Jacquej57
Chirping
- Jun 12, 2021
- 43
- 338
- 89
Earlier this summer we ended up losing 7 chickens to a predator before we figured out that a feral cat was picking off our girls one by one. We changed the way we did things. Didn't let the girls out of their yard to free range until after noon. Walked one of our dogs through the shelter belt every day to drive out any predators. And shot a 22 over the cat's head the two times we caught sight of him. Haven't lost one since. But last week a great horned owl took up residence in the shelter belt. So I started moving the girls into the coop earlier than I previously had, well before twilight. I know there are always risks to free-ranging, but I know my girls are happier catching grasshoppers and taking dust baths under the lilac bushes, than they are if they are always contained. And I also want to make sure and take all possible precautions to keep them safe.
About 3 weeks ago my dog started barking out the window hysterically. I look outside and the most mammoth Great Pyrenees I have ever seen was standing right where my girls had been seconds earlier. I ran outside, grabbing a rake on my way to do battle on behalf of any of my girls who that beast had threatened. The poor dog looked at me like "what?" as I screamed at him to get out of here. Every week day since that dog has shown up. He doesn't hurt the chickens and wants to play with our dogs through the fence. We are on a farm and our nearest neighbor is 3 miles away. I called the county offices, I called the vet, I put something up on the town facebook page trying to figure out where this dog belonged. Did someone just dump him? It happens often out in the country. But he looked well fed and was wearing a collar.
Then our neighbor ran over in his pickup truck to drop scraps off for our girls. He does that often, in exchange for eggs. The dog saw someone strange approaching the coop and started barking loudly, until one of us came out to see what was going on. Apparently he had named himself our chicken guardian.
Yesterday morning a guy stopped at our place and knocked on the door. He had just moved in to the place around the section line from us, from Oregon, and the dog, whose name is Bolt, belongs to him. He had been living/working on a goat and chicken farm and the family no longer has any livestock. So Bolt comes to our house when dad is at work to guard our girls. I told his dad that we are happy to have Bolt visit. Our dogs enjoy the new playmate, and I really appreciate the safety he provides for the chickens. He comes over every day after breakfast and heads home at dinner time. I get the benefit of an amazing guardian without having to feed or vet him. I think we hit the jackpot!
About 3 weeks ago my dog started barking out the window hysterically. I look outside and the most mammoth Great Pyrenees I have ever seen was standing right where my girls had been seconds earlier. I ran outside, grabbing a rake on my way to do battle on behalf of any of my girls who that beast had threatened. The poor dog looked at me like "what?" as I screamed at him to get out of here. Every week day since that dog has shown up. He doesn't hurt the chickens and wants to play with our dogs through the fence. We are on a farm and our nearest neighbor is 3 miles away. I called the county offices, I called the vet, I put something up on the town facebook page trying to figure out where this dog belonged. Did someone just dump him? It happens often out in the country. But he looked well fed and was wearing a collar.
Then our neighbor ran over in his pickup truck to drop scraps off for our girls. He does that often, in exchange for eggs. The dog saw someone strange approaching the coop and started barking loudly, until one of us came out to see what was going on. Apparently he had named himself our chicken guardian.
Yesterday morning a guy stopped at our place and knocked on the door. He had just moved in to the place around the section line from us, from Oregon, and the dog, whose name is Bolt, belongs to him. He had been living/working on a goat and chicken farm and the family no longer has any livestock. So Bolt comes to our house when dad is at work to guard our girls. I told his dad that we are happy to have Bolt visit. Our dogs enjoy the new playmate, and I really appreciate the safety he provides for the chickens. He comes over every day after breakfast and heads home at dinner time. I get the benefit of an amazing guardian without having to feed or vet him. I think we hit the jackpot!
this seems to be a common theme with this breed. My aunt happened upon one by the road and picked him up, she later learned who it belonged to and was told by the owner the dog ventures off about once a year to find a new family.
