Recieved complaints

[selfraising]

I do hope you get it sorted Sheena

[bluemoon]

Kids who mindlessly and endlessly kick a football against the wall, late night dog barking, a moron with a car alarm set so sensitive that a cat walking past sets it off (this is not an exaggeration) The first bus at 5am with squeally brakes. All these things I would gladly swap for a joyful hen next door (or even a cockerel!). I get so angry when people complain about things like hens just because they have the idea that keeping them is 'weird'. I once had my neighbours complaining about the 'smell from the manure' I'd had delivered. Thing is, they saw it delivered, they didn't see OH get the trailer out and take it to the lottie within the hour. The smell was eventually traced to a blocked drain on the next road, though the chap who called to see me about it couldn't smell anything at all. Thing is, someone possibly smelt something and the blame was instantly on me because; 'Hey, they're odd and do all that GYO instead of sitting in front of Corrie like normal people, so it must be their fault.' I'd stick to your guns, though I know that's not so easy to do when your home is possibly at risk if you defy them. I'm pleased some of your neighbours are supporting you, but I'll never understand why people with a grievance can't just talk to you about it instead of complaining to the authorities. I do hope you can change their minds.

[davefromthechipie]

Im shocked they can even do this without any contact I wish you the best sheena & fight them with all the can Id send a letter/and call , saying your going to write to the press saying that your local council are forcing you to rehome or KILL your x batts hens!!! ( Just been given a new life and all ) Im sure HC wouldnt want that in the papers and will soon change there minds

[Nicos]

your local council are forcing you to rehome or KILL your x batts hens!!! ( Just been given a new life and all ) Im sure HC wouldnt want that in the papers and will soon change there minds

Nicelyput.. I bet Jamie O and Hugh FW ( ah ** sigh at them both....***) would back you on that!!!!

[chicken slave]

What is the point of all the programs on telly and everyone being encouraged to be more self sufficient if you can keep a couple of hens for eggs. The world has gone mad, people complaining about birds making a natural noise it is beyond explaination. I did hear about some people that moved into a rural village near here and said the noise of the morning chorus was irritating (they were from London) so you do get those types of people everywhere, but a couple of hens expressing how happy they are is a whisper compared to vehicle noise and dogs.

[sheena]

I've been a bit of a busy girl today, after rallying round the neighbours and asking them if they heard them and did they mind me having them.. the reponse was quite good.
I still got 6 houses to go, but only have doubts about 2 of them... this will be where my problem lays I think.

But so far, 29 signatures from my neighbours can't be bad.
My neighbour 2 doors down was shocked when I asked him, as he didn't even know I had them and didn't think twice about signing.

I think I have a good case, well at least I hope so anyway.
Having also emailed my local councilor aswell... I think my next port of call maybe the local papers.
My cousin works for the local animal rescue centre (Wood Green) and I have asked her if there is anyone who wouldn't mind coming round to survey the hen's home to make sure it is suitable and well kept before this dozey woman from the HA comes on Friday.
Fingers crossed on that one.

But everywhere I have looked, chicken have been classed as pet's!

I gotta get a strong case, but not sure how to.
I know that what I am doing is good, but is it going to be good enough?

[Alastair]

Hi Sheena, sorry to hear you're having problems. Unfortunately I can only sympathise not provide any answer, as I have the same promblems too. One person is complaining about my cockeral (who was supposed to be female!!) that is on my allotment. He is housed at least 50 yards from her property, which is also double glazed. When she first complained I started shutting them all in at night. When I saw the lady a couple of weeks later, she said she hadn't heard him since, however 2 days later she said she could here him again! I have been about to let them out when he has crowed indoors and I can hardly hear him. If I am in the car i actually can't. Like you I am loathe to kill him as I want to incubate some eggs, and he is a stunning looking bird as well! Could quite happily finish off the complainer though!!!
One thing that slightly puzzzles me is that you say your girls are crowing, when in reality only the boys crow; perhaps you too have a boy who's meant to be a girl?? Hence my question to the other members I've just posted!
One thing that may help you. One of my wifes work colleagues has just been given permission to have 5 birds in her council house garden, which is in a large estate. I know that when I bought my house from the council house there was a specific clause relating to not keeping poultry on the property. However with everybody more aware of growing their own, perhaps the councils attitude is softening? I,m not sure where you stand legally, but maybe a phone call to one of the poultry magazines would help. I seem to remember seeing a case where someone was told that they couldn't keep chickens but the person won the case as they said that as they sold eggs and therefore made part of their living from them, it was unlawful to stop someone from earning a living. Seem to think it was part of the Human rights law. Not sure if it was appealed or changed, but again maybe the mags or other members could shed some light?? Good luck with your fight.

