What's the silliest argument you've heard against chickens?

[amsunshine]

I have a next door neighbor who is making a lot of noise (sending out letters to my neighbors within 150 feet of my property) and does not evidently want the chickens as they originally said they did (I asked their approval first). They had initially expressed concern over the wife's allergies (never mind that they have 2 indoor cats, and have lived next to my dog for the last 6 years). I heard from the neighbor in back of me (who says he is fine with me having chickens) that my next door neighbor told him that, well, in the corner I'm thinking of putting the coop, that well they EAT there, because they have a barbeque and poolhouse and they ENTERTAIN a lot. Good grief. Did they ever think of the raccoons, possums, wild birds, and all other manner of wild creatures that pass through there regularly and POOP too???? I'm just dumbfounded by the thinking patterns of some of these folks.

As a concession, I'll build the coop on the OTHER side of the yard, if that will make their sanitary little lives happier.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Well, how far from their yard were you planning on placing the coop? And how often do you clean up after your dog? Chicken poop does smell, and depending on how often you clean and the number of chickens, they might have a point.

Also, people with allergies do not all react to the same things. One can easily be allergic to feathers or the dander from birds and have no problems with dogs or cats. I have a friend who has been hospitalized several times for her allergy to birds.

 

[Dora'smom]

On the other hand, there are those who lie about their allergies to get their way or for who knows what reason.. My husband once tried to give his mom some very cheap chocolates and she looked at him and said "I think I'm allergic to chocolate" with a box of half-eaten See's chocolates in the background. When we had cats, she would come over to our house and announce that she is allergic to cats. Sometimes she forgot to announce it until she was leaving, hours later, but she usually announced it. Once we got our dogs, I think she said she was allergic to them, too. To my knowledge she has never been treated for allergies.

 

[Break an Egg]

I had a little girl come over from the neighbor's house and she pet my chickens.

The next day, she came back over and had a spot on her hand, I asked what it was, she said her mom told her it was from touching my chickens.

I took a closer look at it, and it was a splinter, which I took out and then I assured her that her mom is wrong and that she can tell her it was a splinter.

some people are just

 

[Jess N Jeff]

Just so you know...

If someone is stating "allergies" to chickens and is trying to cause problems in the neighborhood. There is a possibilty that there may be some legalities. Your neighbor has to show by means of medical allergy testing that she is indeed allergic to CHICKENS. Bird allergies are way too broad. They have to be specific to chicken feathers and dander.

Unless she has been specificly tested for chickens, she is not allergic. You would be surprised at how often chicken feathers are used as filler.

Sorry you are having such a hard time.

 

[Break an Egg]

Why don't you invite them over to introduce them to your chickens, and really try to win them over, with eggs and what not. Also while they are over there, you can get a good idea if they are allergic or not. lol

 

[FluffyColor]

"we can't keep chickens, we live in New York"

This was the argument put up by my own father.

 

[Prettiest Frog]

'Won't they peck your eyes out?'

 

[cassie]

If you can legally keep chickens and the buildings etc. are within code, whether the neighbor is allergic or not is his problem, not yours. You do not have a legal duty to provide your neighbor with an allergy free environment when it comes to your property. If I were you though, I would make a coop/run that looks as much like an attractive garden shed as possible, with white lattice and climbing vines on it. That way he won't be able to see your offending chickens and you will have something nice to enjoy.

As for the silliest reason, this came from Brentwood California where some idiot was concerned about the chicken manure (from a half dozen or so hens, mind you) would seep down and contaminate the ground water.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
I agree that if it is legal to keep them, that the OP does not have a concern. However, my point was that the reasons stated are not ridiculous, silly arguments. Chicken manure contaminating groundwater in most cases would be silly, ungrounded (forgive the intentional pun) concern; concern over attracting rats or raccoons or ... is silly (too many other things are more likely to attract them). And "it will bring property values down" is silly--there are too many locations that disprove that belief to even consider it.