Orange County NC Website
Margaret Wilkman: Chickens. Also a lawn mower and equipment for trimming along the fence line and 1 <br />around the property. 2 <br /> 3 <br />LeAnne Brown: And do you have concerns that there are special damages that you will suffer as a result of 4 <br />the development of the property? 5 <br /> 6 <br />Margaret Wilkman: I do. One of the things very early on when they were beginning their ground work for 7 <br />this, one day we looked and there was a gentleman down by the chicken coop talking on a phone, and he 8 <br />was there for two hours. He walked in through the gate, he never said hello or anything but he was there for 9 <br />two hours. We did not let our livestock guardian dog out to suggest he move on but he was there a long 10 <br />time. I have no idea who he belonged to but one of my concerns is that we’re going to have people who 11 <br />trespass and think that they are entitled to come onto our property whenever. The second concern I have is 12 <br />that we have a long kind of border with the Brewer property and we have had electrical fencing up there to 13 <br />keep our animals in and predators out. That will need to be repaired and we will go ahead and do that. We 14 <br />have a very narrow driveway which we have a gate across and again, that was to keep the animals in and 15 <br />animals out. We have a livestock guardian dog that protects the chickens, and he will bark when there are 16 <br />strangers or strange animals about. So we’re concerned about him being in an uproar, he will sometimes in 17 <br />the middle of the night arouse us, screaming at the door and chase something off into the woods. We 18 <br />assume it’s some sort of predator. I am concerned that people coming to events at the barn will use the 19 <br />driveway or use the roadway in front of our house to park because it’s easy. If you want to get in and out in 20 <br />a hurry just parked on the side of the road. Across from the Rays’ there is actually a substantial ditch. There 21 <br />is not one in front of me. I’m concerned about lights at night. When cars, for example Mrs. Ray talked about 22 <br />at 6:30 there was a flashing light from a long construction truck that was in front of their house. Well before 23 <br />it was in front of her house it was in front of our house. Getting both my sister and myself out of bed to see 24 <br />what it was, we opened the door and he moved so the Rays’ could enjoy the event. I anticipate that people 25 <br />coming to some sort of gathering will arrive at once but will leave whenever. And if it’s at night or after dark 26 <br />there will be a constant flashing of light. Now, we have our chickens and something I had not appreciated 27 <br />when I started with the chicken business is that a rooster’s appointed job is to guard the flock and so when 28 <br />anything untoward comes around they crow. Well, if we have untoward lights or noise at night we’re going 29 <br />to have a racket coming from the three roosters. 30 <br /> 31 <br />LeAnne Brown: And is there anything else about the behavior of hens and roosters when they’re disturbed 32 <br />by noise? 33 <br /> 34 <br />Margaret Wilkman: One of the things that was mentioned in the SUP hearing earlier by the vet in the 35 <br />neighborhood is that loud noise, bright lights, etcetera disturb the poultry’s routine and so they quit laying 36 <br />eggs. Well we use our eggs to supplement protein in our diet. 37 <br /> 38 <br />LeAnne Brown: So you’re concerned that the coming and going will actually upset the behavior of your 39 <br />poultry? 40 <br /> 41 <br />Margaret Wilkman: Yes. 42 <br /> 43 <br />LeAnne Brown: Are you concerned about noise? 44 <br /> 45 <br />Margaret Wilkman: Yes. One of the joys of living where we live is for the most part it’s very, very quiet. 46 <br />Except for the roosters and the geese who also act as farm alarms. With people chattering, cars starting 47 <br />19