[RUSTYME]

pump a few gallons of tree killer in them, diesel will do !!! ...they will die and then need to be taken down for safety's sake !! just make sure the arsehole doesn't see you pump the tree killer in ....
 I know big companies just cut them down anyway , and then just pay the fine ...job done though ...

cheers

Russ

[princesspiggy]

i really feel for you, we had neighbours from hell for a few years too. they put weedkiller on our land whilst the ewes and lambs were there and killed our wensleydale tup. they were always complaining bout our cockeral.  we had police, council and allsorts on our doorstep for no real reason. they finally moved away, thank the lord!!! in hind sight we should have nipped it in the bud but we let them get away with it at the time, cos we didnt want the hassle. now we have great neighbours so keep positive !!

[waterhouse]

The animal welfare people will get bored with false call-outs.  Even if you do what they want (why?) they're still going to be arses and you'll be unhappy.

[Hilarysmum]

So you give up all your animals whilst still living next door to neighbour.  You are unhappy without the animals, OH is unhappy because you are unhappy and the neighbour still wont be happy, so he will have to find something else to complain about you

[kaz]

My advise to you would be to try and ignore this neighbour. Keep a day by day diary of any events and pictures if possible it can always be used if needed.  If you have a holding number with the flock number for sheep he does not have a leg to stand on with reference to grazing for horses only.
If your husbandry for you animals is good and you have passed all farm inspections there should be no problems with regard to animal health, in fact give yourself a pat on the back.
It really annoys me that some people expect to live in the country on their terms. If there was no farmers farming the land (big & small) what would our countryside look like.
You hang on in there. You have as much right if not more to be there.

[Rosemary]

Tell us where he lives and we'll send the boys round 

[Brucklay]

After catching up on this post all I can say is good luck and hang on in there - I would be lost without my goats/shhep/ducks etc so I'll keep my fingers crossed for you

[egglady]

It's really interesting to read everyone's views on this and I feel really sorry for you too.

Similar in some ways to our situation, we live in a small village, we are a registered smallholding and have chickens, ducks, sheep, pigs and horses.  Our laying chickens free range and our neighbour (ex townie, no animals....) phoned me the other day to tel me they "were digging up his garden and his bulbs".  Same old, same old.  In the past we have put up a fence and kept them in their own area, but this time I decided that they do have a right to wander around the village and if he wants to keep them out his garden he is quite entitled to put up a fence.

I gently suggested that as bulbs should be about 4 inched deep i didnt think that they would be digging them up - he blamed his gardeners!  i then said that if they were proving to be a nuisance when the growing season started, then it might be an idea to put up some fencing to keep them out.  he said that he was quite happy for ME to put up some fencing....i politely declined.

so i am in a bit of a quandry, i dont want to fall out with him as it is a wee village but i also dont want to stop my hens freeranging.  we fence off the areas of the garden where we dont want them.  and when another neighbours chickens repeatedly came into our garden, she just told us to chase them - which we did and they stopped...well after we fenced off the areas we didnt want them in anyway!

advice?

[NorthEssexsmallholding]

these people are typical of the types you find moving out into the countryside, except they know nothing about the countryside and complain at the first cocks crow or smell of manure.  Do not at all change your ways, you are in the countryside and have every right to have livestock and all the noises and smells that come with farming.  I had exactly the same problem when I worked on farms, people wan't to live in the countryside but don't want to abide by the country ways.

If they don't like it then why don't they sod off back to the city.

[waterhouse]

I have every sympathy with the neighbour not wanting your chickens to dig up his garden, whether he owns animals or not.  I'd be horribly embarrassed if our chickens did to our neighbours what they do to our orchard.

Legally it depends where you live.  See Rylands v Fletcher from a very long time ago.

[Hilarysmum]

I must admit to huge embarrasment when Hilary went off to visit our neighbour (about half a kilometre away).  Apparently loud bang on her front door, she opened it and in walked Hilary.  Fortunately neighbour produced her broom and out went Hilary!!!!

[bloomer]

and when is Hilary going to tell her story

you tell us all she is a bit of a handful maybe she has a different version of the story...

"Today i made my way to the neighbours house in the hope of an adventure, I politly knocked on the door to see if anyone wanted to come and play and then I was visciously attacked with a broom, does no one love me"

[Hilarysmum]

does no one love me" 

This morning She upset Digby who burst indoors in a panic, knocking dog over and treading on my bare foot in the process.

Not much love there today ....

[Rosemary]

I think legally stock owners are required to keep their stock in, not the other way round.

[robert waddell]

in scotland it is the other way about if you dont want stock in your land you fence it or dyke it