So to preface:
We live in upstate NY. Very woodsy, rural.
We have grump neighbors. The kind who complain about everything. But expect no complaints in return. (They blast music at all hours... drop off their young daughter here for babysitting without payment or thanks, etc.) They like a perfect yard, but NOT animals. Not sure why they're living on the Appalachian Trail.
We recently bought a composter. The Organic Choice kind? It's near their fence line. Last week, the neighbor called to complain because their motion/light sensors in their yard were going off at night. She said she was smelling skunk too, and she thought that it was because of raccoons/skunks in their yard heading toward our coop. Then she claimed they hired a trapper who said the same. Now... I didn't mention they feed two stray cats who might be setting off the light sensors. (Or why not use shades on their windows? Or shut off the sensors, for goodness sake?) But I said our composter was more likely the problem, since we just put it in and the chickens had been there for months. So I gave the composter away to make her happy, despite the fact we'd spent $80 on it two weeks ago.
She called again today, to say she still smelled skunk and that we need to get rid of our chickens. Now. She was ticked.
The chickens have been there since April. Would skunks all of the sudden be interested night after night? Our coop is Fort Knox; they'll never get in there. If it is indeed the coop the skunks are into, will they give up eventually?
And more importantly... if we don't smell skunk in our yard in the morning, how can it be our coop that's causing her annoyance?
Ok. Rant done. Really what I need is info on skunks and chickens. And on annoying neighbors. I'm so stressed out. She's the type to call the cops, CPS, etc to get what she wants. (She's done so to our neighbors because she hates their barking dog.)
Thanks for reading this ridiculously long email.
We live in upstate NY. Very woodsy, rural.
We have grump neighbors. The kind who complain about everything. But expect no complaints in return. (They blast music at all hours... drop off their young daughter here for babysitting without payment or thanks, etc.) They like a perfect yard, but NOT animals. Not sure why they're living on the Appalachian Trail.
We recently bought a composter. The Organic Choice kind? It's near their fence line. Last week, the neighbor called to complain because their motion/light sensors in their yard were going off at night. She said she was smelling skunk too, and she thought that it was because of raccoons/skunks in their yard heading toward our coop. Then she claimed they hired a trapper who said the same. Now... I didn't mention they feed two stray cats who might be setting off the light sensors. (Or why not use shades on their windows? Or shut off the sensors, for goodness sake?) But I said our composter was more likely the problem, since we just put it in and the chickens had been there for months. So I gave the composter away to make her happy, despite the fact we'd spent $80 on it two weeks ago.
She called again today, to say she still smelled skunk and that we need to get rid of our chickens. Now. She was ticked.
The chickens have been there since April. Would skunks all of the sudden be interested night after night? Our coop is Fort Knox; they'll never get in there. If it is indeed the coop the skunks are into, will they give up eventually?
And more importantly... if we don't smell skunk in our yard in the morning, how can it be our coop that's causing her annoyance?
Ok. Rant done. Really what I need is info on skunks and chickens. And on annoying neighbors. I'm so stressed out. She's the type to call the cops, CPS, etc to get what she wants. (She's done so to our neighbors because she hates their barking dog.)
Thanks for reading this ridiculously long email.
