Why'd the chicken cross the road?

[aggieterpkatie]

To eat my neighbor's tomatoes!!!

Neighbor across the street came over today and talked to DH. He was pretty mad. Some type of our poultry (I suspect the guineas) pecked all his red tomatoes (his first ones I think! yikes!) and even his baby watermelon. I was downstairs and didn't get to talk to him, but when DH told me what happened I went over and brought 2 dozen eggs as an "I'm sorry" gift. He wasn't home, but I spoke with his wife and she was very nice about it, and thanked me for the eggs and told me I didn't have to do that. I apologized profusely and said I didn't blame him one bit for being mad and I would keep the chickens locked up until I fixed the fence.

On my way back up my driveway I saw he'd dumped his tomatoes on our lawn...probably 8 tomatoes. :/ I felt really bad that my animals did that, but I thought it was rude of him to dump them there. He could have at least given them to us in a bag or bucket or SAID something like, 'I left my tomatoes on your lawn.'

Anyways, now I need to figure out a way to keep hte chickens home. I have 4' field fence around the chicken yard and sheep pasture, and they hop right through that. I am thinking of ways to keep them in, like either running 2' chicken wire on the inside of all the fencing and clipping their wings (but I'm afraid they'd still hop over). Or, we could build a frame around the chicken yard and totally enclose it in deer mesh, but then they'd have to be cramped in the small yard and not free range. I really like them free ranging, but I'm just not convinced clipping their wings would keep them from jumping the fence.

Any ideas or suggestions? I am thinking of selling some too. I can't seem to get enough egg buyers at the moment, and they're eating a good amount of food.

 

[Neko-chan]

I would quietly take the tomatoes left on your lawn and leave them on the neighbors front door mat. THAT was uncalled for. Yes, your birds may have gotten out and ruined the first of his crop, but more toms will grow, and the birds will be contained. Sounds like he doesn't think before he rages, and those are the kinds of people who are very annoying to have around.

Guineas: I'd probably clip their wings. I'm not a bird expert, but if they're flying (even short distances/heights) that's not good. I've never seen one jump though. Would clipping their wings mean they can't get the right amount of lift to make jumps?

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I haven't clipped the guinea's wings yet, but I will. They fly better than chickens so maybe you right, except that they don't touch my tomatoes. They just eat bugs like they supposed to, so you might wanna consider that maybe they were the chickens. Plus....did the neighbor see them do it or just assumes it was your birds. Were the tomatoes red? I don't allow my tomatoes to rippen on the vine because it will attract too many things that will like the color. It might have been a wild bird and not any of yours. But you did right to offer the eggs and yes......he was rude to dump the tomatoes like that. Feed your chickens with them, so they not wasted.
When you clip the wings, only clip the left wing and leave the right one alone or you will have only made flying more difficult, but not impossible. By making the balance off, they will never be able to fly, without falling down. You won't have a problem even with just a 4' fence.
Within a few months you might have to reclip the left wing.....I just say that because I only clip the left....not because its betta than the right.
Your neighbor might have a hard time swallowing those eggs you sent after what he did. People should count to 10 before they act out like that.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I don't want to rule out my birds, but the more I think about it the less it makes sense. I've seen one or two of my chickens near the road a couple of times in 2 years, but I've NEVER seen one cross the road at all. I have seen the guineas cross the road though, and last summer our neighbors said they didn't mind it. I have never seen the guineas eat anything other than bugs either, but I can't say for certain that they didn't eat his tomatoes. It's ok though, I've been wanting to trap and sell the guineas for a good while now. I'm just tired of them being so noisy and picking on my chickens.

I was just talking to my sister on the phone and she also said mockingbirds LOVE tomatoes, and we've got LOTS of them around here. I'm going to keep the chickens locked up for a few days and see if his tomatoes happened to get eaten again. I also think I'll go ahead and spend hte money to put chicken wire on the bottom half of the fence and clip their wings. I could do without chicken poop on my porch steps.

 

[sunsaver]

Cardinals, blue jays, almost any bird will peck holes in tomatos. Its best to pick them pink, and let them turn red inside the house. Your birds were probably just looking for bugs, but they cant be ruled out either!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Well, all the birds are officially in lockdown! I just got in...I managed to catch 2 of the 3 guineas, plus the keet. The chickens are in their coop, and I built a makeshift pen for the turkeys. We'll see what happens now!

 

[Denim Deb]

Is it wrong of me to hope that his tomatoes get pecked even worse while your birds are locked up?

 

[Lady Henevere]

To keep my birds in I bought a cheap roll of plastic bird netting (like this), wove some cheap bamboo stakes through it about every six feet or so to give it shape, and stuck them in the fence to increase the height of the fence. It keeps the birds in, and it was inexpensive and really easy.

I kinda hope more tomatoes get pecked while the birds are locked up too....

 

[rhoda_bruce]

If you sell the guineas, they will have to stay locked up for at least 10 weeks without any playtime or they will attempt to try to return home. If someone wants guineas, its best they get keets and raise them themselves. They could wander around for weeks looking for you. If they not too old, just eat them. They supposed to be delicious. I should have slaughtered my extras long ago, but I've been busy.
I know what ya'll mean about hoping for even more pecks in tomatoes. That would be like,'Open mouth and insert foot.'

 

[savingdogs]

Is it wrong of me to hope that his tomatoes get pecked even worse while your birds are locked up?

I was thinking the same thing, and about how the robins and wild birds have done such an annihilation job on my garden so quickly. I spotted a bird finishing off a whole row of beans before I could chase it off, and that wasn't even as luscious as tomatoes!

It would probably make more sense to help your neighbor cover his plants from all birds than to fence in your chickens. But after he has thrown tomatoes on your lawn, despite your peace offering, he isn't asking for the happy solution. I would not do anything to make that type of person angrier. Even if other birds could have done the damage, he must have seen yours on his property at some time in order to be so accusatory.