Random hens showed up on my property

[docdubz]

So my neighbors all free range their chickens and it's not uncommon for some of them to venture onto my property. But they stay away from my flock and mostly keep yo certain areas of my property. Except for the past idk maybe 3 weeks there have been two hens that exclusively hang around my run from sun up to sun down. I tried chasing them off so they wouldn't spread any diseases to my flock but they've been stubborn and at this point my flocks been exposed to anything that they might have had.

I'm starting to think maybe I should just let them in the run and keep them. I have no idea who they belong to, and honestly I don't care enough to find out... I find it quite annoying that my neighbors make zero effort to keep their chickens out of my gardens.

What do you guys think?

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

Well, if your neighbors don't do anything in their power to at least keep them a distance away and they stick around, then I think you should keep them. If your neighbors ask about it, then you should tell them to try to keep the chickens on their property if they don't want you "adopting" them.

 

[Gallinarium]

In a lot of rural areas, once the chickens are off their owners' property, they are now wild chickens and anyone can do anything with them. Of course, at times they're on home turf they're still legally protected. To avoid getting sued or something, you might want to check your local laws first. If you can, go for it. Free hens!

 

[Brooks_]

I'd totally keep them. If anybody ever asked about a couple missing X breed hens I'd say wow, what a coincidence, I have a couple X breed hens too.

 

[Acre4Me]

You are in TX. You need to check fencing laws. Most of the country is a fence-In rule, meaning you are responsible for keeping your livestock in your perimeter. But, some states are fence-out rules, meaning it is up to you to keep animals off your property. So, that is one thing to check.

Another is the concept of finders-keepers. They are on your property, but you don’t know whose chickens they are. Not like chickens are collared or usually ear tagged or tattooed like other live stock. In this situation, you need to call someone in the know. County ag extension? Animal warden? I really don’t know. But, if you have previously spoken to your neighbor and they indicated they would contain their chickens, I guess you could assume they do not belong to them. If you have dated/photo evidence of these hens adopting your flock, on your property over the course of weeks, you have some evidence that this was an ongoing issue. But, I’d find out some more info, talk to neighbor bc if the hens are theirs and they perceive you stole them, then a neighbor war might ensue. No fun for you!

Good luck

 

[Brooks_]

You are in TX. You need to check fencing laws. Most of the country is a fence-In rule, meaning you are responsible for keeping your livestock in your perimeter. But, some states are fence-out rules, meaning it is up to you to keep animals off your property. So, that is one thing to check.

Another is the concept of finders-keepers. They are on your property, but you don’t know whose chickens they are. Not like chickens are collared or usually ear tagged or tattooed like other live stock. In this situation, you need to call someone in the know. County ag extension? Animal warden? I really don’t know. But, if you have previously spoken to your neighbor and they indicated they would contain their chickens, I guess you could assume they do not belong to them. If you have dated/photo evidence of these hens adopting your flock, on your property over the course of weeks, you have some evidence that this was an ongoing issue. But, I’d find out some more info, talk to neighbor bc if the hens are theirs and they perceive you stole them, then a neighbor war might ensue. No fun for you!

Good luck

The burden of proof is on them though. I wouldn't lawyer up over a couple of layers.

 

[Acre4Me]

The burden of proof is on them though. I wouldn't lawyer up over a couple of layers.

Never said lawyer up. Just check with those in the know. County ag extension as one resource. Online search for fencing laws for another aspect.

 

[Mya05]

I would check with the neighbors to see if they are willing to keep their chickens on their property (or at least off yours). I would also explain about the two hens, and how you finally gave up trying to shoo them away from your flock and coup. I had a similar situation where a neighbor's hens were visiting my flock daily. Even when I chased them away, or managed to catch them abd return them to their yard, they would be back within 30 min. They would hang out from sun up till sun down if I let them. I finally talked to the neighbor about it, and learned that they originally had 3 hens. Apparently, only two survived their exploration of the neighborhood. We figured out the reason their hens started, and continued to visit us. We have 2 cockerels, and when their hens reached laying age, they wanted a cockerel, or rooster. We helped clip the wings of their two hens, but that only kept them away for two days. Our neighbor decided to let us keep the hens, actually pullets, and they haven't strayed at all from our yard. I should also add, our yard, where we keep our chickens, is surrounded by a 6ft privacy fence.

 

[Brooks_]

Never said lawyer up. Just check with those in the know. County ag extension as one resource. Online search for fencing laws for another aspect.

I had meant that it would be unlikely for the owners of missing birds to lawyer up over it. Hence, no need to even check codes or ordinances; just keep the hens and not worry about it.

 

[Gallinarium]

I had meant that it would be unlikely for the owners of missing birds to lawyer up over it. Hence, no need to even check codes or ordinances; just keep the hens and not worry about it.

Unless they're like, Ayam Cemanis or something.