property? I highly doubt that if I complain that his chickens are coming over, that he will do anything about it. Plus, he's a violent, dangerous person - always screaming and yelling and threatening his girlfriend. I have had years of problems with his inconsideration, had to call the DEC when he burns huge fires and illegally leaves them smoldering for days. He has been really angry about that. I feel I have to pick my battles in order to protect my family from his rage. Unfortunately, living in the country out in the middle of nowhere does not guarantee that I am allowed tranquility! My property is 2.5 acres and so is the neighbors. Both are bordered by cornfields and roads. Most of mine is mowed but they found my "forest" of pines, my mulched flowerbed, etc. So far they have not found my vegetable gardens which are further away from the road they have to cross to get to me, but I assume it's only a matter of time. Thank you in advance for any insight into what I need to worry about protecting in my gardnes.
