Nerf gun war

[MarkJr]

These kids are old enough to know better. Trespass them. When they come back, call the cops. Document everything.

Also, tight fences make good neighbors, isn't just a catchy phrase.

 

[FleishyWifey]

Zero contact with the neighbors, or zero kids shooting the chickens? Have you put a camera up at all?

They’ve kept to themselves since the incident. Kids haven’t even been outside except once.

 

[Bird_Lover_17]

By giving the kids cookies/eggs/whatever, you are literally teaching them that bad behavior is acceptable. Thus, the children grow up and think it's ok to shoot chickens, so they go to the next level, and next level until they literally become abusers.

 

[black_cat]

I would like to say that nerf guns are very powerful, for anyone that didn't know. Those things HURT. If one hit a chicken in the head, it could do some damage, and they'd probably leave bruising on the other parts of the chicken. This is coming from someone who lives in a house with several of them in the basement. They can do real damage.

 

[Birdmom2020]

Clearly this is not okay. If the children's father is telling them to come into your yard and shoot at your birds you need to call the sheriff's office and let them know that you want a report on file just in case (like a previous poster said) there is some kind of injury to your birds. Reinforce your coop so that the kids can't open it. Put some signs up stating that your yard is private property and no trespassing. Take pictures or get some cameras that way you have proof that they're on your property and causing distress to your animals.

Don't get rid of your animals like that other poster said. Being a mom of a few kids between ages 9-1 if this were my kids I would break every nerf gun they have and throw away all the darts for them. Being as my older kids (5,8,9) all have multiple nerf guns they have never once even thought about shooting them at our birds, dogs, or our cats let alone someone else's pets. But my kids also have some (maybe just a little but some) respect for other people's things whether living or not. These children if brought up with any kind of decency (which I'm guessing by the way you talk of their father is not very likely but who knows) then they should know that what they're doing is not okay. My kids being the same age range know that it's not okay to intentionally hurt or scare animals. And it's really not just bc of hurting the animals. Think about animal instinct. Your rooster could be the sweetest most lovable bird but once tormented enough (or even the first time) he could have the instinct to attack. The same with dogs, cats, cows, ect. All animals have instincts. You can train them as much as you want. That doesn't take away what's natural to them.

That being said if my neighbor had an animal that's annoying I would never send my kids into their yard to torment/possibly harm it. It's just not right.

Sorry for such a long post. But the people defending the neighbor here need to grow up. The kids should know better. Mine do. If the kids don't know better then shame in their parents. Kids learn these things younger than 5. Hell, my 3 (almost 4) year old knows it's not okay to "be mean" to animals.

 

[Silkies and succulents]

I wouldn’t waste my time baking cookies for a bunch of children who tresspassed on my property, shot nerf guns at my animals, and basically broke into my coop to continue shooting at them after I put them inside. And after eating those delicious cookies that I wasted time baking and could have eaten myself, they would probably turn right back around and continue to shoot nerf guns at my chickens. Who provided eggs for those cookies that they stuffed themselves with.

 

[tripletfeb]

and you said what to him about it? and yes, 5 and 7 year old with a nerf gun is kind of funny until you tell them you don't think so and stressed birds can be a health problem and it doesn't need to happen again.
instead of putting up fences try tearing down fences. We put a gate in your fence so the neighbors kids could come over. Call the police on my 5 and 7 year old without talking to me and no fence could be big enough. Then again, i'm in the south and we are friendly and neighborly. We are polite and considerate. When you told me that you don't think its cute and it cant happen again. I wound tell my boys, in front of you, that if they go over there again bothering the chicken your going to whip them and when they get home they would get another whipping.

Clearly you lack some common sense here. Talk to the neighbors, yes. But nerf guns can hurt and then the nerf dart can be dangerous to the chickens if they consume it. So, if after talking to the neighbors, this doesn't get resolved, your solution is to put a gate in to give the kids better access to the chickens, give the kids chickens of their own to take care of, and take down the fence so kids can have access to the chickens whenever they want?! Let's give the kids participation trophys too! Yea, no one is a loser! Nope, you talk to the parents and if it happens again, you call the cops. Clearly discipline is needed here, more than the parents are giving. Rewarding the bad behavior is what is wrong with this country now. Maybe the cops can scare the kids enough to not do it again

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I suppose I should ask, are you legally allowed to have a rooster and hens?

 

[0die]

I don't see where you said if you even talked to their father? That should be the first thing you do. Let him know if his kids trespass again you may have to call the sheriff and/or file charges. Animal cruelty laws have are being taken more seriously than in the past. Texas also has fairly strong private property rights.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I 100% agree with the post about recording any and all interactions you have with the kids and if you have to interact with them, I'd keep it short and simple, but use clear and direct words that won't be easy to mix up for the kids whenever they run home to tell their parents. I would take things up with the parents tonight so you can avoid having to deal with the kids at all, if possible. People are crazy nowadays and you really have to make sure you're protecting yourself in every way over the smallest things. I wish you the best and hate you're having to deal with this complete and utter nonsense from pathetic neighbors. What kind of person thinks this is ok? This world is full of some real life monsters