Nerf gun war

[neo71665]

Tall fences make better neighbors.

 

[black_cat]

Personally, my two cents on the situation is this:
Put a up a camera and some padlocks on the coop doors. Then, arrange a meeting with the parents of the kids. If any of the chickens have injuries, bruising, etc, take pictures to bring with you. Explain why it is bad for their kids to shoot your animals with chickens, and also tell them that if you wanted to, you could be calling the police on them for trespassing, and breaking and entering, but you wanted to try to work it out peacefully first. Make the request that the neighbors keep the kids off the property, and see how it goes from there. You could also mention that you've put up cameras and if it happens again, it will be recorded.


Don't know if this is a good plan because I don't know all the details, but it's personally what I would do.

 

[David61]

So you think giving somebody animals that so no respect for other people's animals or property is a good idea. What do you think people that think it's amusing to abuse other people's animals are gonna do to their own.

Reckon you also think participation trophies are a good idea.

why yes i do. You have ownership its a new ball game. If you have earned a trophy, its yours. If you put the time and effort in something you respect or effort. and if that a rooster you fell in love with hand raising? Now how did you miss that.

 

[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.

 

[neo71665]

why yes i do. You have ownership its a new ball game. If you have earned a trophy, its yours. If you pat time and effort in something you respect or effort. and if that a rooster you fell in love with hand raising? Now how did you miss that.

I raise livestock. My animals are not only pets but my income. You come in my yard harming them it is the same as I went to your place of business and tore up your desk and smashed your computer. Still their father thinks it's funny to have his kids trespass, break and enter, and harm something that doesn't belong to him. What other criminal acts does he teach his kids are ok? Giving them chickens or rewarding them with cookies isn't gonna teach them anything but they can keep doing what they are doing.

I've given away tons of animals to deserving people over the years but I dang sure aint gonna give anything to anybody that thinks it's amusing to tell their kids to trespass and break into my coop to abuse my animals. While it aint the kids fault they are being raised by their parents who at least one happens to be a d-bag.

 

[Birdmom2020]

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.

Agreed 100% that's why this is so wrong

 

[David61]

Giving them chickens or rewarding them with cookies isn't gonna teach them anything but they can keep doing what they are doing.

well its been my experience that any kid can be taught anything once you have made friends. Nothing says friends better than cookies. Friends don't do mean things to their friends pets or live stock.
not a reward but a tool to a teachable moment.
and a bonehead dad see someone kind to his kids and his kids like changes as well. its that human nature thing i speak of.

 

[neo71665]

Guess denial is a river in the mississippi gulf

 

[Silkies and succulents]

abuse them lol, a nerf gun? please.
The best way to educate is the responsibility of ownership. and i'm not sharing my eggs with mean stupid people. I don't believe that are ether of those.

Nerf guns deffintly could do harm to animals. I’ve been hit by a nerf gun and it hella hurt. If a chicksn was hit the eye or head for example, it could cause serious damage. Or bruising. But its not okay of OP neighbors kids to come over and shoot at their rooster. Even if it didn’t cause any damage to the chickens it could have and its still not okay. And OP said that AFTER he/she put them back in the coop the kids let them back out and CONTINUED to shoot at them if I remember corectly? And the father of the kids thought it was funny? Its not funny. If I can get a bruise from accidentally being hit, then two kids with sh**** aim could definitely hurt a chicken. And yes shootin nerf guns at them is 101% abuse.

 

[Bird_Lover_17]

You can't make friends with everyone, even kids.

I agree with everyone who said that they will just abuse chicks. Plus, not everyone finds chicks cute, so it may not be some life changing experience for those kids, just another target.

Giving cookies will not change the way that the parents think, nor will it change the kids. if you have an issue with someone, stick up for yourself. Be an adult, not a pushover.