What would you do if this happened to you?

[bargain]

Most of you know that Jacque & I are full time farmers in rural west GA. Today we had a great farmers market and great afternoon of bunny/chick sales and then I hear one of our brooder lids slam on the porch while I was putting together eggs for a pick up the next morning. I called out through the door " Jacque is that you?" A male voice, said no Hunny it's me...Like a idiot, I open our house door and go out on our screened front porch to find a very dirty filthy smelling man with his hand in one of our brooders touching my day old silkies and I said stop sir, Only we touch our babies...He insisted they were for sale and I got bold and told him,,,,Sir I have a gun just inside the door and if you don't walk away from the brooders, I might go insane. He never acted like he understood, but he did drop the chick back in and left....No car in sight no truck????where did he walk from.....I dunno. But our gates were locked, ugh...so he must have jumped over the fence.. I need NO trespassing signs and more! More excitement than I needed. I checked his shirt pocked visually to see if he had nabbed a silkie or two...I counted all my silkies and did find one out of the brooder when he had the lid off...ugga bad end to bunny/chick daze!

I was terrified. I supposed he might be a homeless person who really just doesn't understand what locked doors mean. I don't know what to think?

I'm curious, How would you handle something like this? seriously..... I'm usually prepared to say something intelligent....We looked for him on the property but couldn't find him. I hope he's just mosied on along....I feel like bringing the brooders in the house....It really shook me and I grew up on the wrong side of atlanta....MMMMM.

 

[happyhensny]

Wow, that sucks. People are just scary sometimes. I think you did great, hopefully he got the point and won't be back. It's a shame when we need to lock everything up, even on our own property. I have no idea what you could have done differently. Sorry.

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

That's scary. You need a big barking watchdog, or some guineas.... nobody walks up on me unannounced.

Your description suggest he's homeless. I would report it to the police and be extra careful about locking doors. By his behavior he is either unable to understand trespassing laws or does not care about the laws. I would be very uncomfortable in your position right now.

 

[GarlicEater]

Sounds like a psycho. Dangerous. You mean he followed you to your house, knew the chickens were for sale so he'd have had to follow you from the farmer's market.

What to do? All the things. Put up posters or somehow alert your neighborhood that this character is lurking around for stuff to steal, and perhaps worse. Help the cops catch him. Secure doors, lock things up, the whole 9 yards.

And I'd have not even engaged in a conversation, just gotten the gun and been ready to use it. He wanted the chickens he could have come after YOU.

If it sounds like I'm saying you should hit the panic button and go to "defcon 1" then, Yeah, that's pretty much it.

 

[debilorrah]

I would report it to the authorities. If you don't and he winds up hurting someone......

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Hopefully your comment about having a gun sunk in.

 

[hikerchick]

Quote:
what she said.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I did not read anything that suggested 'psycho' or 'dangerous', he went away.

But perhaps a person who isn't alert or aware. Maybe hard of hearing, a little slow, possibly. We had an old fellow around where I used to live. Couldn't hear or see much, and he was a little not aware of the impression he was making sometimes. His idea of visiting etiquette was about 70 years out of date, LOL.

As far as walking, well, people do that, even in rural places.

But actually, it would have startled me. I'm used to everyone around here and know them and an unfamiliar face would startle me.

I don't make any assumptions about people one way or the other - I don't get extremely upset, but I also don't expose myself to any unnecessary risks. Not because I know, but because I don't know.

I'm not sure if I'd make a report to the police or not. It didn't sound like the guy did any harm. I don't think the police would understand, 'he touched my chickens'. I don't believe a policeman would see anything wrong with that.

If I was in a drug dealing, violent crime, frequent ambulance and squad car area, I might make a report.

 

[bargain]

I think he was a bit slow and out of touch with reality....After I've calmed down now for the past 30 minutes...Although he was much older, he appeared to have the demeanor of a four or five year old. He maay have had early dementia or just special needs. I think he was in his mind at some familiar farm and holding a little baby chick like he might have done years ago....I'm almost sorry I was a bit too strong for him but he did startle with me. I'm about 1/4 mile from a fairly well travelled road and some of the rurals out here do walk a lot, most of them I know by there faces....Now I wish I knew if this fellow was missing from somewhere..... I think I'll call and check on that.... Just when I've seen or heard it all, this comes along....Well thanks for the feedback, y'all....Nancy

 

[Spookwriter]

First and foremost, NEVER open the door to a stranger. If he is stealing
your stuff...that's only stuff. NEVER put youself in danger.

Install a cheap intercom system at the entry doors at least. Back to rule #1
NEVER open the door. Let the stuff go.

Do not engage in conversation with the intruder. This gives the intruder a pretty
close fix on your location.

Do call the police, 911 or whatever you have.

Be armed....a handy weapon is always nice to have.

Protect yourself.

I don't know if I would shoot someone over a few baby chicks. I would hate that.
But the intruder could just as easily decide to come in the home. Then there would
be no warning shots.

But please...NEVER put yourself in danger. Remain in the home out of sight. Chickens
are not worth someone losing a life over.