Feral chickens?

[TONTO]

No difference in the laws eyes what so ever. It's a livestock animal. You kill a chicken or a cow that is not yours its the same thing, you are breaking the law taking something that is not yours, theft.

But is it still yours if it's roaming free in the middle of the forest.....on public land? It was pretty far from any house or farm

There were no "free range" signs around. I'm 99%  it either escaped or was let go by someone. Does an animal sort of become legal to harvest after it's let out to fend for itself or escaped and not found?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  Yes, but if it makes you feel better, check the chicken for a brand first.

[Airnip]

 Chickens come home to roost by dark. They are unlikely to escape far, walking or flying.

 If a chicken had water. Scratching up a living without store bought chow would be a possibility.

 Really easy to catch a sleeping chicken if it can be climbed to. Expect raccoon chicken dinner over coyote.

[carpsniperg2]

No difference in the laws eyes what so ever. It's a livestock animal. You kill a chicken or a cow that is not yours its the same thing, you are breaking the law taking something that is not yours, theft.

But is it still yours if it's roaming free in the middle of the forest.....on public land? It was pretty far from any house or farm

There were no "free range" signs around. I'm 99%  it either escaped or was let go by someone. Does an animal sort of become legal to harvest after it's let out to fend for itself or escaped and not found?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Of course its still mine!!! So your telling me if I live a few miles away from where you think is middle of know where and you see my free ranging chickens out feeding and moving around that gives you a right to kill them? HELL NO IT DOESNT

HOW do you know they escaped or set free? You don't.

Here is a example I have a ranch that has no houses within 5 miles on the main road either way. We have a lease on public ground that gives us the right to run live stock on it. If I have a cabin over there no one knows it, but I have chickens over there. They cross over into the public land and you think it's a good idea to kill my livestock because its on public ground and there is not a house around?

[Ridgeratt]

No difference in the laws eyes what so ever. It's a livestock animal. You kill a chicken or a cow that is not yours its the same thing, you are breaking the law taking something that is not yours, theft.

But is it still yours if it's roaming free in the middle of the forest.....on public land? It was pretty far from any house or farm

There were no "free range" signs around. I'm 99%  it either escaped or was let go by someone. Does an animal sort of become legal to harvest after it's let out to fend for itself or escaped and not found?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You could apply the 20 foot from the barn rule!!!

Farther than 20 foot from the barn it's wild!! Had a buddy one time his wife was asking what's was for dinner and he applied this rule to a cheeken that was wandering around in the yard.

[note2self]

No difference in the laws eyes what so ever. It's a livestock animal. You kill a chicken or a cow that is not yours its the same thing, you are breaking the law taking something that is not yours, theft.

But is it still yours if it's roaming free in the middle of the forest.....on public land? It was pretty far from any house or farm

There were no "free range" signs around. I'm 99%  it either escaped or was let go by someone. Does an animal sort of become legal to harvest after it's let out to fend for itself or escaped and not found?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Of course its still mine!!! So your telling me if I live a few miles away from where you think is middle of know where and you see my free ranging chickens out feeding and moving around that gives you a right to kill them? HELL NO IT DOESNT

HOW do you know they escaped or set free? You don't.

Here is a example I have a ranch that has no houses within 5 miles on the main road either way. We have a lease on public ground that gives us the right to run live stock on it. If I have a cabin over there no one knows it, but I have chickens over there. They cross over into the public land and you think it's a good idea to kill my livestock because its on public ground and there is not a house around?

Fair points.

Maybe this is where the legality and rules regarding free range livestock comes into play

I don't know 100% that they are escaped or set free, true. But I didn't see any free range signs and the area is a very popular area for people to shoot their guns at. Shells, casings, targets.......everywhere. I find it hard to believe that someone would want to let their chicken roam in that environment but hey I could be wrong


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carpsniperg2]

No difference in the laws eyes what so ever. It's a livestock animal. You kill a chicken or a cow that is not yours its the same thing, you are breaking the law taking something that is not yours, theft.

But is it still yours if it's roaming free in the middle of the forest.....on public land? It was pretty far from any house or farm

There were no "free range" signs around. I'm 99%  it either escaped or was let go by someone. Does an animal sort of become legal to harvest after it's let out to fend for itself or escaped and not found?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Of course its still mine!!! So your telling me if I live a few miles away from where you think is middle of know where and you see my free ranging chickens out feeding and moving around that gives you a right to kill them? HELL NO IT DOESNT

HOW do you know they escaped or set free? You don't.

Here is a example I have a ranch that has no houses within 5 miles on the main road either way. We have a lease on public ground that gives us the right to run live stock on it. If I have a cabin over there no one knows it, but I have chickens over there. They cross over into the public land and you think it's a good idea to kill my livestock because its on public ground and there is not a house around?

Fair points.

Maybe this is where the legality and rules regarding free range livestock comes into play

I don't know 100% that they are escaped or set free, true. But I didn't see any free range signs and the area is a very popular area for people to shoot their guns at. Shells, casings, targets.......everywhere. I find it hard to believe that someone would want to let their chicken roam in that environment but hey I could be wrong


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There is vast amounts of open range land that is not marked as such in this state. Also a lot that if it is there is only a couple signs for 1000's of acres. Livestock kinda go where they please lol. They also escape on a regular basis and can travel a good ways. I have seen our free range chickens at our old house almost 1.5 miles from our house.

