mum-2-olly Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 (edited) well after the success of my original interfering neighbour, i suppose there had to be a sequel, tho i wish to goodness there wasnt! my new neighbours who have arrived about a week before i get my girls have nipped over this afternoon to say husband has been ill and off work, been to docs and they think it might be allergy, perhaps an animal, he mentioned that he doesnt have an animal but that his neighbour (me) recently got chickens and the doctor said it might be them. so he said "i dont wanna be the annoying neighbour and ask you to get rid of them (as if i would!!!!!) but something needs to be done, just so you all know, we live in a small back to back terrace with a small yard to the front. my chickens are on the right which is where this neighbour joins. he also keeps his window open in the kitchen 24/7. i suggested he could have hayfever and also that if it was the chickens he would have prob started a good while ago. he has asked if we can move them to the other side of the garden, but all our electric and water etc are under there so whenever we need work doing we have to dig it all up (which we had to have done once already this year. what do i do?? obv he has NO conclusive proof that it is my hens. What annoys me is that lots of people have dogs in our street that bark and annoy everyone all hours of the day and night, if i had rabbits or guinea pigs in a hutch and run in my garden he wouldnt give it a seconds thought!!!!! by the way, i regularly sweep the run and clean my girls out. please help, i am soo fed up now! Edited July 6, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Is it even possibly to have an allergy specifically to chickens? I start sneezing and wheezing at everything, dust grass hayfever fur animals but I'm fine with the chickens and their bedding. I'm sure if you moved them to the other side he would be exactly the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum-2-olly Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 thats what i thought, with wind, pollen and dust etc can travel massively let alone about 10 feet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 (edited) Where do you live? Just so that we can all avoid ever moving there!! Seriously, this sounds as mad as another recent thread about a lady who claimed she had an allergy to the neighbour's chickens. How long has this man lived next door to the chickens and how long has he had his allergy? Allergies are pretty quick to flare up if you have one so I think it is very unlikely to be the chickens. The chickens are outside for goodness sake. Anyway, the doctor said that it "might" be an allergy. I would suggest that he goes for some allergy testing before he accuses you of being the culprit! There are loads of possible allergens and I think that the most likely, at this time of year, would be pollen. By him a packet of anti-histamine! Edited July 5, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum-2-olly Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 i have had the girls about 6 weeks, he said he started about 3 weeks ago. it just sounds like grass pollen hay fever to me, plus he has moved into next door, which was owned by a lady for 50 years and was so muggy and dusty, it is more likely to be mould or dust in the house!! ahh i am sooo upset! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I'm not surprised you are upset. How unkind and tactless of them to automatically blame you. Tell them that their house could do with a deep clean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henchanted Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 OMG -feather allergies are not that common, and TBH until he has had a proper sensitivity test to prove it, why is he even talking to you? Are there no birds flying in and out of his garden ? How annoying for you and what a foolish thing for him to say Perhaps you should tell him about your allergy to awkward neighbours that you have discovered recently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum-2-olly Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 OMG -feather allergies are not that common, and TBH until he has had a proper sensitivity test to prove it, why is he even talking to you? Are there no birds flying in and out of his garden ? How annoying for you and what a foolish thing for him to say Perhaps you should tell him about your allergy to awkward neighbours that you have discovered recently love this henchanted!!!!! well he almost said ill leave it with you to work out, and i said that he needed to go and check to see whether it was the chickens he was allergic to!! im pretty sure a dr will just tell him to take some antihistamines rather than send him for loads of tests!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Kitty Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 What annoys me is that lots of people have dogs in our street that bark and annoy everyone all hours of the day and night, if i had rabbits or guinea pigs in a hutch and run in my garden he wouldnt give it a seconds thought!!!!! by the way, i regularly sweep the run and clean my girls out. please help, i am soo fed up now! I really don't think other people can control what you do in your own backyard/garden.....as you say, would they be worried if you had rabbits/guinea pigs?.....For example I'm a non smoker but if my neighbours chose to smoke in their garden could I stop them? Of course not! So sorry that you are having problems again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum-2-olly Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 thanks chicken kitty, in fact i will mention this to him, as i am asthmatic and he smokes on his doorstep. i think i might just let things lay low for a while and not do anything. just seems a shame as they were really nice and we got on with them, they have been in this country for about 4 years, to be honest all our other neighbours were quite s"Ooops, word censored!"bish bordering on racist really, but we really tried to make them feel welcome, i said the wife could come in our garden whenever she wanted and take herbs etc which she has, and they have made us yummy food which was lovely of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henchanted Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 ....... i am asthmatic and he smokes on his doorstep.....! Perhaps you could gently suggest that he might consider giving up the fags (and take responsibility for his own health/ill-health not try blaming others for it) Denial..... not a river in Egypt, a powerful addiction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Chickens and their owners have rights 1clean air act - your girls dont want to breathe in his smoke and nor do you. Fake a coughing fit next time you smell him fagging it. 2 allergies are hard to prove and most drs wont refer unless theres a good chance it will prove worthwhile. In my yrs of workjing in allergy clinic dont remember testing anyone for chuck allergy My son had near fatal nut allergy we didnt know he'd got till he was 12. 