[MaureenHall]

Hi Sheena, so sorry to hear of your predicament. In all honesty I think that as the chickens are ex-batts, they definitely should be classed as rescued pets. Nobody complains about rescued dogs who bark continually (they're just told that it had a sad life before the rescue) or rescued cats who poo all over other people's gardens ("sorry, cats do that. Can you put some cat repellent down?"). If your chooks are anything like mine, they cluck (a bit loud) when they first come out of the coop in the mornings, then do the "I've laid an egg" song at various times during the morning, then they're fairly quiet for the rest of the day. I do hope that the lady from the HA is a sensible one and can see that you're doing a good job without annoying any of your neighbours. And to the person who complained - I hope they feel good about themselves preventing badly treated birds being able to end their days in comfort.

[kirsty b]

Hi Sheena,
I live on a large housing estate, and can often hear a cockerel crowing some days. The chickens are on the estate somewheres, and I heard through the grapevine that the woman who keeps them asked the council for permission to keep birds. She didn't specify exactly what type of bird, and they didn't ask!! Quite a lot of peeps round here have aviaries and the like, that may or may not house a chook or two.
A couple of my ladies can squawk very loudly if they are in the mood to do so, but I have not yet had complaints from the people who's house is about 100yds away from my allotment. The old boys on other plots have told me they can hear them some days, but don't have a problem with it.

Good luck with your campaign, and I hope it is resolved favourably for you. Try writing to your local MP, stress the ethical reasons for giving the hens a home, that they are pets and no noisier than a bored dog or feral child!!
Ask the HA to show you copies of the complaints made as you need to see them. Quote Freedom of Information Act. Make the request in writing, and I think by law, they have to either give you the info you want or a very good reason why they can't/won't. They have to do this within a certain timeframe too. Although under confidentiality rules, that may not be able to provide names and addresses of who made the complaints, but they should at least specify whether or not they all came from the same person.

[hooraynana]

Cor !
I can only sympathise. It really does beggar belief that people complain about hen noise - i have a very noisy calder ranger - she likes to shout about eggs and being pleased to see me ( i hope ) i think its a lovely noise and i'm lucky to have neighbours who laugh about her when she sits on the fence nosing into their gardens.
I hope you get to keep your hens .
I would definetly ask to see the complaint(s) sound very odd
Good Luck

[sheena]

Have just come back form the homes I missed yesterday and only the 2 dreaded neighbours to go.
Just have to wait for them be in, but I have saved them til last for a reason... if they see how many signatures I have, maybe they will change their minds.

Think the girl's are feeling the strain tho, one of them gave me a an egg smaller than a creme egg this morning, weighing in at just 29g! Bless her

[MaureenHall]

Oh Sheena! You haven't told your chooks have you?

[bluemoon]

Have just come back form the homes I missed yesterday and only the 2 dreaded neighbours to go.
Just have to wait for them be in, but I have saved them til last for a reason... if they see how many signatures I have, maybe they will change their minds.

Sounds like an excellent if somewhat devious plan, Sheena. . Well thought.

[hooraynana]

I am sitting on the edge of my seat to hear how you get on with the horrid neighbours ............

[frias]

I bet they don't own up. Fingers crossed you are allowed to keep your girls.