Keeping chickens in gardens - is this unreasonable?

orangeflowers

Hi.  I'm just looking for other peoples opinions.

We've just moved into our new house and discovered our neighbours keep chickens, (about 4 or 5 hens we think) next to our house. They have a really big garden, on a corner plot, so only have us as neighbours. There own house must be approx 50m away from these chickens. 

The brick wall at the top of the photo is the corner of my house. My upstairs bedroom window is just out of shot, but inline with the dining room window you can see to the right. The fence is our boundary and then the hut is the chicken coop!  You can just make out one of the neighbours hens in bottom left of the picture. 

There is a distinct odour from here! I can smell them when I walk past and when I open my bedroom window and they are rather loud when laying eggs, which is annoying when it wakes us up! It's not everyday, but it's often enough! 

I have tried politely speaking with them, but they were very abrupt with me, telling me that the chickens were there first! (Not off to a great start!)

Does anyone else think that putting chickens this close to another person's house is weird? I would appreciate some advice. Or is it me just being unreasonable.

I have no issues with the actual chickens. My issue is how close they are to our house.

I will appreciate any replies. 

JReacher1

If they’ve got a garden that is 50m long it does seem slightly rude to put the chickens right by your house. Would imagine the smell will be unbearable as well when it gets really hot in the summer. 

powerful_Rogue

They have a point about the chickens being there first. It's also their garden and as long as what the do is legal, I don't think there is anything you can do.

orangeflowers

powerful_Rogue said:

They have a point about the chickens being there first. It's also their garden and as long as what the do is legal, I don't think there is anything you can do.

Thanks for your reply. I guess I'm trying to establish if this is legal, or if they are any regulations regarding the keeping of chickens and the potential annoyance to neighbours. I tried my council website, but it was useless, so I just thought I would see if anyone here, has ever had a similar experience.

orangeflowers

JReacher1 said:

If they’ve got a garden that is 50m long it does seem slightly rude to put the chickens right by your house. Would imagine the smell will be unbearable as well when it gets really hot in the summer. 

Thank you for your reply. Yes the thought of the summer sun, is what's making me want to try and resolve this asap 

diystarter7

Hi

When viewed were the owners there and if so did you have a chat re next door as people often do and hat did they say?

Sadly, its their garden and I dont believe it will go down well  (and you have proved that in your post)  if you asked as surely they are aware of their massive garden.

One of our kids onn our road has a big detached house and a pretty big garden as does one of the houses the has a garden backing on our kids side fence. Yes, the massive trampoline is placed  200 foot down the garden about 6 foor away from our kids fence, Thnakfully the neighbours garden is about 4  feet lower  so their 6 foor fence covers it,

Then a friend of ours, they too have a neighbours garden backing on their small garden and the neighbour's garden is a good 150 feet, guess what, a 6 foor hight about about 8 foot is palce a few feet from friends fence with chikcens in it. Not sure if those that own chickens do that kind of thing and feel its like a farm where they wlak through the grss on a cold day to get eggs, not sure

However, only you can decide the way forward
Sorry not sure what else you could do.

comeandgo

Do their deeds allow chickens to be kept?  Ours dont, not that I’d want to .  Where’s there chickens there’s rats.  The rats eat the chicken food.

dil1976

comeandgo said:

Do their deeds allow chickens to be kept?  Ours dont, not that I’d want to .  Where’s there chickens there’s rats.  The rats eat the chicken food.

There are rats everywhere not just near chickens, even if the chickens move the rats wont just disappear for a long time

JReacher1

Obviously it is unlikely you live in East Suffolk but assume most councils have similar rules on this. 

https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/environment/environmental-protection/animals/keeping-chickens-and-cockerels-at-a-residential-property/

You could try contacting the environmental protection officer.

obviously of course this will sour relations with your neighbours. 

summer_daze009

Taken from my local council website about keeping chickens but obviously applies nationwide:

What do I need to be aware of under UK nuisance law?

Local councils are legally obliged to investigate any complaints made under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 relating to public health and nuisance issues. With regard to keeping poultry this normally involves noise, odour and the attraction of insects and vermin. In cases where our evidence shows that any of these issues is causing a significant interference with another person’s use and enjoyment of their property we can serve a legal notice on the person(s) responsible for the nuisance requiring action to be taken to stop the problem or face prosecution for non-compliance. With this in mind it is important to ensure that you practice good hygiene and house-keeping not only for the welfare of your hens but also to avoid causing problems for your neighbours.

sheramber

You can contact Environmental Health regarding the smell.