Found the Murderers!!

[AlaskGirl]

So I've lost almost 20 birds, mostly chicks, to some mysterious huskies but chased them and found their home last night and had a serious talking to with their owners. The good news is he's reimbursed us but the bad news is that he says they get through everything, even chain link. And even a simultaneous up/down lever that goes both directions at once.

We're considering barbed wire or an electric fence but I'm skeptical that an electric fence will keep them out. I'll scour this forum for suggestions to prior posts but we need a solution, I haven't been getting much sleep at all.

I've had chickens since the first weekend in April and now have had 3 attacks/kills. I lost 5 chicks last night and there is no apparent entry point, they just disappeared, I'm thinking a smaller animal?? From now on, all chicks live in the garage until they're old enough for the Big Girl House.

We've called Animal Control the first time since I saw the dogs IN the pen. However, we didn't see them during the 2nd attack, didn't see what got the chicks last night (no bodies, one loose outdoors--no obvious entry point), but found the dogs on our property twice, licking their chops. I've been up since 2 am and will remain on-guard until the solution is worked out.

I'm hoping for your input on barbed wire vs. electric fence??

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

ELECTRIC fence!!!!!!!! The netting is great from here www.premier1supplies.com We had a husky and she could scale a wall, 8 foot fence in a single leap, amazingly agile and a real pain to keep in the fence. She hunted everything and all, it was a nightmare.
Electric fence has been the only thing that keeps the coyotes out where we live now, until we put it up they would be at the gate to the chicken pen every morning testing the hardware cloth mesh, once it was up they have not been back.

 

[sunket77]

oh my! I know the feeling.... I do hope you get some rest! I know it's very hard to sleep when there is a predator out there hunting my flock! I sleep much better since I got a dog who protects the flock, BUT the only thing she won't protect against is another dog friend. Not only does she not protect but she joins in and goes in pack mode, we lost a guinea that way, when the neighbors dog went after them and she thought it must be fun and joined in. IMO it's the worst predator b/c it involves neighbors and can real difficult when it comes to protecting the flock from their family pet. A wild animal is just doing what it's supposed to and feeding itself, but a well fed dog is doing it for sport and won't stop on a full tummy.

 

[Dogfish]

If the fence doesn't work, shoot the dogs. I'm not and advocate of that action in many instances, but the owner has had sufficent warning and if he fails to take care of his animals and keep them where they need to be, then there are consequences. I would be straightforward with him, let him know what you are doing to keep the dogs away from your birds, and that he needs to control the dogs or....... POP!

Barring that, the deaths will continue. It sounds like you are in the process of correcting issues on your end. Sorry about your losses.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Or consider waiting near the coop and pepper spraying them... or shooting them with rocksalt... I think since you've identified yourself to the owners, if the dogs turn up dead, it'll be a real neighborhood hassle... so I vote non-lethal.. at least at first. my neighbors just got a new pitbull... their hounds don't bother my birds... we'll have to wait and see on the pit...

 

[DKM]

We have three strands of electric fence around our run. I told my husband we needed it and he put it up even though he doesn't think anything can get in and the girls are locked in the chicken coop at night. The cat that is supposed to stay at the house (because he fights with the barn cat) rubbed up against it and he has not come into the barn lot since. He waits at the gate for us to come back. One of the mini donkeys touched it and they all stay away. Guess he told them all about his "shocking" discovery.

That is the way I would go if I were you because the dogs will be back!

 

[Country_Gal@Heart]

I am sorry to hear you lost so many of your chicks. However, I don't believe shooting the dogs is a good response. After all, they are only doing what dogs do, and what you have is not a "dog" problem, but an "owner" problem. Huskies are notorious escape artists. They will dig or jump their way out of anything -- that's why you don't leave them outside unsupervised. Your problem is that the owner of these dogs is irresponsible and obviously doesn't know much about huskies. I have owned huskies before and have worked closely with siberian husky rescue -- the dogs are victims of a bad owner. If I were you, if you see the dogs on your property, I would entice them with some cheese into an area you can lock them up and then call animal control or in the alternative take pics of them on your property and since you know who the owner is report him to animal control. Maybe if he gets some citations he will think twice about leaving his dogs in the backyard all the time or will turn them over to a responsible person who knows how to properly care for huskies. I would get electrical fencing, but it may not be enough to keep them out -- Huskies are incredibly smart and have a high prey drive, and now that they know where the "snacks" are, they will be that much more determined. I wish you the best of luck and hope you don't have any more losses.

 

[theoldchick]

Electric fence is the way to go to keep out unwanted pests. Has always worked well for me. I don't know what part of the country you are in but in my state it is legal to kill dogs chasing your stock. However you have to be very careful not to shoot the neighbor or your own stock! Trapping is another option to get rid of those dogs.

When I had chickens in LongCreek, Sc I had more predator problems from domesticated dogs than any wild animal. The two foxes that did manage to get in the pen were senior citizens with broken legs and starving for food. I had a Red Shouldered hawk who perched on top of a pigeon coop to snatch rats. She never bothered a pigeon or chicken. Although she did nail a stray cat trying to figure a way past all that wire.

Document the attacks and if at all possible record it so you can prove you had a problem if the neighbors decide they are upset over the loss of their dogs. A very sad situation. I feel for you.

 

[cybercat]

Well, you call animal control everytime they are on your property. Owner will have to get them out of jail so to speak.

Now if it is not the dog but something smaller. My guess is Rats. Rats will eat babies of any types of animals. We were warned that when I was breeding dogs to watch out for them.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I'm skeptical that an electric fence will keep them out

It WILL keep them out if installed properly. They won't touch it more than twice, and that's if they are stupid dogs. Once is normally all it takes​