Just remember one key point. Is the chicken yours? if not and you take possession of it under the laws that is theft of livestock dead or alive and a class c felony. Is someone pet worth that? If ya need a tuff old chicken that bad I can send you 5.00 and you can go get a nice tasty one at the store.

[note2self]

No difference in the laws eyes what so ever. It's a livestock animal. You kill a chicken or a cow that is not yours its the same thing, you are breaking the law taking something that is not yours, theft.

But is it still yours if it's roaming free in the middle of the forest.....on public land? It was pretty far from any house or farm

There were no "free range" signs around. I'm 99%  it either escaped or was let go by someone. Does an animal sort of become legal to harvest after it's let out to fend for itself or escaped and not found?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Of course its still mine!!! So your telling me if I live a few miles away from where you think is middle of know where and you see my free ranging chickens out feeding and moving around that gives you a right to kill them? HELL NO IT DOESNT

HOW do you know they escaped or set free? You don't.

Here is a example I have a ranch that has no houses within 5 miles on the main road either way. We have a lease on public ground that gives us the right to run live stock on it. If I have a cabin over there no one knows it, but I have chickens over there. They cross over into the public land and you think it's a good idea to kill my livestock because its on public ground and there is not a house around?

Fair points.

Maybe this is where the legality and rules regarding free range livestock comes into play

I don't know 100% that they are escaped or set free, true. But I didn't see any free range signs and the area is a very popular area for people to shoot their guns at. Shells, casings, targets.......everywhere. I find it hard to believe that someone would want to let their chicken roam in that environment but hey I could be wrong


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There is vast amounts of open range land that is not marked as such in this state. Also a lot that if it is there is only a couple signs for 1000's of acres. Livestock kinda go where they please lol. They also escape on a regular basis and can travel a good ways. I have seen our free range chickens at our old house almost 1.5 miles from our house.

Just remember one key point. Is the chicken yours? if not and you take possession of it under the laws that is theft of livestock dead or alive and a class c felony. Is someone pet worth that? If ya need a tuff old chicken that bad I can send you 5.00 and you can go get a nice tasty one at the store.

I'm just curious as to what the rules and regulations surrounding this issue are. Nothing more nothing less. Some in here say shoot it and some say it's a felony. I'm just looking for clarity. I'm not really interested in running around hunting livestock. However, if I strike out while grouse hunting and see a random chicken, I will shoot it if it's legal. Or bring it home and raise it myself lol




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carpsniperg2]

Well I posted the exact law for you. Others are saying what they would do. What people tell you based on there thoughts is not the law.

If you blast a chicken that is not yours then you are stealing something that does not belong to you. Pretty simple.

[Lucky1]

I think it is legal to shoot feral hogs. It is also legal to shoot unclassified wildlife if I am not mistaken. I probably would let it live. You could do the SSS. Shoot, shovel, ( into your mouth), and shut up. No one will be the wiser. If I was anywhere close to any kind of homestead I would not shoot it for sure.
Not a definitive answer but I had fun sharing my opinion.

[Dan-o]

Well I posted the exact law for you. Others are saying what they would do. What people tell you based on there thoughts is not the law.

If you blast a chicken that is not yours then you are stealing something that does not belong to you. Pretty simple.

Carp,

What if it is truly feral?

Wouldn't that be treated like a feral pig?

(Of course, I have no idea how you tell the difference between a feral chicken and one that wandered from the yard)

I also doubt there is such a thing as a feral chicken in the mountains of Washington, so I think I  just answered my own question .....

[carpsniperg2]

I do not know how you would either so guessing is never a good way to do things. I personally like to know if what I am doing and what I am doing is right. Rather then flipping a coin with a felony at stake lol.

lucky1, a chicken "livestock" is not even close to wildlife. So it can not be classified as unclassified wildlife lol.

As far as pigs go I have no idea how to determine what would happen in court. If my pigs got out and make it a mile down the road to some public ground and someone shot them thinking they were feral I can promise you they would be getting charged and paying on the animal. It has happened around here so I know the outcome.

With truly feral pigs. The state I believe classifies them as noxious? "not sure if that's the right word think it is" animals that can do harm to the state. I don't think a chicken will get that branding of classification. I am no lawyer but I can tell you the law on killing someones live stock is pretty cut and dry.

[ForestDump]

Personally I wouldn't waste the lead on a chicken but I wouldn't have a problem with someone shooting it if they want. If someone's livestock is repeatedly escaping they're going to have losses whether it's from four legged predators, other birds or a gun.

Now if I see my neighbors chicken float over the fencing I'm not going to blast the thing but a ranging bird with no obvious markings is going to make a free meal for something. I'll never understand the "free range" = "my animals go wherever they please" thing.

[boneaddict]

I've never understood shoot everything, everything must die attitude.  If it's a dog running deer or something causing damage sure.  Probably the same folks that see a virgin road sign and need to plug it.

[Timberstalker]

Never thought I'd see a chicken shooting thread here. Wow.

[boneaddict]

Hell I left a bison standing in the middle of the road up in the selkirks.  And we are arguing over a 🐓