Money Moral Dilemma: Should they pay for the chicken?

Marisco

kevanf1 wrote: »

Did you not think about putting your own chicken wire in place along the boundary with your neighbours? It's cheap and it would have avoided both this dilemna and your vegetables. Yes, it should have been the neighbours responsibility but after once or twice and nothing is done I would have sorted it myself.

Took the words out of my mouth kev!! Judging by some of the posts, its no wonder this country has got "nastier"!!! I'd have mentioned it a couple of times and if nothing was done, I'd have done it myself!!! Is this what everything boils down to these days - money and compensation? Is it worth it to be at war with the neighbours for evermore? I don't think so!

Hels50

Definitely don't ask for money! You cannot measure everything in monetary terms and I think it's a shame the neighbours have charged you for eggs in the first place. Perhaps you could agree in future to barter eggs for vegetables? Growing vegetables in your garden is not the same as growing them commercially and although it might save you money, it's also about the satisfaction gained (and I'm sure you wouldn't cost out the time you've spent doing it).

CutTheJargon

The pigeons, snails and rabbits have eaten almost everything in our allotment this year, so we have nobody to compensate us :mad:

Don't know much about the habits of chickens, but could you not make it more difficult for them to get into your vegetables? If you have tried everything, then you have to be more forceful and tell them direct that it is becoming an issue and you don't feel they are taking it seriously. Don't make it too personal, just state your case. We have had similar discussions with our new neighbours and we all get along fine.

If she doesn't respond borrow a lurcher :rotfl:

WhyIsSavingSoHard

While your neighbours have an obligation to keep their chickens under control, don't you have an obligation to protect your veggies? Some simple wire fencing would have solved the problem and been cheaper to put up than having to buy your veggies and fall out with your neighbours.

I'd put it down to experience and invest in that wire fencing for next year.

gainsboroughgirl

A subtle approach might be to suggest that if it weren't for the veg getting ruined by their chickens you might manage a surplus which you would be happy to share with them. If such a day ever arrived, they would probably offer you some eggs...The caveat to the above is I'm afraid this: many neighbours don't do subtle and some even enjoy a private war; you probably won't know which type they are until the dye is cast. So, approach carefully and if you are really sure its due to their chickens, tread lightly and good luck. Trimming the flight feathers is a great idea as someone said but you might be on dodgy legal ground if you did so without their consent even if it was on your land. I also wonder if in the same way as a scarecrow is used for scaring off birds, a fox might do the job for the chickens? Maybe, in alll seriousness, the RSPB could tell you - I don't know if chickens are that smart. lol.

fruugal

Of course you should ask them for compensation!

They keep the chickens and should keep them contained.

You buy eggs from them so you are fair on that.

Their chickens get into your garden and your neighbours take no notice of your requests to keep them under control.

Therefore they will be expecting a bill. Don't push it though - saying that veggies will last 'til september is not necessarily right.

Calculate one months worth of veggies and charge them for that or get free eggs for a month and a guarantee that chicken proof fencing will be up within 7 days.:)

Frugaldom

As a poultry keeper and, hopefully, a good neighbour, I would automatically offer to compensate for any loss or damage caused by my stock and likewise, would expect same treatment had it happened the other way about. Pets are pets, livestock is livestock, it's the owner's responsibility to maintain stockproofing to whatever degree is needed. There will always be the occasional escapee, so my question would need to be, where was the owner during the time it would take for a hen (or hens) to wreck months' worth of vegetables without it being noticed sooner?

Ebenezer_Screwj

Have a chat with them, you don't want to lose the friendship of lovely people or the lovely eggs. They could supply you with some free eggs to offset the lost veg and you could have a joint venture to fence in the chickens.

pineapple

I am thinking of getting livestock myself and would compensate straight away if they were to run rampage through a neighbour's garden. Frankly it is not up to the neighbour to chicken proof their veg!
If you are on good terms with the chicken owner then a strong hint should suffice. If you are not on good terms then a request will not spoil things. Been there myself when next doors dog destroyed a beautiful and expensive shrub that had taken years to grow.
With veg it's not just financial, it's all the love and labour that goes into growing them.

skintsue

You can get something called Reynardine from some garden centres. It is a very effective animal repellant for your garden - works on deer, dogs, cats, rabbits etc and stinks to high heaven.
All you have to do is soak some rag strips in a 50/50 solution with water and then leave them out side along the hedge.
If the smell doesn't keep the chickens out of the garden, when the owners get a whiff they might keep them more secure on their own land.
It is the same pong as fox wee when they are scenting their territory (hence REYNARD-ine). You only have to say there's a smell of fox wee, you don't need to say how it got there.
If they care for their chickens and their egg laying business they will be making sure they are not slaughtered by foxes and keeping a watchful eye on them in the future.