The Big Girls are Grounded!!!

[LilBizzy]

What a weekend wth the big girls!!
The back of the neighbors yard butts up to the side of my property. They have been running into the neighbors yard, and while the neighbors love them, I don't want them to wear out their welcome. But every time I get them back into my yard, they turn tail and run back. So, we let them be, and kept an eye out. They went in front of our neighbors garage, out to their front yard, around THEIR neighbors fence, and into the neighbors garage, scaring off both neighbors cats in the process.
So I go into that yard, handing chickens over fence to my neighbors, and we make the girls go to bed early.
Next day we waited till late to let them out. I made them a chicken playground with nice dirt to bathe in, under some bushes with logs to climb and perch on. They played in theit playground for 5 minutes, then pretended to wander away, then turned tail and ran like prison escapees into the neighbors yard. 3 were headed into their front yard, and the 4th was under their porch, poking her head out of the lattice trying to find the way out . LOL.. the neighbor was outside laughing at us trying to catch them.
The neighbors insist they like watching the chickens in their yard. While I don't want to take their joy away,I think I should put up some sort of fence to keep them from going out to the road.

 

[WriterofWords]

I would agree that they would soon tire of the company. Ask yourself what the neighbor has that you don't, that they want!

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
So , Build and Close in their OWN separate RUN so you quit running yourself crazy and neighbors don't get aggrivated with the chickens . Let me put it this way , IF I DID NOT have chickens , I would NOT want neighbors chickens in my yard . Happening accidently would be ok , BUT this could really get out of hand .


I have 47 head and they are in a 12 x 32 ft. run that is totally predator proof and I dont have to worry aBOUT THEM getting out . I go out and feed and play with them every morning and late afternoon .

Late in the evening they automatically go into their coop , ONE BY ONE and I say good night .

 

[LilBizzy]

Well, they have their own run attached to their coop which is safe and secure. Its maybe 12 X 20, which is not too bad for 4 chickens. But they really like having some time out in the yard where there is some green grass and things to peck and scratch through. And when they are in the yard they DO come into the coop around 8:30, and get themselves settled, after which I go say goodnight and lock them in for the night. I don't know what they see in the neighbors yard that we dont have in ours. We both tend to cut our lawns within a day of each other, and neither of us have a garden. Our yard has trees and bushes to hide under, and shade. Our neighbors have a bale of hay that they cut open for the chickens, and a picnic table , but other than that, I have no clue what the attraction is.
And yes, I agree that as much as the neighbors say they like watching the chickens, it would be better for them to not have to see them so close. Thats why I ended my post stating I think they need to be fenced in my yard before I let them roam free.

 

[Robin L]

I understand what you are saying! My neighbors are my in laws, while fil hates chickens my mil loves them, there is a homemade bridge between the properties that fil put in and they cross to get into in laws (along with many other wild critters). The chickens seem to know when Im watching and when I am not, when I am not watching they will run for their yard. They never get far before I find them but mil thinks its so funny to watch them watch me and when they think its safe RUN for their yard. All I have to do is call them and they come back. I do not like them over there, my in laws will do nothing to hurt them and their yard has nothing that I dont have (I have less pretty"stuff" in the yard)
I think your best bet would be a fence but only my opinion and you know what they say about them