I think my next-door neighbors just came over here and opened my chicken coop door! They have never actually confronted us directly about their dislike of our chickens, but have voiced complaints to other neighbors about them. They live directly behind us, and a few days ago I came home to my chickens loose but just thought my DH had not latched the gate securely.
Then, about 10 minutes ago I heard our dogs barking a lot and on a whim I went to see what the matter was and found that the chickens were roaming in the yard in the dark (their coop is lighted so they could see) and they had literally JUST gotten out as a couple were just then coming out too... and the neighbors had just turned on their lights and just gotten home about the time we heard the dogs start up...we heard their car door just prior to going outside. I am
They were probably thinking that if the chickens were let loose that either the dogs or other predators would get them. I know for a fact that the coop gate latch was secure because I was the last one out there and made a point to double check it after the weird incident the other day when I thought DH left it unsecured. I put a temporary fix on it tonight with a dog collar tightened down to keep the door closed with a second "security" measure and will be investing in padlocks tomorrow...but now my DH has me worried that the neighbors may try poison if they can't let them loose to be destroyed by predators. I think I may have to save some money for game cams... but with Christmas coming, I can't just throw that money around for my chickens...
I don't know what to think. Maybe it wasn't my neighbors, but what else could it have been?? The dogs weren't doing their "predatory animal" bark, it was the "weird person" bark, if that makes sense...there is a difference in the intensity with my dogs...
I am feeling really paranoid now.
