Cock-a-doodle-damn
I've just come back from the cabin where I let the pest control guy in to kill anything that moves and spray the trees for ticks. While there, I learned something fun and new!
Our neighbors, whose driveway we share, are caretakers for the rich folk who own that land and a big 'ol house next door. They seem like nice people, and I hope they're going to make good neighbors. We've only just met them because as of last summer, they weren't there.
The new neighbors have set up a trailer house just off the driveway where it splits to go to our cabin. We can't tell if anyone's actually living in it (the family lives in a regular house further down the drive), but it's up on cinder blocks so it doesn't look like it'll be going anywhere soon. And that's fine. It's their land, so... well, whatever.
But today, in addition to the trailer, I found some even newer neighbors: a whole flock of chickens. About a dozen, including a few roosters, to be specific. At least one of whom crowed the whole time I was there. The chickens are in a coop about 100 feet from our cabin. That is to say, our bedrooms are about 100 feet away from some 4:30 a.m. cock-a-doodle-doing.
My mom, being who she is, tried to put a positive spin on it. "Maybe the girls can learn more about chickens and egg-gathering, if the neighbors are willing to show them."
Mm hm. Great.
Don't get me wrong, chickens are lovely. I enjoy them as food on a regular basis. And, again, it's their land, their choice.
But I'd be lying if I said I though this was good news. I'm really, really, hoping we'll be able to clear out a new drive that comes through our property only and bypasses the country-show we've got goin' on over there. Can you tell I'm not yet through with the anger phase of mourning?
This would most defenately be un-neighborly....but, since you said you like to EAT chicken.....well, if they're free range chickens and they happen to be on your property... well...perhaps you could have the rooster for supper some night! Yeah, that may not be the greatest idea, but it would be FREE food :)
Posted by: Min | April 30, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Nope - not on our land. Just super close. Also, since I refuse to buy chicken that hasn't already been boned, I doubt I'd make a good free-range chicken thief.
Posted by: Julia | April 30, 2008 at 11:52 AM
OK, no dishwasher? Fine. No pantry? Fine. Ticks/snakes/etc? Fine, you have an exterminator. Free range chickens 100 feet from your bedroom? NOT FINE.
Posted by: Jenn | April 30, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Your kids will adore this place. Our cousins live in a house in the country with goats (BAA! MAAA! BAA! all day long) and my son can't get enough of it. He wants us to move there, even if it meant living in a tent without running water.
Posted by: sf parent | April 30, 2008 at 12:01 PM
I bet the girls will love it, and you will probably get used to it. People who live next to train tracks can sleep through huge pieces of metal hurtling past their house.
Also, I bet the eggs will be really, really good.
Posted by: Brooke | May 01, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Any chance you can ask the neighbors to move the chickens and rooster to the OTHER side? I get annoyed when even the roof creaks on windy nights...
Posted by: Lori | May 01, 2008 at 05:16 PM
Um...I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But my experience with chickens (at least in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, which were the only times I was routinely exposed to live chickens) was that they crow all night...
Perhaps you could politely ask them to move the chickens to a different end of the property?
Posted by: kim | May 02, 2008 at 08:09 AM
Agreed with Kim. It won't be pretty. Since they are just the caretakers and not the owners, any way to contact the owners and ask it to be more "neighborly" out there.
Posted by: The Aitch | May 04, 2008 at 12:35 AM