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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU- Neighbour repeatedly complaining about rats near our chickens despite pest control

81 replies

Becnextdoor · 19/05/2026 22:51

Do not have many neighbours, only 4 on our street. I live next to this lady, detached houses but our garden is seperated with a hedge if that makes sense. She has lived in that house for 4 years and we used to get along in a good neighbour way - as she lived alone I would often do garden work for her and she came round for a family barbecue once a year, normal neighbour stuff.
We (me and my wife) have had pet chickens for about 7 years now, they are located near the connecting hedge, out of her sight, and she’s never had a problem with them, however the chickens have randomly just now started getting rats, and as a result some of them have gone in her garden, she has messaged to complain, and came round twice to complain, all in the same week, after the first complaint we told her we were dealing with it - as we were, however rat traps take time and don’t work instantly, however, she kept coming round and telling us it was our problem and we need to sort it, and getting progressively annoyed, even though we were managing with it. We payed for pest control to come today, and they even went and spoke to her about how it was getting sorted - as we were tired of her continuous complaints, I didn’t even get a ‘thank you’ or anything, and even after the pest control she is still complaining. She is about 40 years old and a lot of her money is “mummy’s money”, private school and parents brought her a nice house in a nice area, so especially with knowing that, we really think she’s just acting abit entitled now. We are probably going to fall out with our neighbour over this, are we in the wrong for being annoyed? edit: The rats only started coming the same week she got a new cat and dog, she’s also recently had an oil spill - which apparently can attract rats, I don’t know if that’s relevant but.

OP posts:
InterestedDad37 · 19/05/2026 23:00

Where her money comes from is irrelevant 🤷 Most people would draw the line at incursion of rats onto their property from a probable cause next door. The rats, of course, don't care about human boundaries, they're just doing what rats do. It's no surprise she's up in arms, and you owe it to her and to the spirit of neighbourliness to continue to reassure her that you are taking steps.
Perhaps she is complaining more than some people would, but certainly a lot less than others might.
So YABU, and she is not BU 🐀 🐀 🐀 🐔 🐔 🐔

Carandache18 · 19/05/2026 23:02

Her age and finances are nothing to do with either the rats or you.
I can't imagine her cat and dog have anything to do with it either.

The rats are there because of your chickens. You can't blame her for not liking it. Rats carry disease.
Must you keep chickens adjacent to your neighbour's property?

BMW58 · 19/05/2026 23:03

This is a duplicate thread!!

Becnextdoor · 19/05/2026 23:05

BMW58 · 19/05/2026 23:03

This is a duplicate thread!!

I have just posted this, I am new so I’m not sure how to use it properly. I think I accidentally made another post with the same text because I accidentally added a poll.

OP posts:
Ponderingwindow · 19/05/2026 23:12

Oh no, not 40. How ancient. <—sarcasm.

No you can’t fix the problem overnight. Most neighbors are going to be upset by rats though.

Hiring pest control doesn’t make you some sort of hero, it’s just what was necessary. She doesn’t need to be grateful.

If pest control gave you a timeline for followup, you might get her to calm down by filling her in.

ThisChirpyFox · 19/05/2026 23:16

Id be like her - annoyed if your chickens were the cause of me now having rats.

And like others have said, why are you mentioning her age and where her money comes from?

OutOfSynnc · 19/05/2026 23:19

You are being unreasonable.

Hoardasurass · 19/05/2026 23:19

@Becnextdoor Are you collecting the chicken eggs everyday as the eggs will attract the rats.
As for your misogynistic comments about your neighbours age and money in an attempt to minimise your fault and paint her as the unreasonable one you'd be better off on reddit than a woman's forum with that bs

MyJustCat · 19/05/2026 23:20

Rats are just as attracted to the veg/fruit/nuts that people grow in their gardens as they are chicken food, what you can do is call council pest control (as you've already done) and remove the hen food at night, make sure the bags of hen feed are stored inside or in steel bins. Pest control will take a couple of visits to get on top of it, as long as you're dealing with it then its fine, I see rats in our local McDonalds car park and also our local Asda car park - neither of which have hens 😂

Becnextdoor · 19/05/2026 23:20

ThisChirpyFox · 19/05/2026 23:16

Id be like her - annoyed if your chickens were the cause of me now having rats.

And like others have said, why are you mentioning her age and where her money comes from?

Thank you for your reply. I mentioned her age because if she was younger and it was her first time living alone I would understand it more, but she is old enough. We do a lot for her, like I often do her garden work on my days off, and I even built a cat flap for her cat. I get that it’s my problem, and the second she mentioned it I started laying out rat traps, but I just feel like she is being unreasonable by pestering us so much about it.

