I know that some of you have that neighbor. I am new to chickens but grew up in the country and had ducks, horses and raised a pig for my FFA project in high school. That was a long time ago
Now to the present-I have 19 -10 week old chicks from Cackle and McMurray. I also have 17 -3 week old chicks that we incubated in our classroom that I work in. My ex-carpenter husband built a Fort Knox coop and pen for my chicks that is in two pieces. We can move it around the yard this way. The big ones were able to go out at about 7 weeks. So..They have been outside only 3 weeks. I made sure of the LORE prior to getting them so I know I am able to have chickens. Well, the neighbor guy on that side of us comes over to the house earlier this week. He tells my husband that we need to have the chickens 25 feet from his property according to the law. Actually, my husband tells him, no we dont. The law says 25 feet from any occupied residence. We printed out the law and he walked it over to their home right away but he didnt come to the door. We left the information in the door.
Now yesterday the Homeowners Association officer comes to the door to collect this years fee. And by the way..Blah Blah chickens I couldnt hear it all because the dogs were barking like crazy. Sigh..What did he want? To tell us we need to make sure we keep down the noise and smell. REALLY? My coop is cleaner than my laundry room! The cardinals, and robins and doves make more racket than the chickens have even thought of. Mostly they just peep still. I did have some baby roos that started to crow that first week out but have since relocated to the freezer. So my husband reassured him we didnt have any more roosters and we will cull off most of the pullets until we have 6-8. Another roo started to crow today (thought he was a she). There will be another session of Freezer Camp on Monday.
All this has left me feeling really upset. I know I am in the right. I am glad the neighbor came to us first but I am mad because I know they contacted to Association. I am hoping that they arent going to try to change the Association law so that I cannot keep the birds. I just have a funny feeling about them. We have lived here 10 years and never had a problem with them until now.
We are going to replace our fence this year and had originally told them we would get a shorter fence. After this incident I will replace the privacy fence with the same. Good fences make good neighbors they say.
Now to the present-I have 19 -10 week old chicks from Cackle and McMurray. I also have 17 -3 week old chicks that we incubated in our classroom that I work in. My ex-carpenter husband built a Fort Knox coop and pen for my chicks that is in two pieces. We can move it around the yard this way. The big ones were able to go out at about 7 weeks. So..They have been outside only 3 weeks. I made sure of the LORE prior to getting them so I know I am able to have chickens. Well, the neighbor guy on that side of us comes over to the house earlier this week. He tells my husband that we need to have the chickens 25 feet from his property according to the law. Actually, my husband tells him, no we dont. The law says 25 feet from any occupied residence. We printed out the law and he walked it over to their home right away but he didnt come to the door. We left the information in the door.
Now yesterday the Homeowners Association officer comes to the door to collect this years fee. And by the way..Blah Blah chickens I couldnt hear it all because the dogs were barking like crazy. Sigh..What did he want? To tell us we need to make sure we keep down the noise and smell. REALLY? My coop is cleaner than my laundry room! The cardinals, and robins and doves make more racket than the chickens have even thought of. Mostly they just peep still. I did have some baby roos that started to crow that first week out but have since relocated to the freezer. So my husband reassured him we didnt have any more roosters and we will cull off most of the pullets until we have 6-8. Another roo started to crow today (thought he was a she). There will be another session of Freezer Camp on Monday.
All this has left me feeling really upset. I know I am in the right. I am glad the neighbor came to us first but I am mad because I know they contacted to Association. I am hoping that they arent going to try to change the Association law so that I cannot keep the birds. I just have a funny feeling about them. We have lived here 10 years and never had a problem with them until now.
We are going to replace our fence this year and had originally told them we would get a shorter fence. After this incident I will replace the privacy fence with the same. Good fences make good neighbors they say.