Half rant - half advice if you have any?

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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Okay this might be long, but I will try and keep it short. My neighbours have four chickens that are driving me nuts! Apologies in advance for any of us that keeps chickens as pets, but I really don't like them (don't shoot me!!!). So far they have vomited heavily in my best paddock that is for Storm and its awful stuff, I've had to go in there with bucket and rubber gloves on and get shut of it, you can't just get it on a fork it slips through the tines. They have scratched and dug up part of one of the beds in the front barn, they have plopped endlessly on my yard and I have since walked in it etc and I am just generally sick of them. It might sound petty but honestly, I had no idea how annoying they could be. At every opportunity they are in the byre, they terrorise Rosy my tiny calico cat and I don't think Felix likes them either, he gives them and their beaks a wide birth. I don't ever see my neighbours they are a bit odd, they never leave the house and if they do they are in a car. I'm not actually sure they are real lol. They don't strike me as outdoorsy people, so why they bought chickens is a bit odd. They have a shed which must house the birds at night. However during the day they seem to have moved in here. If I don't evict them they will try and stay overnight which I really really don't want.
And here's the sticker, I can't ask that they put some chicken fencing up because my cats roam - and although one of my cats is a house cat, the others are not and I have a feeling if I mentioned the birds annoying me they would throw the cats going on their land in my face and just tell me to keep them indoors and off their field! Felix literally passes through their field once in a blue moon but I know they will have seen him!
So, rant over - but does anyone have any cheap effective ways to deter them? I can't afford to start fencing boundaries with chicken wire. Its just too big a project and I don't have money to throw at it. And to be honest, don't see why I should. Is there any powder that I could put down in the byre that would work that wouldn't harm cats and horses? Or am I just going to have to put up with them?
its been going on for months and is getting worse - they seem to prefer being here to their own place!
Thanks for reading if you got to the end cookies and cream to you!
Edited to add; I know birds can't be sick, its regurgitation? I think, its truly horrible stuff though.
 
I know you don't want to ask them to put chicken wire up, but I can't think of anything else that will work.
 
carthorse said:
I know you don't want to ask them to put chicken wire up, but I can't think of anything else that will work.
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I know, the wire would be the only thing that would work. But the boundary fence is huge and it would cost a fortune. I doubt if they'd be interested in paying out for it, even though they are their birds.
 
What's the shape of the side they are coming in from. Animals are creatures of habit so they will have made themselves a little track that they come in from next door into yours.
Find that and put the fence up in the gap that they use.
It won't stop your cats from being able to roam as they won't be the ones using that actual track.

I had similar with rabbit burrows in the back section of my field. I don't have an issue with them per se, but they were living in the wrong place. It took a few seasons for them to relocate themselves (into the muck heaps) and they can stay there and we both run along nicely.

Do bird scarers work for chickens without upsetting the horses?
 
newforest said:
What's the shape of the side they are coming in from. Animals are creatures of habit so they will have made themselves a little track that they come in from next door into yours.
Find that and put the fence up in the gap that they use.
It won't stop your cats from being able to roam as they won't be the ones using that actual track.

I had similar with rabbit burrows in the back section of my field. I don't have an issue with them per se, but they were living in the wrong place. It took a few seasons for them to relocate themselves (into the muck heaps) and they can stay there and we both run along nicely.

Do bird scarers work for chickens without upsetting the horses?
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Lol chatgpt suggested bird scarers. Or hanging Cd's up. I think Storm would take offence lol.
The trouble is, they are coming in underneath a fence that is about 150 metres long and at various points. Its a boundary fence and in good order, but there is a gap and its amazing how they can scooch under it despite looking quite rotund and fluffy! Sometimes they come in further along, almost near our garden and that is impossible to keep them out of because its hardore (difficult to get posts in) and they come via the dog roses. I think I'm just going to have to put up with them. I can't afford to buy chicken wire and put it on, and I know neighbours won't want to as they don't really seem to care where the birds go! All I can do is be ready to evict them from the barn at dusk and hope that they take the hint and stop trying to stay in there.
Lol, yes it sounds like the rabbits were in the wrong place in your field - I have nothing against them either but they can cause bother with their holes can't they.
 
I have 15 completely free range chickens. I have chicken wire around my garden to keep them out, but they can fly over it, so I understand your problem. They also have an affinity with the ponies, and follow them around. They like to nest in the hay rack and will see off any pony cheeky enough to claim the hay is for them - squawks and pecks if necessary. Luckily they get on well with the cats and dogs.
So, I don’t see an easy solution. Would it be possible to learn to love them? Encourage them to lay eggs for your benefit, not your neighbours?
 
Sparky Lily said:
I have 15 completely free range chickens. I have chicken wire around my garden to keep them out, but they can fly over it, so I understand your problem. They also have an affinity with the ponies, and follow them around. They like to nest in the hay rack and will see off any pony cheeky enough to claim the hay is for them - squawks and pecks if necessary. Luckily they get on well with the cats and dogs.
So, I don’t see an easy solution. Would it be possible to learn to love them? Encourage them to lay eggs for your benefit, not your neighbours?
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That's what mr trews said about the eggs! hahaha. Would be nice if they did lay but I've not seen any as of yet. What puzzles me is why they come over to mine, they have acres to roam of their own and a working farm a little further on with lots of barns and outbuildings. Its most odd - unless they are thinking its quieter here?!
 
