Updates on the last pages: Neighbor is threatening me and my chickens

[Smileybans]

I am SO sorry you are dealing with all these troubles! I know it can be frustrating when someone new (like me) comes along in your thread and says why don't you just do this or that, as if it should just be easy. I assure you I've read every post for a while now, and I do emphathize. I am also VERY familiar with getting in my own way, so to speak, which is why I presume to think I recognize a bit of you doing that. So many people are trying to help you, but for every suggestion, you have a reason you can't do that...which lots of times comes back to you don't want to antagonize your neighbor and make things worse. I truly mean this kindly....how much worse can he be? He is already threatening, bullying, and holding you hostage. You're constantly afraid and in a state of anxiety...and yes, I do know that anxiety can make it feel impossible to do anything to change the situation. I also know (learned it the hard way) that frequently the only way out of that kind of emotional impasse is baby steps. Others have suggested you start reporting him for allowing his dog to run free and harass your children but you're afraid that would make things worse. Again...how much worse could it be? As it is, he holds all the power and you are being bullied and harrassed. You're the only one being reported and brought to account, and he has free reign to bully you even though he is committing reportable offenses. The latest issue is the muddy run and your concern that the smell will make him report you and make things worse. People who care about your situation have suggested a load of wood chips as the best solution, but you're afraid that if you have a truck come in ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY he will escalate and make things worse. So, which worse will you choose? One choice and you and your chickens have to live with the mud and the smell, and the real fear that you might be reported for that smell and for keeping them in unsanitary conditions. The other choice might give him something else to complain about, but you and your chickens would have better living conditions and show that you are being proactive about the drainage issue and keeping your chickens in clean conditions. You said you don't want to listen to him complain and yell....so, why do you not just walk away or go back in the house if and when he does? Every. Single. Time. Which worse will you choose?

You’re probably right. But here’s the thing I keep telling myself… if I had never gotten chickens I wouldn’t be in this mess. No one in this village likes me and the ordinance officer now hates me for making him do his job. The officials around here aren’t official. They cut corners and hide things. They don’t follow the law unless put under a microscope. I have become their main focus and everyone in this village knows my name. Knows to hate me. The village is comprised of three main families. No freaking joke. One of them helped write the ordinances 50 years ago. Those families could make things very bad for me.

I called the dog warden. Twice. Never received a call back. They never went to the neighbors house. Nothing was done. I’m the bad guy because my family has always had a bad reputation around here. Not me but my sisters. Which equates to my family. Call this excuses but this is a village of 300 people. If you aren’t a part of the elks lodge or the volunteer fire department then you don’t count. You are a loser and insignificant to the people who really count. I do get in my own way. All the time. I’ll admit that. I make a mess of my life and don’t know how to clean it up most of the time.

 

[Briosafarm]

You’re probably right. But here’s the thing I keep telling myself… if I had never gotten chickens I wouldn’t be in this mess. No one in this village likes me and the ordinance officer now hates me for making him do his job. The officials around here aren’t official. They cut corners and hide things. They don’t follow the law unless put under a microscope. I have become their main focus and everyone in this village knows my name. Knows to hate me. The village is comprised of three main families. No freaking joke. One of them helped write the ordinances 50 years ago. Those families could make things very bad for me.

I called the dog warden. Twice. Never received a call back. They never went to the neighbors house. Nothing was done. I’m the bad guy because my family has always had a bad reputation around here. Not me but my sisters. Which equates to my family. Call this excuses but this is a village of 300 people. If you aren’t a part of the elks lodge or the volunteer fire department then you don’t count. You are a loser and insignificant to the people who really count. I do get in my own way. All the time. I’ll admit that. I make a mess of my life and don’t know how to cleaI

I am truly sorry things are so bad for you there.

 

[Smileybans]

This is more of a vent post… But I have no where else to turn but here. I know, it’s stupid. To turn to strangers on the internet but there it is.


I feel so lost. So hurt and broken down. I don’t know what to do anymore. My anxiety has me in pain all day and with the rain I can’t sit with my flock. I feel sad all day and just want to cry.

The ordinance officer gave us till the 12 to “do something” about our chickens. He wants them removed, wrote it on the ticket he gave us, because the neighbors are still complaining. He won’t outright say it but I know they are. The variance guy also works for the fire department so he hasn’t been out to look at anything yet. I also don’t know if he will accept that they’re my emotional support flock. He has owned chickens before so I have a higher chance with him but I just don’t know. And the not knowing makes me more anxious.

