Neighbor Discovers Clandestine Chickens!

While Jeff and I pretended otherwise, I think we both knew that the day would come when someone would have to notice that we had three clandestine chickens living in our basement in suburbia! Our next door neighbors generally keep to themselves. On one side is a young family of five and the other is a retired widower. Well today I was working out in the yard when he came over. He was moving quickly and waving his hands saying, "I gotta talk to you, don't leave!" I had a very bad feeling in my stomach. I went over to him and the first thing out of his mouth was, "You got chickens" This was a statement not a question. The gig was up. I responded that yes we did. I figured I would say as little as possible. Perhaps he wouldn't know this was illegal. Last year our other neighbor had problems with someone reporting them for building a porch without a permit and then complaining to animal control that their dog was barking all day and night long. We live right next door and that dog never barks so I know someone in our neighborhood needs to get a life. God willing it isn't him. It seemed like forever until he finally said something again. "Oh good because at first I thought you had the weirdest looking dog I had ever seen!" He laughed and began to tell me all sorts of stories of the chickens he kept as a young man and how great it is the see younger folks returning to the older ways. I was shocked! I asked if he would like to come inside to see the set up. He said no, "I've seen plenty of chicken in my day." Then just like that he said he had to get going and went back in side. Lets just hope that he isn't the one reporting every neighbor infraction of the law! It is good that there are still people out there who remember when it wasn't unusual to keep backyard chickens. Hopefully if more people start doing this, it will become as normal as having a tomato plant out on your porch.