# Stray chickens in my yard, Yours, mine or ours? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325 "2022-08-08T21:29:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![justmeetee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@justmeetee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justmeetee)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/1 "2022-08-08T21:29:38Z")
I have been feeding WILD birds out side my kitchen window for about 5 years and I spend a couple hundred a year on feed. About a month ago 9 chickens started showing up and eating the food I toss for the ground feeding birds, morning doves, blue jays, robins, cardinals and a few others. When the chickens come through they eat damn near every seed and mealworm leaving nothing for the others. As I see it I am now feeding someone else’s food crop. I get nothing out of this but loss of the birds I want to watch and chicken shit in my yard. I live in a trailer park along the river a few miles out of town and for about 2 miles along this part of the river are houses, boat launch, park and a couple bar/restaurants. A good portion of the houses are weekend getaway places for folks from Chicago and Madison. I have no idea where the chickens come from but do know in the past few months about a half dozen for sale signs have disappeared. So if I were to put that giant white one on MY GRILL this coming weekend am I “with in my rights”? And no, a fence is NOT an option. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/2 "2022-08-08T21:51:36Z")
If you’ve been feeding them for a month, nobody has been around looking for them, and you’ve put up a sign somewhere or a notice in the local paper to no avail, then they’re yours and it’s time to fire up the BBQ! Have any of them laid eggs yet? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/3 "2022-08-08T22:05:20Z")
Can you put up a bird feeder instead of throwing the seed on the ground? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/4 "2022-08-08T22:22:14Z")
> [@justmeetee](#): > > So if I were to put that giant white one on MY GRILL this coming weekend am I “with in my rights”? This will be a state-by-state issue, but I highly doubt you’ll be within your rights to slaughter a neighbor’s livestock in any state. If you want to get rid of them, round them up and call animal control. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/5 "2022-08-08T22:35:56Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Can you put up a bird feeder instead of throwing the seed on the ground? He said himself that he throws some of the seed on the ground for species that feed that way. And I don’t know about the legal issues (beyond that they’re reminiscent of the Old West range wars, but I don’t know how those were resolved), but I can tell you that a laying breed won’t produce very good meat. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/6 "2022-08-08T22:52:41Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > If you’ve been feeding them for a month, nobody has been around looking for them, and you’ve put up a sign somewhere or a notice in the local paper to no avail, then they’re yours and it’s time to fire up the BBQ! > > Have any of them laid eggs yet? My exact thoughts. It’s not like they’re tagged or branded livestock, at this point call them feral and cull them. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/7 "2022-08-08T23:27:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > He said himself that he throws some of the seed on the ground for species that feed that way. Thanks, I’d overlooked that. ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/8 "2022-08-09T13:47:26Z")
Take advantage of the situation. Put some nesting boxes up and start enjoying fresh eggs. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/9 "2022-08-09T14:06:22Z")
Back in the open range day, that’s why they branded cattle. I would imagine that absent some sort of identifying marking, how would they know if you caught and cooked one of those chickens? The owners could bitch and moan all they liked, but it would seem that they’d have a hard time proving that the feathers/guts in the trash can came from _their chicken_, and that the delicious bird on the grill is _their chicken_. Who’s to say you didn’t go get one from a friend with a farm? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/10 "2022-08-09T15:46:03Z")
If it were me, I would eliminate them one way or another since they can create a huge mess, and a rooster will wake you up like clockwork. There are not pets or wild creatures… they are domesticated fowl. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/11 "2022-08-09T16:24:18Z")
Unless you’re absolutely unconcerned about blowback (social, legal, or otherwise), call animal control about your rights and liabilities per your local and state ordinances. It’s not that the chicken owner is in the right. They can almost certainly be fined for letting their chickens free-range on other peoples’ property. It’s just **their** status as negligent assholes doesn’t give you a right to destroy their property. Hell, even if you know for dead certain that the chickens are feral and you cook 'em up, you could still risk butting up against local ordinances if some nosey neighbor reported you for illegally processing chickens (if your local residential zoning prohibits it). “Grill 'em all and let god sort them out” is fun to say, but it’s just a ton of potential headaches easily avoided. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/12 "2022-08-09T16:39:11Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > illegally processing chickens Just killing them might not even be legal. ---
