Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chicken keepers

Meet others keeping chickens on our Mumsnet Chicken forum.

Original poster

difficult situation-rspca?what would you do?

12 replies

amummyinwaiting · 10/01/2011 19:57

Hi,
I live on a row of terraces. our house is next to the entry and people have to walk past our back door to get to there gardens.
We have four chucks in our garden and also have a very spoilt little cat who visits one of our neighbours (they sometimes feed her) and occasionally goes two down either wy but generally stays in our garden or goes into the gravyard that backs onto us. (this is leading somewhere!)
A neighbour two doors down is horrible. Alcoholic who put a machete to his wifes throt (she left him)has dodgy drug dealers round, supports bnp blah blah blah. Police have been involved several occasions. He hardly ever speaks to me as hes a chauvanistic pig but has said to my dh that he likes our cat but would shoot ny others. Our cat also hates him and rears up and hisses when he comes near her.
So a couple of months ago we heard quacking and discovered he'd got aome ducks. He said it was something to do with his treatement (it hasnt worked)
The other day he knocked our door and asked dh to feed the ducks the other night as he was going out nd to lock them away.
I went round with dh and place is just awful.
There are 8 running ducks who are absoloutly terrified of anyone going near them. They have a large area that is all concrete and absolutly covered in duck poo. They have an old shed to sleep in but no bedding at all in there and a tiny bucket of water to sit in that I dont think more than one duck could sit in and its filthy.
So-is this ok for ducks to live in? If not should I phone RSPCA? dh doesnt want me to as he says he would know its me and would possibly hurt our cat.
wwyd?

OP posts:
Original poster
amummyinwaiting · 10/01/2011 20:01

just realised what a long rambly post that is-sorry!

OP posts:
Grockle · 10/01/2011 21:28

Well, it doesn't sound ok to me. Not sure how you deal with it though.

hellymelly · 10/01/2011 21:37

Gor blimey that sounds terrible,what a horrible position to be in.I'm not sure what I would do in your place,he sounds frightening and dangerous,and it could be obvious that it was you who'd reported him,but on the other hand the ducks sound as though they need attention pdq. I wonder if you had a word with the police or RSPCA and explained the situation,if they would call on some other pretext,dodgy person seen in garden or something,and "accidentally" find the ducks? I'll think abut this and post again if anything comes to mind.Poor ducks.

dobby2001 · 11/01/2011 23:55

That sounds horrible. The poor things.
Here is some info on welfare needs of ducks

duck info

It is a tricky situation but something has to be done for those poor animals Sad

ilovemyhens · 12/01/2011 10:17

Good grief! What kind of person needs ducks as part of their treatment? Confused

He sounds like a complete bloody arse and you should contact the rspca and explain the difficult situation and then see what they say? They might have ways/strategies of dealing with the problem carefully.

I had a similiar problem with my next door neighbours and their neglected chickens. I eventually lost my temper and told their father that I'd gladly arrange for rehoming if they weren't able to look after them properly. They got them rehomed soon after that.

My neighbours weren't scary and bonkers though Confused

Give the rspca a ring, just for general advice.

Punkatheart · 12/01/2011 12:16

I'm afraid I see red with anything to do with cruelty or neglect with animals. He does sound pretty terrible though..the RSPCA of course would not tell him who reported him. But can the ducks be seen by anyone else? Perhaps then they do need to make up a story about someone passing and seeing the ducks in their pitiful state.

But he also sounds irrational and if he has already threatened your cat - well is there some way that you could keep the little cat in for a while? I know they don't like it but it would keep her safe for a while.

Really difficult for you. Not a black and white answer really - but you do have to have a long logistical chat. Maybe not police at this stage though....that does make it very serious and they would pass it over to the RSPCA.

Keep us updated.

coccyx · 12/01/2011 12:20

No debate I would ring the RSPCA. Tell them about being worried for your cat. He may be glad someone takes them away. Good for you for caring

ThisIsANiceCage · 12/01/2011 13:46

Not a quick fix (maybe not a fix at all), but could your DH start chatting to him, gnarly poultry-keeper to newbie poultry-keeper, perhaps offering to help out occasionally? From what you've described, the bloke may never be in much state to care for poultry, but at least may be slowly "helped" to the realisation that the geese are far too much like hard work, and he's better rid. At which point you can leap to rehome.

ThisIsANiceCage · 12/01/2011 13:47

Ducks

I of course, am perfectly competent to advise on this matter, being unable to tell one fowl from another...

ChickensAreFlyingUnderTheRadar · 12/01/2011 13:51

Gah. Tricky. Ducks need water, and more than one bucket Hmm They are terribly messy, so concrete seems like a very bad idea for flooring. The problem is that the RSPCA are not always brilliant when it comes to birds, and if they do pay him a visit it could cause you trouble. Do you know what kind of ducks they are? I think TIANC has a good solution for now.

ilovemyhens · 12/01/2011 18:43

I ended up by having to sneak round my neighbours and do the chicken care whilst they were out Confused

Could you perhaps do that for a little while until you decide what to do? I know it's an extra burden, but it would buy you a little time.

I even lined someone up to kidnap the chickens when next door were away. Just pretend they'd been stolen Wink

Original poster
amummyinwaiting · 12/01/2011 21:29

Hi everyone thank you for your replies and sorry I havent got back earlier-been poorly poorly!
He is a complete knob and you have all hit the nail on the head with why I am worried because of repercussions-I think I will phone rspca for advice first before saying who I am etc.
Dobby thank you for the link-it has made me realise how badly they are neglected.
Chickensareflying they are big ducks that are like runnig ducks and are black and white-are they called muscovite?
thisisanicecage Ithink that is a good idea but he's generally off his face so timing it is a bit tricky
and Ilovemyhens I have no idea who told him that-probably the cans of cider one night!
Was absolutly fuming on tuesday when one of our chickens managed to get over the gate and he knocked on our door to tell us and said that I should look after them better!Wanted to batter his head in and tell him how awfully he was looking after his ducks but thought it wasn't the time too.
Thank you all for being so helpful and I will keep you informed.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page