3 where do you live? mental note avoid (not cos of you of course) 4 move - to a place where theres no people except chicken lovers. Game set and match to Mum of Olly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I would absolutely just leave it as it is, and treat his requests as a joke. If he has the audacity to talk to you again about it laugh in his face and say there's no such thing! smoking makes you predisposed to allergies and respiratory symptoms, you're asthmatic and don't tell him where he can and can't smoke either. also suggest that he should stop eating your herbs in your garden because they're probably 'polluted' with the 'chicken allergens' he's so allergic to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Many people not born in the Uk loathe anyting furry or feathered and find the British obsession with all things furry etc a bit much. I work in an area where many people are not born here and they really do not like animals that much. Having said that a few are getting cats and dogs. In many cultures chickens are seen as food and not pets or for eggs. but hes no right to tell you what to do. I think you are too nice - sadly theres a lot of it about - like you i dont like confrontation but anyone who wanted my girls out would have to kill me first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Ali is right about the allergy tests - they are very expensive and you won't get referred until all others avenues have been tried. I bet he has been given anti-histamines to try and is just being awkward. I work for GPs and no-one gets sent for a test relating to wheezing if they smoke, they are told to give up first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennym Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Perhaps he could quit smoking to save up some money, then he could pay for private allergy tests? Apologies to any smokers on here - I'm absolutely not part of the rabid anti-smoking brigade, but really - a smoker who gets wheezy in the summer? Oooo, that's rare, must be a chicken allergy. Seriously? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Many people not born in the Uk loathe anyting furry or feathered and find the British obsession with all things furry etc a bit much. Not being funny but deal with it! I wouldn't start cow tipping in india. I wouldn't move to a country whose animal related customs I couldn't respect or live with, I would have to be extremely pig headed and ignorant to do something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Perhaps he could quit smoking to save up some money, then he could pay for private allergy tests? Apologies to any smokers on here - I'm absolutely not part of the rabid anti-smoking brigade, but really - a smoker who gets wheezy in the summer? Oooo, that's rare, must be a chicken allergy. Seriously? In all honesty I never suffered with wheeziness at any point when I was smoking, ever, and suffer with hayfever anyway. So smoking isn't necessarily the cause. (I'm not defending him at all, but I think jumping on the single bit of info we have is a bit extreme - he could have a genuine medical complaint, but whether that means he should be bossing someone about on their private property is another matter entirely). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I thought a reason why some people get chickens is because if they have pet allergies (e.g. no cats, dogs etc), they still arent allergic to chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henchanted Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I wouldn't feel apologetic over pointing out to your smoker neighbour that his giving up would not only help him cope better with whatever respiratory allergy he has, but also he would be less likely to set off your asthma with his smoke blowing in through your window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I'm afraid I think this one is going to have to use a bit less tact than your last problem neighbour who was probably only eccentric. If mentioned again, I think you will have to just take a deep breath and tell him that unless you have some proper evidence that your chickens are causing his health problem then you intend to do nothing about it. Be firm and direct! Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henergy Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 If mentioned again, I think you will have to just take a deep breath and tell him that unless you have some proper evidence that your chickens are causing his health problem then you intend to do nothing about it. Be firm and direct! Good luck. I agree - something doesn't stack up anyway - why be off work with an allergy ? It'd be better to be in work surely than staying home next to the 'culprit' !! Probably allergy to something at work or hayfever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Probably allergy to something at work or hayfever. Probably an allergy to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakjon-98 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I thought a reason why some people get chickens is because if they have pet allergies (e.g. no cats, dogs etc), they still arent allergic to chickens I have asthma and am allergic to lots of animals! That's one of the reasons I got chickens and have never had any problems with being allergic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I would rather politely and sweetly ooze sympathy for your neighbour and say 'oh I am so sorry he has been poorly, how awful for him' I would then say that you doubt it is an issue with your chickens and there is not much that you can do - but of of the goodness of your heart, you will change their bedding to one that is less dusty to see in that will help his allergies. I would then do nothing at all - don't change the bedding, just say you are. Chances are he will get better when the weather changes. Cor, aren't some people high maintenance I would avoid neighbour conflict at all costs. Your home is your haven where you escape from all the rubbish going on. The last thing you need is rubbish going on at home too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
