Why'd the chicken cross the road?

[aggieterpkatie]

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.

I know the guineas went over there last year but he didn't have a garden then. I think he sees them in my yard and garden and just assumed it was them. I am secretely hoping they get pecked too. Especially because it's been so dry around here I'm sure wild birds are wanting water and looking for sources.

I'm still going to sell the guineas. Two of the adults are only a year old, and the third is probably 2. I'll just make sure to tell people to keep them locked up for a while before letting them range. If I can sell some stock off to help pay for a fence (if I need to reinforce mine) I'll do it!

 

[Marianne]

Maybe he actually saw the chickens in his garden, so that's how he knew...? But dumping them on your yard was childish. I hope you let your hens have them. Please don't retaliate, he'll get over it soon enough. You already did your part and now it's time for the other birds to peck his tomatoes and even out the karma.
Sorry you had to corral them. I'm with you on the wing clipping.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Maybe he actually saw the chickens in his garden, so that's how he knew...? But dumping them on your yard was childish. I hope you let your hens have them. Please don't retaliate, he'll get over it soon enough. You already did your part and now it's time for the other birds to peck his tomatoes and even out the karma.
Sorry you had to corral them. I'm with you on the wing clipping.

Well his wife said she's never seen them over there, and he mentioned seeing the guineas (and he mentioned the baby, so I know he saw them) but he never mentioned the chickens. I did feed the maters to the chickens though. We'll see how it goes today. I hope I get some takers for the guineas and turkeys!

 

[rhoda_bruce]

My guineas are mean to my chickens too, but they about to get their own private quarters because they about to start doing the job I got them for....gardening. As an added benefit, I also have hatching eggs, weird looking birds and lots of keets to use as meat birds (somebody just gave me a huge order for Saturday, so thats out for me). Have you ever read 'Gardening with Guineas?' I highly doubt your birds did that man a blessed thing, except strip him of many little bugs...organically. Thats just not normal guinea behavior. As to chickens: if it was them, they'd have finished off the tomatoes, messed up the vines and dug in the dirt.
Sorry you going thru this, but I'd just up security. My birds are responsible for giving me a little too much extra wealth for me to part with them.

 

[TanksHill]

Sorry about your chicken trouble. I had to fence in my orchard and chickens because of my neighbor as well. She covers everything in about a foot of mulch. The chickens loved scratching down to get the bugs. She was always furious.

Now she blames everything on my dog.

g

 

[sunsaver]

Maybe he actually saw the chickens in his garden, so that's how he knew...? But dumping them on your yard was childish. I hope you let your hens have them. Please don't retaliate, he'll get over it soon enough. You already did your part and now it's time for the other birds to peck his tomatoes and even out the karma.
Sorry you had to corral them. I'm with you on the wing clipping.

I agree. What comes around goes around. Don't stoop to his level.

 

[Dawn419]

Sorry to hear of your troubles!

20+ years ago, when I had my first chickens, my ex, 2 stepdaughters and I were renting-to-own a farm out in the middle of nowhere. Had a great little fenced in garden/orchard. Our first spring there, we had volunteer tomato plants coming up all along the fence and I was thrilled...until they started ripening. Went out to pick a bunch of cherry tomatoes for our salad and not a ripe cherry tom anywhere. The chickens were blamed first and I kept them in their coop/run while waitng for the next cherries to ripen. Lo and behold, I've got them and they all disappeared before I could get them picked...the stepdaughters got the blame this time. Third time is a charm, right? Headed down to the garden to pick ripe round #3 and busted the dogs standing outside the fence just wearing those ripe cherry tomatoes out like they were dog bisquits!

 

[savingdogs]

dogs eat tomatoes? That is funny! I would not have suspected them. We did have a dog that would eat the cherries off the tree however so I don't know why I'm surprised.

Unless you SEE the culprit, it is best not to assign blame......

 

[rebecca100]

Sorry about your chicken trouble. I had to fence in my orchard and chickens because of my neighbor as well. She covers everything in about a foot of mulch. The chickens loved scratching down to get the bugs. She was always furious.

Now she blames everything on my dog.

g

Do we have the same neighbor? Mine accused my chickens of getting her tomatoes last year, and then this year she accused the donkey of being in her yard and eating her flowers and then said when she shooed him that he magically got back in the pen and has not gotten back out since. And she lives across a dirt road from us.

You know if it were wild birds then after the way he acted he'll never admit it. I hope they get pecked too!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Sorry to hear of your troubles!

20+ years ago, when I had my first chickens, my ex, 2 stepdaughters and I were renting-to-own a farm out in the middle of nowhere. Had a great little fenced in garden/orchard. Our first spring there, we had volunteer tomato plants coming up all along the fence and I was thrilled...until they started ripening. Went out to pick a bunch of cherry tomatoes for our salad and not a ripe cherry tom anywhere. The chickens were blamed first and I kept them in their coop/run while waitng for the next cherries to ripen. Lo and behold, I've got them and they all disappeared before I could get them picked...the stepdaughters got the blame this time. Third time is a charm, right? Headed down to the garden to pick ripe round #3 and busted the dogs standing outside the fence just wearing those ripe cherry tomatoes out like they were dog bisquits!

That's so funny!!!