Comments on: Is our chicken breeding over?

By: Satisfied now? « Musings from a Stonehead

Satisfied now? « Musings from a Stonehead — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:07:56 +0000

[...] (one’s not in the photo) with five to go to keep a neighbour satisfied. This the reality of noise complaints. I can’t kill any more at the moment as it’s too upsetting. Seven of the eight [...]

By: stonehead

stonehead — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:30:23 +0000

We were talking to our other neighbours, who have a small farm, and they said they barely noticed the chickens most of the time. They said that occasionally the cockerels did get a bit demented and when this coincided with the pigs joining in, that did get their notice.

But they dismissed the noise as just part of the rural background.

They went on to say the council dog warden had been out because someone had complained about their dog barking. They know it wasn’t the bloke who lives behind their farm (he leaves titbits out for the dog!) and it wasn’t the farmer’s mother down at the main farmhouse.

And we know it wasn’t us. So that only leaves the person who complained about our chickens - and they have our croft between them and the farm.

It’s infuriating to say the least.

By: Shirley

Shirley — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 13:22:12 +0000

Only just read this Stonehead!

I’m amazed that you’d had to put up with this sort of nonsensical behaviour. I wish I’d read it sooner as you could have brought the birds here.

No doubt we’ll end up facing similar complaints because of the geese, ducks and cockerels. Not so far, other than a few comments from our neighbour about the geese makng a row when people call.

By: hedgewizard

hedgewizard — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 19:08:54 +0000

I sympathise, having had some minor run-ins with the Haw-Haws next door, and I know exactly what you mean by seige mentality. The temptation is to let your mind work on how to retaliate, but that’s how things get very nasty very quickly. Probably the bext thing you can do is exactly what you’re doing now; talking about it to anyone who’s interested. In time, your neighbour will reap the rewards of what he’s done without you having to do a thing.

By: Helen

Helen — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 10:47:47 +0000

I can relate to you on that, you find yourself sneaking out after dark in order the neighbours can’t see what you are doing.

I would take a cock but don’t have Scots Grey Hens. If you want me to, let me know and I can either collect over Christmas or you can drop it in if your coming this way, good excuse for you to visit. Had thought of this earlier but was torn between the cull and the lose of the bred.

I have crofting rights and one of my neighbour ‘wants’ me to get a cock and indeed there is a rouge one wondering around the area.

Anway let me know

By: Susie

Susie — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 08:59:12 +0000

Keep your chin up mate, we’re all on your side and hopefully your neighbour will be plagued by fleas and flee back to the city!

By: stonehead

stonehead — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 08:23:25 +0000

Ironically, the removal of nine birds has so disturbed the remaining ones that they really are crowing in the early hours now. The first one started just before 5.30am today instead of between 6.30 and 7.30.

I’m finding it very stressful to go out to do the chores in the morning, because every time one of the remaining cockerels crows I think “Oh bugger, cause for another complaint”. I used to enjoy going out in the morning, hearing the animals and wildlife, smelling the smells, and enjoying my favourite time of time.

Not any more. I’m also very conscious of the noise the pigs make as well - they get very vocal at meal times.

You start to develop a siege mentality very quickly - not just about the “noise” issue but about all the other disapproval, complaints, ever increasing regulation and so on.

By: Woodenhead

Woodenhead — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 07:04:01 +0000

Hey Stonehead,
It seems criminal that so many of the remaining Scots Grey chickens
could be put at risk ( or worse ) by the whims of one person . Can
you think of anything that readers of your blog can do to help ?
I can’t help but think that there must be some way around the problem … It seems that December 21st really is the darkest day of the year. Please give it some more thought before butchering the rest
of your roosters . I for one would sure appreciate it.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 06:33:57 +0000

Of course, now there are a couple of other things you should consider getting rid of for the sake of the neighbour. I’ve noticed you have trees on your land. Well they are attracting birds, and birds are noisy. Get rid of the trees please. But do it with a junior hacksaw because the noise of the chainsaw goes right through my head and wakes me up to realise I am a miserable git. Secondly, I see you have pigs. I would require you to get some brown or green pigs as the pinkness is an eyesore on the beautiful land we now live in. Thirdly, I have heard the noise of your stewpot bubbling, and I find it irritating. Please feed all your family on microwave meals as the ping of the machine is a much more acceptable sound in our modern world. Lastly, the children. I notice that they are outside a lot, and feel that I must threaten to report you to the BBC as you are clearly a waste of licence payers money as the children are not watching the carefully crafted Christmas programming. This would cut down on the noise of the children learning, playing, having fun and so on, which must be stopped. Should I think of any other way in which i can invade your excellent upbringing of children and raising of livestock with my petty legalistic and basically grumpy attitude, I’ll let you know.

By: stonehead

stonehead — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:44:52 +0000

I’ve been thinking about this and would now strongly advise people against breeding chickens unless they have at least 500m between the chickens and the nearest neighbour/road.

It’s not just the noise issue that makes me think this. There are all the regulations to meet (and they increase every year), the regular disease scares, the risk of theft, the risk of release by animal rights activists, and so on.

It’s hard work breeding poultry successfully and well, and I don’t mind the work. But what makes it impossible is the modern, petty, risk averse, selfish and over-legalistic mindset.

So if you’re thinking of breeding poultry, even if “your” breed is critically endangered, then think again because at some point you’re inevitably going to see all your hard work go down the drain.