**Author:** ![SacFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@SacFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SacFly)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/13 "2022-08-09T22:03:53Z")
Are you thinking they were abandoned or that they belong to someone who moved in and just lets them roam? Many of the ground feeders will eat from a platform feeder, which might keep the feed away from the chickens. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/14 "2022-08-09T23:20:05Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > It’s not that the chicken owner is in the right. They can almost certainly be fined for letting their chickens free-range on other peoples’ property. It’s just **their** status as negligent assholes doesn’t give you a right to destroy their property. Huh, that surprises me. I know a couple of rural people who lost dogs because their dog wandered into a neighbor’s pasture, killed some of the neighbor’s livestock, and the neighbor shot their dog. I think “a couple” is only two on this case, but i had the impression that it wasn’t uncommon for farming neighbors to kill your animals if your animals caused problems. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/15 "2022-08-09T23:27:54Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > It’s not that the chicken owner is in the right. They can almost certainly be fined for letting their chickens free-range on other peoples’ property. It’s just **their** status as negligent assholes doesn’t give you a right to destroy their propert Yes. Each state has firm laws on strayed livestock, and ianal afaik, none of them allow you to simply kill and eat. Th negligent owner is liable, but you do not have many rights. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Huh, that surprises me. I know a couple of rural people who lost dogs because their dog wandered into a neighbor’s pasture, killed some of the neighbor’s livestock, and the neighbor shot their dog. Each state has different laws. But in general, if the dog is caught in the act, the farmer can take reasonable steps. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/16 "2022-08-09T23:33:32Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > i had the impression that it wasn’t uncommon for farming neighbors to kill your animals if your animals caused problems. There is actually a law In Pennsylvania giving landowners permission to shoot dogs harassing their stock and making the dog’s owner responsible financially. Years ago a dog tore up one of our chickens. My gf rushed the hen to our veterinarian while I found the dog’s owner from its collar. Turns out he lived \<1 mile away. The hen survived, but it took $375 worth of surgery. I took the bill to the guy. He assumed a chicken was worth $10. He balked on paying, but I knew the owner of the house (his landlord). Between his landlord threatening eviction and animal control citing the guy (no license, running at large) the guy was willing to pay the vet bill. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/17 "2022-08-10T03:15:15Z")
Huh, so you can shoot a dog that’s harassing your livestock, but not a chicken that’s eating your bird food? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/18 "2022-08-10T05:06:14Z")
I live with lots of neighbors who have dogs and many others who have chickens and many that have both. We’ve had lawyers and police officers in our neighborhood opine on this at “town halls” (informal meetings). In Massachusetts law there is a specific exemption in the section on discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling. It’s allowed for defense of life and property. And property includes livestock. There are other laws that would land you in very hot water if you shot or shot at a human who was attacking your chickens, but a dog is fair game (pun intended). I haven’t researched this independently, but I make very certain my dog is never outside the fenced yard unleashed. Ever. I’ve never asked if chickens foraging in my yard are similarly fair game if they are eating my pea seedlings. The overlap between chicken people and hunting gun owners seems large. Our neighborhood is adjacent to a large “wildlife management area”. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/19 "2022-08-10T08:37:37Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Huh, so you can shoot a dog that’s harassing your livestock, but not a chicken that’s eating your bird food? Birdfood isn’t a sentient animal that needs protecting, so I can see why things might be legislated differently. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325/20 "2022-08-10T11:36:12Z")
It’s not a sentient animal, but it’s property. And there are often rules allowing you to protect your property. I know that my state only allows me to kill game animals in season, or to defend my property. And I’m pretty sure the property contemplated by that law includes crops, as well as homes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-chickens-in-my-yard-yours-mine-or-ours/969325.md?page=2)