Unhappy Neighbor looking for solutions

[HappyClucker7]

I get that you would like peace and quiet. But, you have to understand that these chickens are your neighbor's pets. They love them, and enjoy having them. Complaining about them, and asking your neighbor to get rid of them, would be the same thing as asking them to get rid of a dog or a cat.
I would suggest you go visit your neighbors. Go meet the chickens. Learn their names, hold them, feed them from your hand. Really get to know them. Maybe learn what the different sounds mean. Trust me, the noise will bother you a lot less.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

and while you may have moved away from the city for "peace and quiet", they may have moved away from the city to have their 6 hens...

yes, there are potential legal avenues to explore, mostly involving the law of "nuisance" which is ill defined at best, and very frustrating to those of us who own chickens - a way that a person's dislike can be used to force another to stop otherwise legal behavior on property the complainant doesn't own. Particularly when a new person buys into the area, then wants the pre-existing property owners to change the way they are using their own land to better fit the sensibilities of the new neighbor.

From that perspective, I'm sure you understand why that approach goes over like a lead balloon, typically.

Good fences and a neighborly conversation should help. A well managed chicken coop shouldn't "stink". Feel free to ask if the neighbor if they have spent any time on BYC - we'd be happy to help them find a management practice that's good for them, good for the birds, and good for odor control. If you can politely work it into the conversation.

/edit as to why they have hens??? Why does it matter? If anything, a hen serves a more objectively valuable purpose than a lizard, turtle, fish, hampster, dog, cat, or parakeet for most people. A hen produces something of value (admittedly, usually less valuable than the cost of maintaining the hen). Those other animals produce nothing of value, few keep cats for purposes of rodent control anymore, or dogs to protect their other animals. Nor is it for you to say that they should derive less subjective pleasure from their pet chickens than some other pet. Peopel are people, not everything is explainable. Cat People, Dog People, Coffee People, Tea People, there are even MORNING People! Scary, I know...

 

[MissE]

and while you may have moved away from the city for "peace and quiet", they may have moved away from the city to have their 6 hens...

yes, there are potential legal avenues to explore, mostly involving the law of "nuisance" which is ill defined at best, and very frustrating to those of us who own chickens - a way that a person's dislike can be used to force another to stop otherwise legal behavior on property the complainant doesn't own. Particularly when a new person buys into the area, then wants the pre-existing property owners to change the way they are using their own land to better fit the sensibilities of the new neighbor.

From that perspective, I'm sure you understand why that approach goes over like a lead balloon, typically.

Good fences and a neighborly conversation should help. A well managed chicken coop shouldn't "stink". Feel free to ask if the neighbor if they have spent any time on BYC - we'd be happy to help them find a management practice that's good for them, good for the birds, and good for odor control. If you can politely work it into the conversation.

/edit as to why they have hens??? Why does it matter? If anything, a hen serves a more objectively valuable purpose than a lizard, turtle, fish, hampster, dog, cat, or parakeet for most people. A hen produces something of value (admittedly, usually less valuable than the cost of maintaining the hen). Those other animals produce nothing of value, few keep cats for purposes of rodent control anymore, or dogs to protect their other animals. Nor is it for you to say that they should derive less subjective pleasure from their pet chickens than some other pet. Peopel are people, not everything is explainable. Cat People, Dog People, Coffee People, Tea People, there are even MORNING People! Scary, I know...

Morning people aren't scary. It's you night owls. Nothing good happens after dark.

 

[neo71665]

Glad I live in an area with more than enough property I don't have to deal with city slickers moving out here to complain. Then again most everybody around here have small farms.

 

[saysfaa]

Can you please explain the value of the noise and stench over paying for your eggs?
Please help

My husband doesn't either. But I think he began to understand a little yesterday.

I've been away so he has been feeding the chickens this week so they are starting to act normally even when he is there. He was in the coop to build things inside it and invited me to just do the chicks. I puttered a bit, checking and cleaning their feed and water, their roost and dust bath tub and that the rain didn't leave their bedding wet and such. And brought their favorite greens. Then I sat with them. They left their greens to sit with me. They were just warm and friendly and didn't ask for anything. They took turns sitting on my knees and siting beside me. They jumped when the drill clattered but calmed when I talked to them. I told them they looked a lot better with their adult feathers coming in further on their heads and that their barely beginning combs looked funny. I asked them if those tiny feathers on their faces (where they didn't have baby fluff) were going to grow out? They preened a bit, stretched their wings occasionally, studied my face some, and murmured.

My husband said, "You are smiling."

This. in a week where I am throwing up from stress.

It has been a very hard week. My mother is in hospice as of a few weeks ago. My son visited from 1000 miles away, the first visit in 18 months. We've been saying don't come because we didn't want to risk covid with my mom so fragile. I finally said I'm not willing to not see him anymore. And he arrived last Saturday just coming down with what turned out to be covid. My husband has it now, too. So, I've been staying at my mother's farm (not comfortable) and driving up every day to take care of her.

I've been primary caregiver for her for the past year and a half. She lived with us (in a much too small house - housing market has been unbeliveably crazy here even before covid) for six months. There is no where in the house that I couldn't hear her or not smell the medicine she needs. For the six months there was no where for either of us to go - all churches and senior centers were closed, other family is far away. She couldn't be left alone.

She is in a retirement place now. That makes some things easier and some things much harder.

My neighbors don't know any of this.

On the other hand, I also did what I could to make my chickens unnoticeable. They have PDZ (that is a horse stall product that combines the ammonia and decreases the smell), deep bedding, very good ventilation, no crowding, solid wall toward the nearest neighbor, not many birds. No roosters, the quietest breed I could find (although I don't think that is much of a thing). The wild birds are MUCH louder so far but mine are too young for egg songs yet.

 

[Chickassan]

You can't get peace of your own by taking someone else's away.
Maybe you should get a few hens of your own and see what the attraction is for yourself.
You just might like it, if nothing else you'll have someone to sit on the porch with you.

 

[Chuckie chicken]

You can't get peace of your own by taking someone else's away.
Maybe you should get a few hens of your own and see what the attraction is for yourself.
You just might like it, if nothing else you'll have someone to sit on the porch with you.

My thoughts exactly. The only way you'll answer your question, is to experience it for yourself. Get some chickens!