Noisy Neighbor Insists on Keeping Their "Emotional Support Chickens" Despite It Being Illegal, Rightful Resident Calls the Cops to Teach Them a Lesson

Happy Monday, animal fam. We have to just go out and say something: we're tired of people labeling their pets as "emotional support pets" and equating them to service animals. Do you know what it takes for a dog to become a service dogs? Countless hours of rigorous training, basically from puppyhood until adulthood, with specified trainers who specialize in this. No, Karen, your 5 lb. chihuahua is certainly not a service dog, nor does it qualify as an emotional support pet. Firstly, it must be recommended by a licensed professional, and after we just saw how it tried to bite our ankles, we can safely say it doesn't qualify. This next person is also taking the EMS label too far…

One noisy neighbor decided to get some "emotional support chickens" to help with her anxiety, and it was driving her nearby residents coo-coo crazy! Turns out you can't have a chicken coop within 300 feet of a residential building, and despite being obviously wrong, the neighbor refused to do anything about it. So, one rightful resident taught them a lesson by calling the cops. Too far? We're not sure. Scroll down to read the whole story below!

Author image for Blake Seidel Blake Seidel
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  • 01
    ALTA for calling the cops on my neighbor's loud "therapy chickens?"
    via u/MuttDevil69
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  • 02

    Cluck, cluck, bok bok, bukawwwwww!

    'I've tried talking to her about it politely, but she insists they're vital for her mental health and refuses to do anything about the noise.'
    via emelariman from Pixabay

    We have a couple of things to say about this:

    1. We can't imagine chickens being much noisier than a busy city street, so are they really making that much noise, or do you just not want chickens living next to you? Both answers are okay, but it's important to specify which one is important. We also wouldn't want random chickens living next to us.

    2. Chickens aren't really that loud. Roosters, on the other hand, are downright annoying. Every morning at 6 AM, for at least an hour, they will scream. We had a loose rooster roaming around our neighborhood for six months, and let us tell you, it's downright awful.

  • 03
    My neighbor (40'sF) recently got 4 chickens. She claims they're "emotional support animals" to help with her anxiety, but they're incredibly loud. They cluck and squawk constantly, starting before dawn and going all day. I've tried talking to her about it politely, but she insists they're vital for her mental health and refuses to do anything about the noise. I work from home and the constant racket is driving me crazy. I can't concentrate, I'm getting headaches, and I'm starting to feel really
    via u/MuttDevil69

    Emotional support chickens? You've got to be joking. We can't imagine any licensed professional supporting chickens as an emotional support animal. Also, if you live in a city, there are definite rules about these things. You can't just start building a farm in the middle of a city. We would also be upset!!!

  • 04

    Justice is served

    Afor calling the cops, even though it was disrupting my life and I had tried to resolve it peacefully? UPDATE: I spent some time looking into it, there does appear to be a city ordinance that says you cannot have a coop within 300 ft of a residential building. which this definitely is. I will be calling code enforcement tomorrow and then I can finally have my emotional support nap.
    via u/MuttDevil69
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  • 05
    Tdluxon 19d ago Supreme Court [134] INFO- Have you looked up your local ordinances regarding animals? I know in the neighborhood where I live chickens are allowed in your yard (we're in a city) in which case the police are not going to help.
    via u/Tdluxon
  • 06
    Slam_father ⚫19d ago · Why would 4 loud and obnoxious chicken be your choice for emotional support animals for your anxiety? Chickens would make my anxiety 10 times worse lol.
    via u/Slam_father

    Right? Chickens would 100% make our anxiety worse. There's no way they were actually approved to be emotional support animals. Plus….they smell. Not very supportive. Would you be okay with chickens right outside your apartment window? We wouldn't. 

