No hens for me this year.

[BedHead]

One of my neighbours is opposed to me having hens so I can't join the pilot project this year. The idiot thinks he's an expert on backyard poultry because he used to be an inspector for the federal gov't inspecting factory farms. This is the same neighbour that we had a run in with about painting our plants. I got a 20 minute lecture on the hazards of chicken poop. I am just SO upset right now I can't even think straight.

 

[meriruka]

I'm sorry for you. Neighbors can be such a pain, especially ones that know everything.
Just curious, why did you listen for 20 minutes? You're a much nicer person than I am, I would have walked away after the first 30 seconds!

 

[Ridgerunner]

It sounds like you need his agreement or at least a no objection to trying it. Did you try asking him how he would make the pilot program work? With all his experience, surely he can help you with great advice. Would he be willing to be your "consultant" on the effort? Can he become a partner in the effort? What did he see wrong with the factory farms and how can the problems be overcome?

I've met some beauracrats that are great people to work with and will go out of their way to help you and I've seen some (one I can think of from a very recent experience) that need a road map to find their way to the bathroom though they work in the same building every day. This guy does not sound very promising but maybe it is worth the effort.

Good luck!!

 

[BedHead]

He's the kind of guy who just talks right over you, doesn't let you get a word in edgewise. VERY frustrating to deal with. And impossible to interrupt without coming off as rude. I don't want to piss him off, because I WILL be getting chickens some day, and I don't want him to be too much of a pain when I do! I didn't bother trying to talk to him at all - I didn't have the time. We very well may end up talking over the fence about it in spring or something, and I was thinking of inviting him to one of our meetings.

 

[onecent]

wow, I'm also sorry to hear this, but i agree with ridgerunner, maybe he will feel important if he could help with the planning, .still invite him over, give him something to eat, ...like one of those chewy granola bars (chewy stops the chatter)

and maybe you will be able to get him to listen to you!! I wish you all the luck

 

[Mahonri]

It's tough to work with those types.

I agree with trying to make him feel important, obviously he has an ego that needs feeding.

 

[twentynine]

Do you have any "rules" saying you can't have chickens?

If you ain't got no rules against it, get your hens.

You are going to have to tell me or "splain" to me about this "plant painting" thing.

 

[BedHead]

Chickens aren't allowed here right now - I was hoping to get them under the pilot project our group has before city hall, but they told us we had to have permission from neighbours to take part in the pilot project. I have to wait till our bylaw is changed now before I can get them.

The plant painting incident happened when he spray painted his fence and it came through onto our garden, decorative rocks, our daughters bike, etc etc. and when we called him over to see he FREAKED at us, just went right off the deep end. He never compensated us for any of it. He is truly an ass of epic proportion. I am still angry at him this morning because what he's done is taken advantage of the power he has over me to disallow the hens. He would do the same if it was something else too. He already has an ego the size of Canada, I don't want to feed more into that, and I am sure there's no way he'll change his mind.

 

[ChickBond 007]

I have a difficult neighbor, and my best efforts to deal with him failed. Finally, my family made a decision that he was invisible. Due to this pact, we cannot see him, we cannot hear him, we cannot even smell him. It's working wonders for us, and if I could see him visually, I'd know that it is driving him bonkers.

 

[FortWorthChicks]

I hate to say it but feeding the ego sounds like a smart idea. You know the old saying catch more flys with honey. Feeding him something chewy sounds smart too.

Do you know anyone around you could get a dozen eggs from? Maybe give him some eggs and tell him there is more to come if he agrees to go with the program.

Sorry your neighbor is such a smuck.

Kind regards!