OP posts:
Carandache18 · 19/05/2026 23:21

The person who is being entitled is you.

You are not entitled to comment on her age, finances.
You are not entitled to her 'gratitude' because you paid for pest control. Who else do you think should pay?
Her dog, cat and oil spill have nothing to do with the rats that you have attracted to her garden, by poor hygiene or for any other reason.

Stop sneering, clean your act up, apologise and get rid of the chickens.

HarlanCobenDogshit · 19/05/2026 23:22

Yes you are. Very.

I hope she reports you to the council.

Mischance · 19/05/2026 23:27

It sounds as though you are doing all you can, but I think you need to try and understand that the rats are clearly something that she minds about very much so it is important to keep reassuring and updating her. Do not fall oput with her - she is not being unreasonable - she is just very keen to see them gone.

Don't resent her - try and maintain the relationship as it was before. She does have a legitimate worry, even if you are doing all you can.

Brinny · 20/05/2026 00:54

MyJustCat · 19/05/2026 23:20

Rats are just as attracted to the veg/fruit/nuts that people grow in their gardens as they are chicken food, what you can do is call council pest control (as you've already done) and remove the hen food at night, make sure the bags of hen feed are stored inside or in steel bins. Pest control will take a couple of visits to get on top of it, as long as you're dealing with it then its fine, I see rats in our local McDonalds car park and also our local Asda car park - neither of which have hens 😂

We saw a rat in our garden ,we found the source, my neighbours cat had caught it , it must have wriggled away a found refuge , petrified to go into my garden , then saw the cat bring in another dead of course , solved mystery. As no one around have chickens, ducks, or grow veg. And gardens are kept clean tidy. Agree its not just as simple as a chicken run.

Bobbie12345678 · 20/05/2026 00:58

Why are you doing her garden work?

sittingonabeach · 20/05/2026 01:01

Pest control will have tried to find the source so assume it will be the chickens

Our estate has covenants stating you are not allowed to have chickens.

MarmaladeorJam · 20/05/2026 01:03

Rats come and go but where there are chickens? Rats will stay.

If they get into her house and nest, she has a years long, disgusting problem.

YABVU.

hallenbad · 20/05/2026 01:05

“I mentioned her age… because she is old enough”. Old enough for what ? To put up with having effing RATS in her garden? Are you for real? I don’t blame her for one second. I’d be going ballistic. It’s disgusting and a health hazard to her pets and to her. She does not owe you gratitude for calling pest control to begin to sort a problem that you alone caused. You are totally unreasonable.

suburberphobe · 20/05/2026 01:07

Thank fuck you are not my neighbour,....

Becnextdoor · 20/05/2026 01:43

Bobbie12345678 · 20/05/2026 00:58

Why are you doing her garden work?

She lives alone and doesn’t seem sure on it, so it’s a nice gesture that is appriciated. I often cut her hedge and lend her tools as she sometimes gets her dad to help.

OP posts:
Becnextdoor · 20/05/2026 01:45

Brinny · 20/05/2026 00:54

We saw a rat in our garden ,we found the source, my neighbours cat had caught it , it must have wriggled away a found refuge , petrified to go into my garden , then saw the cat bring in another dead of course , solved mystery. As no one around have chickens, ducks, or grow veg. And gardens are kept clean tidy. Agree its not just as simple as a chicken run.

Rats will honestly live anywhere and everywhere. While I know chickens really attract rats, we keep the coop tidy and have never had them in the 7 years we have kept chickens for, so I do think there is another cause that is also causing the rats.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 20/05/2026 02:15

You wanted a thank you for getting pest control in for your rats?

Really?

HumphreyCushionintheHouse · 20/05/2026 04:14

Not again. Didn’t you get the answers you wanted on the other thread.

Zanatdy · 20/05/2026 04:20

Sorry but most neighbours are going to be annoyed if they are getting rats. Yes, rats are everywhere, but sounds like your chickens are attracting them. You wanted her to thank you for pest control coming out to the rats that are caused by your chickens / food on the floor? Sorry, but that’s unhinged. Rats are awful, and a public health hazard, of course she’s going to have an issue.

The inference to her age when she’s only blooming 40 odd is crazy. Are you only allowed to complain about rats if you’re under 25? You are the problem here. Read the room.

ShetlandishMum · 20/05/2026 04:41

Tbh you sound like hard work.
Sorry.