The guy whose farm I can bring my flock to, temporarily hopefully, seems a bit too eager to get his hands on them. He wants my silkies really bad even though I told him I wasn’t going to give them up. I told him over and over I was going to keep the silkies in my house. No matter what happened. I have one who is just too sweet and can’t really be in a flock as large as his. He didn’t understand. I don’t trust him. I don’t want to split my flock up but my plan is to hide my main flock, of about 10 chickens including one rooster, in my basement. Temporarily give my breeder birds, another 10 hens and two roosters, to the farmer and keep my silkies in my house. There’s only five silkies. The problem I run into with all of this is I would be trying to hide two roosters on a property where they have already told me to get rid of the chickens. I have no crow collars but am reluctant to use them. I can sound proof my basement but it’ll only get me so far.

My husbands plan is to have the ordinance officer okay 300ft and put a coop there. Fence that in and hot wire it. Then fight for the variance. But that will take too long and I feel like the ordinance officer is sick of us. He’s used to people just giving in when he tells them to do stuff. Since we haven’t given in, gotten rid of the chickens, he’s getting mad. I hate this village. I hate the people in it. I always have and should have moved earlier.


Moving is going slowly. Too slowly for my liking. I want to be out of here before the 12th but I don’t see that happening. We are moving no matter what. My husband says he wants to be out of here before the first snowfall. If we can catch a break that might happen.

Thanks for listening to my sad rambling problems everyone.

 

[Smileybans]

Now I need 320ft from a neighbors house. Because there now has to be a 20ft easement between the back property line and where I’m placing the coop. Why didn’t the ordinance officer tell me this to begin with???? 300ft I can do. But now it’s more. They just keep finding new ways to make it difficult. And the zoning area guy won’t get back to us. It’s his
f-ing job and he won’t do it. Going to the board about it has done nothing. Great. I hate these people. I hate this village. Moving is going too slow. I’m going to lose all of flock. My husband won’t let me keep any of the roosters in the house but I have some that are too small for the farmer who “offered” to take my chickens in. I just don’t know what else to do.

 

[Isadora]

Now I need 320ft from a neighbors house. Because there now has to be a 20ft easement between the back property line and where I’m placing the coop. Why didn’t the ordinance officer tell me this to begin with???? 300ft I can do. But now it’s more. They just keep finding new ways to make it difficult. And the zoning area guy won’t get back to us. It’s his
f-ing job and he won’t do it. Going to the board about it has done nothing. Great. I hate these people. I hate this village. Moving is going too slow. I’m going to lose all of flock. My husband won’t let me keep any of the roosters in the house but I have some that are too small for the farmer who “offered” to take my chickens in. I just don’t know what else to do.

Did you ever get a lawyer?

 

[Smileybans]

Did you ever get a lawyer?

Yeah. They couldn’t help much because of the ordinance I guess. When I talked to her she just kept talking about whether or not the ordinance officer measured right. And kept talking about it going to court.

I’m going to try and keep some of my flock in my house but I hate to do that to them. My husband finally got ahold of the zoning area guy too and he said he was trying to get all the paperwork together. So he can come and take pictures then get it pushed right through. I just don’t know who I can trust.

 

[Smileybans]

The area zoning chair guy came by today and took pictures of our run and coops. I wasn’t here when he came over but my husband said he’s trying to push it through as fast as possible. But what gets me is he’s consulting with the ordinance officer about all of this. That guy is a jerk and has nothing to do with the zoning board. But the zoning board has no idea what they’re doing. There’s also only two people on the zoning board. The zoning board chair said that if the ordinance has to be changed to allow the variance it’s going to take longer…. That’s the point behind a variance you dumb s***!!!

So the laws don’t have to be changed but I can have an acceptance to the zoning laws and ordinances. They don’t need to be changed to get a variance. I wish these people would at least read the zoning laws for the village they live in. Bare minimum that’s all I ask. Because the zoning laws tell you what a variance can be used for. And guess what? The laws don’t need to be changed to get a variance. I’m just so mad at the stupidity of these people. Everyone is just referring back to the old guy, ordinance officer, who also has no idea what he’s doing. Great.

 

[Jenwisp]

have you thought about going to the press with this? even if you have to move, this will help shed light for others that may end up in the situation later.

 

[Smileybans]

have you thought about going to the press with this? even if you have to move, this will help shed light for others that may end up in the situation later.

I hadn’t thought of that. What I had thought of was buying a web domain and creating a site dedicated to all of this crap. So if someone searches for esperance ny it’ll pop up. I did find out that word has spread all the way to Schoharie about this. Schoharie is only 15 minutes away but I thought the village was trying to keep it quiet. Word spread anyway I guess. I also found out that no one likes my neighbor. It doesn’t help much but he always has people over. I thought he was liked. I guess not.

 

[Jenwisp]

I don't live far from you. seems like every other neighbour on my street has chickens. you should consider moving to east durham or the surrounding area. avoid the historical districts and your birds should be fine. this is chicken country.