[salopman]

A neighbour behind us seems to have set up 3 chickens - doesnt bother us - but neighbour next door to us isn't happy, I said I thought as long as no nuisance people could keep up to 3 is that right? We had a laugh this morning as one flew up on our shed and seemed to be surveying next doors prize plants !! we shall see.......

[chrismahon]

Yes I've heard of daft comments by neighbours Salopman. "Chickens belong in the Countryside!" was one. Some people are frightened of them though -birds in general. I know many people who won't go near birds of that size because of the wing flapping. If a neighbour is objecting to the presence of 3 hens it is probably that at the root of it. Of course they will invent all sorts of other excuses like rats, noise and smell. Few will admit fear of a humble chicken. We had a very large policeman call few years ago. I opened the back door and a 6 week old Mallard greeted him from the centre of the room. He was terrrified and backed off from the doorway immediately. Wouldn't come in even if we held her. He admitted that was a phobia of his.

[robert waddell]

two things here      advise your neighbour to clip there wings or they will be after the flowers or in his his oven      they do attract rats  just because you don't see them does not mean they are not there

[tizaala]

I think the rats were there before the chickens, It's just going to be more noticable now they have been provided with their own food shoping centre, and dont forget the urban fox problem that is guaranteed to happen
Yes to the wing clipping.

[plumseverywhere]

Some people just don't like change either and they'll be worrying about rats, noise, smells and potential 4am alarm clocks (I bet they are terrified that a cockerel will be moving in too     )


I bet they won't turn down any free eggs that your other neighbour might choose to offer them when they are in a spring glut - our neighbours are given eggs from time to time by means of thanking them for putting up with animals noises and 4 lively children 

[in the hills]

Is it a garden in the town/an urban area?
 
I think you can check with the coucil. There are rules about not keeping poultry in some areas, I believe. In others you can keep hens, though cockerels may cause problems ..... crowing. My sister has kept a cockerel for many years in a relatively built up area with no complaints, in fact people have told her that they like to hear him.
 
Dont think 3 hens will make much smell if looked after, arent as noisy as some dogs and even feeding wild birds can encourage rats. Maybe best to have wings clipped to avoid any nuisance to neighbours if they start flying or keep in a run. Think hen - keeping is becoming more popular. Mostly a good think in my opinion. Your neighbour might even give away some fresh eggs. 

[Oneeyedhen]

I have to say i'm glad we dont have immediate neighbours as our Cockeral never shuts up! But as for three hens, as long as they're 'hemmed in' their own garden I dont see why anyone should mind. 

[Roxy]

Thank goodness this is not my neighbour .....we have around 80 hens, 20 bantams, and God knows how many cockerels of various shapes and sizes.  Have two barn conversions and a house close by the field, but so far, no one has moaned, and they all buy my eggs from the gate.  Maybe they think if they moved my hens, then no fresh eggs
 
I know a friend of mine had a pond in her garden and wanted to keep three ducks.  She checked her deeds, and for some reason hens and ducks were not permitted - not sure why, it was privately owned by her, but there you go.

[salopman]

Thanks for the input, we used to get mice in the tree where we fed the birds so i think the vermin are always there Its a town garden but we live on the edge of town  and we do have foxes visiting - we had one sat on our front door step a few years ago so hope they are shut in at night, they have a choccy lab he is right dopey so assume he will be ok with them, we heard the children talking to them tonight - great for education and seems to have quietened the kids down lol, its deffo only three hens so noise is nowt, this morning we heard one after it had laid an egg, was a lovely sound, and us well lookin forward to some free eggs hopefully!!