West Pennant Hills resident blames ‘rat infestation’ on neighbour’s chicken coop

A neighbourhood dispute has split a tight knit community in The Hills after claims a chicken coop was leading to a “rat infestation” in a nearby home.

Don Ravens’ home has allegedly been overrun by rats due to a neighbours chicken coop. AAP IMAGE/ Tim Pascoe

• Transport minister Andrew Constance rejects bid for on-demand bus in Kellyville
• Apartments approved by planning panel for Baulkham Hills junction

A neighbourhood dispute has erupted in the tight-knit community of West Pennant Hills, with claims a backyard chicken coop has contributed to a neighbouring home becoming “infested with rats”.

Deakin Place resident Don Ravens and his wife have called on The Hills Shire Council to remove the legal chickens from the backyard of a property.

Mr Ravens said the issue has been growing for months, laying blame of his “unsellable property” on rats, which he claims could be feeding in the nearby coop.

Don Ravens in his home is West Pennant Hill. Picture: Tim Pascoe

“My house is now worthless and is not liveable — it is infected with rats,” Mr Ravens said.

“They are in my ceiling and walls.”

Mr Ravens said his is “at wit’s end over the infestation, after spending thousands of dollars on exterminators and $1000 on rat bating alone.

“These are not native animals, they are sewer rats infesting our homes in West Pennant Hills,” he said.

Mr Ravens has called on the Hills Shire Council to intervene; however, a council spokeswoman said it was legal to house chickens in a residential property.

The spokeswoman said council was investigating the matter following complaints.

“I have been dealing with this for months but I am driven to the point of madness,” Mr Ravens said.

“This not the location for a hobby farm.”

The neighbour, who did not wish to be named said they had received a letter from The Hills Shire Council this week reminding them of the guidelines associated with keeping chickens.

There’s no suggestion by the Hills Shire Times that the neighbour has breached those guidelines.

“We have had chickens for 12 years and never had a complaint before,” she said.

Mr Ravens claims rats (similar to pictured) have been infesting his home.

“They are kept in a coop at the bottom of our garden and we do everything we can to be responsible.

“We live on a former poultry farm and have had the odd rat around the bush, but we put the traps out to manage them.”

The neighbour said she was contacted by Mr Ravens earlier this month, following a delivery of mulch.

The neighbours rebuke the claims their chicken coop is the source of the issue. Picture: Tim Pascoe

“A few weeks later he changed the story and is blaming the chickens,” she said.

“If it is the first time he has had them it is astonishing because we live in the bush, but we have had chickens for 12 years and he has never raised an issue before.”

“We would be the first to do something about it because we need to protect our grandchildren,” she said.

IN OTHER NEWS