To leave the Neighbours Chicken next time it comes into our garden

[treas]

Just had to 'herd' neighbour's chicken back through our hedge and their fallen fence panel for the 5th time in a period of 2 weeks.

WIBU to leave it to its own devices next time, because there's bound to be a next time since the neighbours haven't done anything to mend their fence in a month.

Only problem is that we have a very deep fish pond and I'm worried it will drown - it has already been in the pond filters for a drink on previous visits.

Plus we tend to get visits from neighbourhood cats.

Quite frankly I'm cheesed off with chasing it around the garden to get it back home when the neighbours do nothing to remedy the situation.

So AIBU

Roast chicken?

If they say it has gone missing just shrug and say you haven't seen it/

I'd leave it - it will make it's own way back home eventually (I suppose). If the neighbours can't look after their chickens, that's their problem.

Unless it starts pooping in your garden, and digging things up whilst looking for grus (do chickens eat grubs?)

And wouldn't the same cats go in neighbours garden anyway?

Free Dinner. Its convienient food.

Leave it. When we had chickens, we only worried about the neighbors minding when they escaped. Cats are fairly harmless to them, and they'll be fine with a pond. You might wa,t to worry about your plants though

I'd just leave it to its own devices, tbh. And talk to your neighbour or pop a note through their door asking if they could please mend the fence to keep their chickens in as you've seen cats prowling about. Our neighbours have a garden like Fort Knox and still their chickens manage to squeeze out somehow and get onto the road/into other people's gardens. I just let them be or chuck them back over the fence, depending on how I feel.

I don't think it'll fall into the pond and drown. We have ducks so have a pond and aforementioned neighbours' chickens drink from it but have yet to topple in. Likewise, our cats tend to avoid the chickens - I think they found themselves at the wrong end of the sharp beaks in the early days of co-existing.

Your neighbours are very irresponsible, they don't deserve to own pets if they're not prepared to look after them and protect them. I would take it back this time and write a stern note to them.

Have you told your neighbours? I doubt a cat would get it - dogs more of a threat.

Aw a visiting chicken. I'd love that :) any eggs are yours!! I hope they shut them up at night away from
Foxes

Cats won't bother it, and it won't drown! It's probably quite safe unless you have a dog or local foxes, in which case it will be lunch.
I would be more worried about the damage to my garden, chickens will peck and destroy plants, scratch holes in flower beds and poop everywhere. My chickens would do all the above given half a chance, and would also try to get in the house....leaving their calling cards behind them.
Your neighbours need to repair their fence, tell them you have seen a Fox, that should help motivate them.
Or you could have coq au vin for tea?

Steben - it is the neighbour backing on to the bottom of the garden who is actually several roads away, so do not know which house number it is exactly.

When I sent the chicken back through the fence gap I did look though the hedge and saw neighbour sitting back down on her sofa when the hen returned, other than that she's done nothing to indicate that she's concerned about it.

I was worried about our pond since it is an ornamental one with raised wall around it so if an animal did fall in it wouldn't be able to climb out - until dc where of a responsible age we had it covered so the could not fall in.

Perhaps the chicken is actually trying to do a runner from her and you keep returning it!

Well, dh had said he won't be responsible for our gsd's love of fresh chicken, the next time one of the neighbours' hens come in and decimate the veg patch!

Free roast dinner!

Hens don't like snakes, you can buy rubber snakes online or put stripes on a hose. You could even have a bit of string attached to one end so it 'moves' when the chicken approaches. Bob Flowerdew uses them to scare birds from fruit bushes.

Does it have a secret nest in your garden and leave an egg?

maggiemight - unfortunately not, a fresh egg a day would be lovely

As someone who has chickens (and the occasional escapee), I would leave it. If the owner is not worried enough to patch up her fence or come looking when she realises the hen's missing, then that's her look out.

At least you're not like my old neighbour. I couldn't get my last lot of chickens to stay my side of the fence, despite wing clipping, wiring and netting. Then I found out she was feeding them - chickens will do anything for food.

I agree your neighbour ought to try to fix her fence, however we recently had part of our fence blow down. Our local fencing firm told us that so many fences had blown down that they had never been busier, and had run out of fencing panels. They have been told by the fencing manufacturers that it will be June before they can get more stock in

Fence is (^ as mentioned) at a bit of a premium in some places. Also, perhaps they don't have any money right now. I would shoo the chicken and forget about it - it'll probably be fine and if it isn't, not your problem.