The Poultry Keeper

Auntie Noo · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 622 Location: Guildford

My neighbour was chuffed when my little silkie cockeral started to crow as she said it was "just like the old days!" ..... We live less than a mile from the shopping town centre! Even most people in London would have had chickens after the war - in fact my mum got one as an Easter present when she was about 6, and they lived round the corner from Selfridges. And MrNoo was born and brought up in the East End and had chickens as a child. I think it's a "new thing" that animals can't make noise but we can all play our tv's/hi-fi's at full tilt with all the windows open to share with the world!!!

I'm pleased local support is with you Woodburner!

Timbo · Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 206 Location: Cranfield, Beds.

I think good public relations is in order personally.

The best way (imho) is to give the complaining neighbours a knock and talk it through with them, tell them about the chickens you have and how much you enjoy the hobby but also be reasonable and reach a compromise. If you are concerned for their grievance but hold your ground as far as keeping the cockerel is concerned, you should be able to reach a reasonable compromise.. but go prepared - know what you can do to try to improve the situation and where the line is in-so-far as what you are prepared to do.

It takes balls to do this but you'll feel better in the long run than just telling them where to go and if you give them 6 eggs as you leave (assuming a successful negotiation during your vist Wink

..) then it will make it very hard for them to go to the council to complain once they have accepted this gift from you. -my neighbours run a B&B next to my boys and no one complains (but they do eat my eggs for breakfast Laughing

)

I do keep my boys in until 7am though which I feel is only fair. It's not the end of the world for them and they soon get the hang of it.

My final comment (and then I'm back to read only mode) is that people will moan behind peoples backs quite happily and momentum will build - but once confronted, they lose steam. By visiting them you will take the wind out of the sails and diffuse the situation.

Tim