Trespassing chickens!

[Snowy Celandine]

If your neighbour's chickens kept coming into your garden and scratching around what would you do? One chicken comes in every day and occasionally there are four of the little blighters in your garden, all digging around

 

[Clodagh]

Never let them get settled there, constantly chase them out. Is it a hole they are coming through or do they fly in? I have chickens in the farmyard to used to fly into the garden (where I have more chickens!) but by chasing them out as soon as I saw them they soon gave up.
Can you ask your neighbour to keep them out?
It would drive me nuts! I can't bear any animal being allowed to upset someone else, cats are the usual culprits.

 

[Adopter]

Well if they take the slugs they are helping you! The alternative is to talk to your neighbour about improving your fence line. If you do not want them in, and it can be annoying when other peoples pets stray, you will have to come to a solution with your neighbour.

My chickens range freely around our paddocks, garden etc and do not seem to do much harm, in fact I wish the would scrape more moss out of the lawn. The only place we directly sow seeds is veg garden and that is rabbit fenced any way so the chickens do not get in.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

I'm afraid that the hooligans are my chickens

I have had chickens for years but this latest group seem hell bent on adventure and every time I put up another fence to keep them confined it works for a few weeks before they eventually find a way over or under. Short of erecting 8' high fencing all round the orchard where they are kept (current fencing is about 4' 5") I am at my wit's end trying to keep them on my property.

I have other chickens and they are perfectly happy to stay put in the orchard where they all live. I also have ducks and geese who are no trouble at all but I have one very characterful chicken girl called Ethel who could probably break out of Alcatraz and sometimes she leads one or two of the others astray too. My neighbour is getting annoyed with me so I need to try to solve the problem. The trouble is my neighbour is also hand feeding Ethel every morning when she goes into her garden which isn't helping me

Clodagh, I have three rescue cats as well so I am guilty as charged on all fronts My neighbour is a vet's wife and has dogs, cats and horses of her own and we both have a fair bit of land but I know that my chickens are annoying her. I have asked her several times to stop feeding Ethel but she says that she likes her! Doh

 

[Morag4]

Unfortunately if chucks get in our garden the dogs will make it clear how unwelcome they are. Personally I wouldn't mind I adore chucks.

 

[Adopter]

If your neighbour is feeding Ethel then she as you know will keep going back!

My lot come round into the garden at the run to check round the base of the bird table several times a day.

Not sure how you can solve unless you can put up some sort of electric fence till they learn not to go round.

 

[Clodagh]

Well if she feeds Ethel and she is a vet's wife she must know a tiny bit about animal behaviour? Odd!
Can you clip their wings? I hate doing mine but sometimes the odd one has to have a major trim.

 

[Twizzel]

My chickens go for a wonder around the farm, their wings are clipped and they still go out and about. Only 4 or 5 out of 30 go for a wonder. They go into one of the converted barns' garden and scratch around, the lady isn't too impressed but a. she has no fence separating her garden and b. it's a working farm so kind of to be expected!

 

[CrazyMare]

It sounds like your fencing is pretty good. If she is feeding Ethel, I would tell her that you will not be able to stop Ethel completely as she is reinforcing the behaviour!!

Seems most odd that she wants to feed her yet doesn't want her in the garden!

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

I Don't Think Chickens Understand the Law on Trespass

 

[Snowy Celandine]

I Don't Think Chickens Understand the Law on Trespass

You could be right. Ethel is the most intelligent of the bunch but even she probably hasn't got a firm grasp on the matter

I spoke to my vet (not the neighbour because he is deceased now) and she said that I could clip Ethel's wings but if she was going under the fence it would not make a great deal of difference, obviously. According to my neighbour Ethel does appear under her fence every morning so I have had to rule that one out I wish she would stop feeding Ethel but I am powerless to actually stop her.

Neighbour doesn't want more than one or two chickens in her garden at a time but how can I explain to the others that Ethel's bonus feed is not for sharing?

I love to see my chickens free-ranging so am loathe to shut them up in their pens in the daytime but I can't think of any other answer.

 

[twiggy2]

maybe you should politely point out that either a) she stops feeding Ethel and has no chickens in her garden or b)she is happy to have the chickens in her garden and continues to feed Ethel or c) you ring Ethels neck to stop the situation continuing to be a problem

 

[Nicnac]

Give Ethel an ASBO? Neighbour sounds a bit silly imo - how are you meant to teach the others that only Ethel is special and gets extra brekkie! What are doing with all the feathered friends when you go to Madrid?

 

[Foxy girl]

I was having the same worry but then caught my neighbour feeding our chickens! They had put some fencing up to stop them coming in and I have clipped their wings but the hungry (and lighter ones apparently - when they aren't laying) keep fluttering over the fence. Have to say I have no sympathy now I've seen her feeding them, even if they are wrecking their nice planted borders ;-)

 

[Snowy Celandine]

I have offered to wring Ethel's neck but neighbour doesn't want me to. Neither do I because she is the nicest chicken I've ever had in terms of personality and lays a lot of eggs which is her main job because I don't rear them for meat. I will have another word with her tomorrow and tell, not ask this time, her to stop feeding Ethel. Hopefully she will see sense because I don't want to fall out since she is my one and only neighbour in miles and we have been friends for years.

I like the idea of Ethel the ASBO chicken It is only OH and I going to Spain. Grown-up children still live at home so they are taking care of all the animals. Just as well really since we have loads. Horse is on full (non-ridden) livery but daughter rides most days and I can always get a sharer if necessary. I am going to miss my animals so much when we leave

 

[AmyMay]

Electrify their enclosure. Problem solved.

 

[Leaf]

I have offered to wring Ethel's neck but neighbour doesn't want me to. Neither do I because she is the nicest chicken I've ever had in terms of personality and lays a lot of eggs which is her main job because I don't rear them for meat. I will have another word with her tomorrow and tell, not ask this time, her to stop feeding Ethel. Hopefully she will see sense because I don't want to fall out since she is my one and only neighbour in miles and we have been friends for years.

I like the idea of Ethel the ASBO chicken It is only OH and I going to Spain. Grown-up children still live at home so they are taking care of all the animals. Just as well really since we have loads. Horse is on full (non-ridden) livery but daughter rides most days and I can always get a sharer if necessary. I am going to miss my animals so much when we leave

A Chicken do..as a chickens does.. What they like I feel for you & you're going to be fine, you are as gutsy as chicken Ethel (the same name as my late beloved dogs) always here if you want to talk... Xx

 

[Dobermonkey]

Until you have chickens you will never appreciate how real the film chicken run actually it is our 4 are absolutely hysterical!