Neighbours Birds

[patvetzal]

So we have had chicks for a number of years now. The coop is on the south side of our house and the birds free range except when we have to protect the garden.
We have a second house on the north side with tenants who just built a coop and now also have chickens (and ducks).
The weather is starting to warm up and the other day our hens and roo headed up the driveway heading for the spot where we used to feed the deer last fall. Before they got there our neighbour came out and chased them back home as her husband's birds were out, He was away and she was worried that the two flocks would get intermixed.
When I found out what happened I told her not to worry, thinking that our roo would lead his girls back home but now I am wondering....
The two flocks are normally out all day, within earshot of each other but have never intermixed in past for some reason, even though they could if they wished.
Should we worry? Some of the birds are distinct but there are a dozen RIR's , some in each flock.

 

[SFrati]

I would be concerned about diseases being spread more than chickens getting lost. I would also be concerned if her flock does not have a rooster and he mates with the neighbors chickens. Or maybe she is trying to breed a specific genetic chicken. Having a mixture of sperm could mess up her plans.

 

[centrarchid]

Fully adult flocks led by fully mature roosters can remain distinct for protracted lengths of time.

If a flock is out of balance (males to females) then birds often move to improve their station. Balance from the perspective of poultry keepers is not respected by poultry.

You can tweek things so the flocks do not interact as much by use of feeding stations.

 

[BSL Egger]

I would be concerned about diseases being spread more than chickens getting lost. I would also be concerned if her flock does not have a rooster and he mates with the neighbors chickens. Or maybe she is trying to breed a specific genetic chicken. Having a mixture of sperm could mess up her plans. 

I agree. Make sure that you keep your flock healthy as treating your birds for mites/lice is not what you want to do

 

[aart]

You could band your birds so you know whose are whose.
You could have a cooperative free ranging agreement where you take turns free ranging every other day so both flocks are never out at the same time.
Or you may need to stipulate that your tenants can't have chickens.

 

[Rocky64]

If you both have roosters, you may have a fighting problem. A few years ago, my neighbors Polish came over to hang out. It's a good thing my fully mature BR rooster was not out or that Polish would have got tore up bad.

 

[centrarchid]

The biosecurity kick is very difficult to maintain with free-range flocks even when direct contact not realized. Other vectors will also be present.