Not much you can do other than ask them if they can keep them in some electric netting. If they get a 50m net it gives a reasonable size free range. Guess you don't have foxes, because I can't free range, Mr fox would have a field day here.

The evil side of me says

Get some electric chicken netting, a chicken coop catch them and keep them.
Alternatively catch them and ring there necks.

@Sparky Lily im sure you probably know this but have you clipped there wings. That stops them flying. You only clip the one wing which unbalances them enough to stop them gaining momentum to fly. They can still get up on a perch to roost.
 
chunky monkey said:
Not much you can do other than ask them if they can keep them in some electric netting. If they get a 50m net it gives a reasonable size free range. Guess you don't have foxes, because I can't free range, Mr fox would have a field day here.

The evil side of me says

Get some electric chicken netting, a chicken coop catch them and keep them.
Alternatively catch them and ring there necks.

@Sparky Lily im sure you probably know this but have you clipped there wings. That stops them flying. You only clip the one wing which unbalances them enough to stop them gaining momentum to fly. They can still get up on a perch to roost.
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Lol yes I did wonder if the neighbours would actually notice if they didn't go back home! If I chicken-knapped them. Hahahaa. And you are right, so far as I know we don't have foxes here.
 
Get a bag of chicken feed and chuck handfuls over to your neighbors land? Remove any food sources from your own land where possible. Shoo the chickens away/ find something they are a bit scared of, put them back over the fence. Tell your neighbors you are getting a dog and the chickens might get eaten, play some dog noises, play fox noises. That's all I can think of 🤣
 
MrA said:
Get a bag of chicken feed and chuck handfuls over to your neighbors land? Remove any food sources from your own land where possible. Shoo the chickens away/ find something they are a bit scared of, put them back over the fence. Tell your neighbors you are getting a dog and the chickens might get eaten, play some dog noises, play fox noises. That's all I can think of 🤣
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Thing is there's no food here, our horses don't leave anything in their buckets and I usually pick them up fast to go wash them out soon as they've eaten. I can only think they are loving the worms and beetles and stuff here? Lol yes I need a mix of dog and fox noises to play! I do shoo them off but they don't seem very scared of me. One of them sits on my foot and won't budge. Oh dear.
 
Not sure how chickens feel about it but my guinea fowl hate water, when they pestered my neighbour I suggested shooting them with the hose or a water pistol, they soon got the hint!
The guineas love my barn, especially when I have straw in as they like picking through to find the seeds but I have mostly trained them to stay out now by chasing them off whenever I see them heading that way, perhaps worth trying to disturb the chickens fun on a regular basis for a while.
 
Trewsers said:
I know, the wire would be the only thing that would work. But the boundary fence is huge and it would cost a fortune. I doubt if they'd be interested in paying out for it, even though they are their birds.
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If they're classed as livestock then legally it's their responsibility to keep them in, not yours to keeep them out. That means they would have to secure he bondary fence or an area for them, not you.

That's assuming the law is the same there as it is here, I'd be surprised if it isn't.
 
Lots of good ideas here.
But encouraging them to lay eggs would be in my list as would shooing with water.
You can either make your place somewhere nice to visit or somewhere they avoid because they so much else to explore.
Don't the cats want to chase them, or is it the other way round.
 
Jessey said:
Not sure how chickens feel about it but my guinea fowl hate water, when they pestered my neighbour I suggested shooting them with the hose or a water pistol, they soon got the hint!
The guineas love my barn, especially when I have straw in as they like picking through to find the seeds but I have mostly trained them to stay out now by chasing them off whenever I see them heading that way, perhaps worth trying to disturb the chickens fun on a regular basis for a while.
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Yeah every time I see them making their way into the barn I go and chase them off. But they are bold as brass! I know there's only four but they are hard work to get shut of.
 
carthorse said:
Not a serious suggestion, but spray them with apple juice and let Fuzzy at them!
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I think Fuzzy would see them off good and proper lol. Storm doesn't really like them milling about her if she happens to be in the cat barn where they congregate. But she's too gentle and mild mannered to even put her head down to touch them.
 
newforest said:
Lots of good ideas here.
But encouraging them to lay eggs would be in my list as would shooing with water.
You can either make your place somewhere nice to visit or somewhere they avoid because they so much else to explore.
Don't the cats want to chase them, or is it the other way round.
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Rosy is terrified of them. She's only tiny, they are bigger than her. Even Felix who is our biggest gives them a wide berth. And our old man Husky won't go near them. I'm having to close the garage side door too because they were going to come into the house! Honestly I had no clue they were so cheeky. Next door don't seem to do anything at all with them, I never ever see either of them spending time with them (and I'm on the yard and can see over the way a lot). I've only spoken to the neighbours twice. They said they were from London and Cardiff and gave me the impression they were used to city life and not at all interested in the countryside. They said they bought it because of covid and worried they wouldn't be able to find a place. Fair enough if they keep to themselves that's none of my business but I do wonder why they got the chickens.........seems such a strange one. And they go away a lot, I suppose the birds don't come to any harm whilst they are gone, but I've never seen anyone coming to see or feed them either.
 
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