it only takes one jerk

finally decompressing after a couple of stressful weeks.  we lost henrietta, romeo's bumblefoot continues, and the weather has gone from rainy and 50 degrees to sunny and 90 in 4 short days. adding to the burdens at work and home, one of our mcmansion neighbors thought that calling animal control was the best solution when our bantam roosters bothered them.  the same neighbor who chatted with james over the wall as he built the bantam pen, and said they liked hearing nemo crow when he wandered around.  we were served with a notice of compliance last week.  technically, roosters are supposed to be housed 100 feet from the nearest structure (our bantam pen is about 40 feet from the complainer's house).  and about 6 months ago, the city council passed an ordinance allowing only one rooster per property.

we had our animals before they even broke ground next door, and talked about this very issue with the developer before they began building.  they insisted that keeping the "k" equestrian zoning would be a sign to the new homeowners that they were moving to a neighborhood where animals were part of the landscape.  but this is how the face of neighborhoods change - new residents move in and complain, and zoning starts to change.  it will happen here eventually and the payback will come when we sell to a developer, who will inevitably push a variance through for some big, fat condos or apartments.

i went door to door this afternoon, with a sack full of eggs, to let all of our mcmansion neighbors know that they should call us directly if they have any problems with the animals.  i found the culprit who called animal control.  interestingly, he was the only white native-speaking american on the block, and the only one with a problem.  he said the bantams bother him when he's barbequing on his patio (otherwise, he can't hear them from the house).  what an ass.  he said he didn't realize they'd only give us 4 weeks to comply.  he asked if it was really necessary to have roosters with hens, and i replied that no one has yet discovered a way to only hatch hens.  i told him that we'd be moving the bantam roosters, and eventually the whole pen, away from his house and he seemed fine with that solution.  he seemed alittle confused that i had given him a prize (eggs) for being a jerk.  

at the end of the month, all of the roosters will go on a field trip for a day when animal control comes to inspect the property.  we'll be installing a higher, covered fence along the front of the property to prevent people from looking in.  the days of passers-by and neighbors stopping along the street to oogle the sheep and chickens will be over.  it's a drag that we have to shut ourselves away now, but it feels like the neighborhood has taken a turn.