How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens

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jill247

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How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« on: June 07, 2012, 02:09 »
Hiya My neighbour is feeding my hens dry porridge oats and sometimes wild bird seed ive told him not to give them anything cause i give them treats now and again like mealworms and corn. He says oh they love dry porridge they tap on my door for it. Ive even given him different things for him to give them and he says oh they loved the mealworms with the porridge they were fighting over it . oooohhhh I want to fight him sometimes. Its a shared yard and if i block it he comes round and sits with the hens on my garden I cant win. Just frightened that the dry oats will stick in their gizzard. I told him the outcome if this happends. What do I do?.

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Hen 1-0 Fox

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2012, 03:25 »
Tell him that a friend of yours has had a chicken die after eating porridge, ask him not to do it again because it's upsetting you. It's tricky because you want to maintain the good neighbourly relations but at the end of the day he could be damaging the health of your birds. You alone are responsible for them, imagine if one became ill, it would be the neighbours fault but ultimately you knew about it and would kicking yourself... If only I'd have put my foot down sooner. Sometimes you just have to be firm.
x1 Light Sussex x1 Black Rock x1 Bluebell x1 Silver Sussex

Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2012, 05:20 »
If I told him to stop and he kept on doing it I would break his arms.  With that being said though... I wish my neighbors would feed mine and cut down on my feed bill.  I have close to forty of them.  Jill there isn't much that I have seen that will hurt them.  Mine even eat styrofoam insulation if I leave it out.   :lol:

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nerdle

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2012, 05:38 »
Your neighbour loves your hens and wants to do something - this is good - you can channel that into something helpful. 

They could hand feed them layers pellets and  find greens/fruit for them.  You've also got a built in hen sitter for when you go away.  Show them how to clean out the coop!

Just keep repeating ad nauseum (with a lot of charm) that dry porridge isn't good and he'll hear it eventully......
One grandma and 4 baby Pekins.

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ehs284

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2012, 08:28 »
Maybe you're too worried. Whilst feeding dry porridge as their only food may be a problem, if they have access to other foods and water, they won't eat too much... and wild bird seed?
Be glad you have a caring neighbour.

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Tony H

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2012, 05:02 »
Hi wild bird seed wont hurt your girls it is full of goodies and a bit of oats wont hurt either if you stop feeding treats and let your nabour carry on he will be happy and your girls will love the attention, if you upset him to much he may go the opposite way and start complaing about them  :(
Chicken crazy

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Nickchick

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2012, 07:56 »
Can you give your neighbour the treats/corn to feed your chucks?  At least they will be eating what you want them to eat.

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joyfull

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2012, 08:05 »
when the oats meet with any moisture (like dry bread) they will swell and at best make them feel too full to eat the correct food which gives them their necessary vitamins, minerals etc. and at worse can block their crop.
Point out to him that treats should only make up 10% (max) of a birds diet and really aren't necessary. They do love mealworms which contain protein but also fat (which is not good) but perhaps he would be better offering some sweetcorn.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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Prod

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2012, 10:30 »
Tell him that you have trained them to eat human flesh so if he loses his dijits not to come pointing the finger at you!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

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jill247

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2012, 10:53 »
im just over protective i think and after all he is a good neighbour.

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nerdle

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2012, 12:16 »
Wish I had your neighbour - mine won't talk to me since I got one silent hen.....

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symonep

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2012, 13:43 »
If it were me i would get a cheap 2nd hand coop and a few hens for him to look after, that may well deflect the attention he is giving your hens, like someone else has said mine also eat inslulation and anything that is left around, they are not fussy.

its hard though when you dont want other people to interfere. Sounds like you have a very caring (if over stepping his duties) neighbour, make the most of it and set him  tasks liek others have suggested. If he is that interested he will do it and if he isnt interested he will soon leave them alone if he thinks he has to do more than feed them! Maybe he is just after some free eggs
Gained an allotment on the 19th June 08, 135ft by 40ft! eekk. Finally after 4 years it is looking like an allotment and not a jungle

We have 5 lovely hens in the garden, fish, 2 dogs and 2 canaries

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Fiona55

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2012, 16:54 »
I can sympathise with the problem although my neighbours do not feed my chooks, I have a chook sitter when I am away and I had to be very politely firm to stop hiom throwing loaves of bread etc into the run.  When I asked him not to do it he said well I thought wholemeal bread would be ok.  I had to have a polite firm talk with him.  I think all is well now - but I have had to leave specific measuring containers for pellets & corn.  good luck

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jill247

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Re: How do I stop my neighbour feeding my hens
« Reply #13 on: June 25, 2012, 00:13 »
Thankyou for your replies he is a good neighbour and watches out for them if he turned funny i the girls wouldnt be able to use his part of the yard as it is open plan guess im very lucky to have him.


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