  • 07

    This comment is 100% correct

    SuperPookypower Part ipant... 19d ago . Top 1% Comme... This "support animal" misuse needs. to stop. Stop equating a seeing eye dog with an emotional support gecko. We all know it's being abused and it's causing problems for people with a legit need. Knock it off already.
    via u/SuperPookypower
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  • 08
    ririririrlr 19d ago • Part ipant [4] Entirely depends on the law. If you're living where that's legal to house chickens ... you've described normal, legal behavior.
    via u/ririririrlr
  • 09
    • Tigger7894 19d ago · Edited 19d ago • As someone with chickens, I call BS on this. Chickens don't yell all day long, they just don't. Not even roosters. Not even Guinea Fowl (who aren't chickens, but are known for being loud). If you did, then YTA for exaggerating. (unless they are all roosters, I actually have a neighbor who harassed another neighbor by setting up a coop on the property line of about 10 roosters)
    via u/Tigger7894
  • 10
    Spoonbills 19d ago • Part ipant [3] > the constant racket is driving me crazy. I can't concentrate, I'm getting headaches This seems like an overreaction to me.
    via u/Spoonbills
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  • 11
    Clean-Experience-639 19d ago. Maybe YTA. I've had plenty of chickens, and I don't recall the hens doing anything but cooing and clucking. They're actually very peaceful and sweet in my experience. The roosters were loud and obnoxious for the most part. If there's no ordinance against it, you might have to learn to live with it. Maybe go over and feed them or ask if you can help collect eggs. Cops make everything worse.
    via u/Clean-Experience-639
  • 12
    tinyahjumma 19d ago. Judge, Jury, and Excretioner [305] I'm honestly surprised that the chickens are loud except for perhaps a small portion of the morning. Perhaps there is something bothering them that you could help her investigate. To be clear, you are NTA for wanting peace and quiet.
    via u/tinyahjumma
  • 13
    CasaCordings • 19d ago . NTA, unless you live in the country on a farm. If you live in a city, then there's no reason for chickens to be close enough to your house to annoy you through your own walls. Also, check your city ordinances. My city has one that says a coop cannot be within 80 feet of another house unless they have written consent from the owner of that house.
    via u/CasaCordings
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  • 14
    anglflw 19d ago Ah le Aficiona... Top 1% Comme... What did the cops tell you? I can't imagine 4 chickens making so much noise for that long that it rises to the level of a noise complaint.
    via u/anglflw
  • 15
    Winter_Owl6097 · 19d ago • I'm really not trying to be rude..but asking... I have a small farm, I have about 100 chickens. Except for the roosters that crow at daybreak, they are basically quiet. They don't really make any noise, other than now and then and it's certainly not what you describe.. Yes, roosters can be noisy sometimes but what you describe sounds unbearable and that's just not my experience, with far more than your neighbor has.
    via u/Winter_Owl6097
  • 16
    Saikune 19d ago • • Yta. I've had way more than 4 chickens and without roosters their noises are honestly pretty soothing!
    via u/Saikune
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  • 17
    RaccoonsOnTheRift 19d ago Is one of them a rooster? The noise from four chickens really shouldn't be that distressing.
    via u/RaccoonsOnTheRift
  • 18
    • Blue_Waffled 19d ago · Edited 19d ago • Part ipant [1] NTA, I often think it is ironic how some people dub their animals as "emotional support" as a function and an excuse whenever their out of hand hobbies disrupt other people's lives. I have a neighbour whose excuse for DJing in his living room had also been up that street: "it helps me deal with life" he said and meanwhile I had to suffer for it. A lot of noise complaints and recordings sent to the landlord later, he was given strict regula
    via u/Blue_Waffled
  • 19
    That said, I am not sure what the cops will be able to do about this, you can complain of the noise, you should def start recording moments where the noise is too much out of hand, but the cops might just say she's allowed to keep animals making this more of a civil case.
    via u/Blue_Waffled
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  • 20
    If she rents the place she's living at then you could send her landlord some of the recordings and a complaint to do something about this. Also check in with the local municipality of your town, to check if this is even allowed.
    via u/Blue_Waffled
  • 21
    Cangal39 19d ago · A hole Enthusias... Top 1% Comme... Cops is taking it a bit too far. The "emotional support animal" thing is irrelevant in this situation. It comes down to whether it's legal for her to keep poultry or not, and that depends on local bylaws, health ordinances, HOA rules etc. Contact your city's bylaw enforcement.
    via u/Cangal39
  • 22
    Scared_Salt1176 19d ago . • Yta. This is what's wrong with people in the city. Even if she is using the "Esa" excuse to have some chickens... who cares. You can deal with the noises of the city but chickens bother you? I have chickens, unless it's a rooster they don't. make that much noise. Less than a barking dog. More people should have backyard chickens. They are a good first step in balancing some of the bs that is disconnected city folk and actually making humans a little more in touch with
    via u/Scared_Salt1176
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  • 23
    over yourself and do some research into how good backyard chickens are for human health and the health of our environment. If everyone had backyard chickens to feed food scraps to, there would be less food waste and better fertilized land. Go make friends. Maybe you can drop your food scraps in exchange for some eggs. Get your hands dirty. Live a little. And get over it!
    via u/Scared_Salt1176
  • 24
    Peg_Leg_Vet • 19d ago Are you working with a window open that faces her yard? Does she have roosters? Roosters are definitely loud. Hens really only make loud noise when there's danger or they are doing their egg song. Outside of that, I have never known hens to be loud to the point of headache inducing. I like when mine come by my office window. Their clucking while they search for bugs is relaxing to me.
    via u/Peg_Leg_Vet
  • 25
    Ireland1169 · 19d ago • Part . ipant [4] ΥΤΑ Hens are housed outside in a Henhouse, they generally do not make loud noises & are quite docile, (they can be quite affectionate) if there is a they do tend to be loud. especially morning & night & can be aggressive (my great aunt had a guard guarding the orchard, he was vicious). Lots of people keep hens in urban gardens & they don't upset the neighbours.
    via u/Ireland1169

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