To those of you who have problems with neighbor's dogs and you flock,

[akmiddlebrooks]

I feel your pain. Over the last 10 years I have lost a couple of thousand dollars worth of chickens to a particular neighbors pets. I have always had chickens since being a kid. So when we built our current home on the 5.5 acres chickens were a natural fit. My last loss was about 3 years ago when I lost my flock of 8 Black Australorp hens and a Roo along with 20 pair of the best Seramas I had ever raised. Needless to say I was sick. I have always tried to protect my chickens and went the extra mile. These dogs tore thru hog wire over chicken wire and then pulled down the bantam cages from ashelf n the coop and destroyed those too. needless to say after so much trouble I had a security camera running but the loca l law officals said there was not enough evedence to do anything. You could see clearly the German Shepherd, Black Lab and beatle belonging to my neighbor. The neighbors denied the dogs on camera were theirs and showed the officers their dogs snug and safe n a pen. So tired and disgusted I just had my chicken coop dismantled and burned.
This Spring I decided I wanted to get me some Black Copper Marans. The chicks are about 12 weeks old as I write this. They r in a coop/tractor my father n brother built for me that can be towed with the truck to relocate in the back yard. Yesterday we put up one of those premier1 electric chicken nets (the 100' plus model), it is powered by a solar fence charger that produces 8000 volts intermittedly. And I have got out a couple of the old leg traps I used as a young man trapping raccoon,mink,muskrat and fox as a teenager to make Christmas $$. The bottom line I have decided is u cannot on anyone these days to keep their dogs up properly and after years of asking nicely and gettin more agressive after each episode with this neighbor I am going to do whatever is necessary to protect my birds. I hope with the traps, electrified fence, a coop with heavy welded wire - wired bottom too - I can again enjoy fresh eggs soon. call me bad -cruel or what ever I am tired of dogs n my yard when the county we live in has a law that all dogs be on a lease or penned that seems to never be enforced. I suppose the final step will be to shoot the darn things to protect my property n livestock which is legal where I live - I just hate having to go that far.
I mean don't dog owners know about underground fence - I have one and they work great. Do they not care enough about their animals to keep them from getting run over on the road? Can the local animal enforcement get off their ass and enforce the county law and or what will it take to make that happen? I guess i just needed to vent tonight and this seem to be the place to vent about this probelm. Any ideas? I would be glad to hear them because I really don't have to star shooting dogs but I am almost to that point after waking this morning 2 two dogs circling the electric fence.

 

[Beekissed]

A nice big Great Pyr, already trained to livestock, installed in your yard would go a long way towards preventing these kind of raids. An adult GP, fully loaded for bear, is an easy match for even 3 yard dogs. My GP mix, Lucy, was amazingly gentle with livestock/chickens and downright lethal on dogs who entered the yard.

 

[CMV]

Saltcreek posted a reply to a similar problem as yours a day or so ago. I was very impressed with it, so I felt I should include it here for you to read:

I am a retired Police Officer so here is some free advice from experience. First, forget advice on SSS. Just S. To hide the fact you shot just makes you look like you're trying to cover up something you did wrong. Take pictures immediately after the shooting. The AC has already told you to shoot and the law is on your side here. However you need some pre-planning just in case.

YOU know you have made complaints to the AC, but do you have proof? Many ACs have poor or lazy record keeping. Make sure they filed a WRITTEN report on the times you complained, and formally request copies of the report for your records so they don't magically disappear. Get written documentation in a report by the AC of what he warned the nieghbor about. Submit copies of the photos of the dog in your yard that are time stamped. It helps if your camera shows the time on the photo. Insist these pictures are filed with the report, and do it in writing. The UNIVERSAL saying in Law Enforcement and Courts as to documentation is "If it's not in writing, it never happened". I have seen ACs who tried to cover up their lack of action after the poop hits the fan. Get a hard copy of the Michigan laws that let you shoot the dog under several conditions, protection of person, livestock etc. READ the law yourself before shooting, never take someone else's word, including the AC. He is not the one who suffers legal consequences if any. Good luck.

You have done as much as you can to ensure your flock's safety by installing electric fencing, so now it may be time to deal more proactively with the neighbors' animals. Find out what the laws are in your area. Take lots of time-stamped photos of the dogs on your property. Install a game cam to catch any dogs doing things they shouldn't be doing. If the law is on your side, I think I might shoot those dogs once I had ample documentation.

Sorry for your losses. Good luck.​

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Quote:
You have done as much as you can to ensure your flock's safety by installing electric fencing, so now it may be time to deal more proactively with the neighbors' animals. Find out what the laws are in your area. Take lots of time-stamped photos of the dogs on your property. Install a game cam to catch any dogs doing things they shouldn't be doing. If the law is on your side, I think I might shoot those dogs once I had ample documentation.

Sorry for your losses. Good luck.

I agree with everything you wrote, I just wanted to point out the OP stated in her original post. I would either trap the dogs and take them to a shelter - so they can either have a better life with responsible owners or the current owners will have to pay to get them back, and money sometimes speaks loudly. If that is not an option and you can legally shoot the dog, then do what you have to. Make sure you still have the game cam up to document everything (as CMV stated). Good luck!

 

[cluckingoodtime]

Are the dogs friendly? Will they allow you to approach them? If so and you have a place you can restain them, I would and call animal control to collect them. Most counties do have some form of leash law. Your neighbor would be subject to a fine (hopefully a large one) and you would have a registerd complaint with the authorities. My husband says you should practice the three S's, shoot shovel and shut up. We are having a similar issue with my sister's dog. Our girls free range when we are home. My sister turns her dog(s) out even when she has been contacted that our hens are out. There has been 5 different occasions in which one of her dogs has savagely attacked our chickens, luckily we were there to rescue them. We have bought a pellet gun and used it on him a couple of times which has helped, but the threat still remains. I know it's frustrating when people won't take RESPONSIBLITY for their animals. Hope your chicks are safe. Good luck!

 

[heather112588]

I'd shoot them with paintballs first to send them home with a warning message... if you catch them again, then the dogs disappear.

 

[Dogfish]

The neighbor's dog has taken 3 of my birds, this took place last November when I was away, but the boys were letting them free-range as instructed for 3 hours. The neighbors were apologetic, offered to pay, I declined. Good neighbors, etc.

Last week, same dog was stalking my meat birds, 60 in 2 tractors. I grabbed my rifle, lined up on the dog and shouted at the dog. The dog wisely ran home. I walked over to the neighbors and let them know that they had almost lost their dog. I said I would take care of it next, as the dog had just received strike #2. 112 yards is a chip shot from our front deck with my AR15, and I have a safe backstop.

They understood. These folks are friends of ours, but I told them that if my dog were killing their animals, I would fully expect to lose the dog.

 

[franko]

After years of raising chickens and having to deal with neighbors dogs killing my chickens, I find it best to shoot the dog or dogs, immediately put them in your pickup and dispose of them. Say nothing to the owner It's the least amount of hassle with neighbors and dog. People who let their dogs kill other neighbors pets or stock deserve nothing better. Sounds harsh, but after losing chicks to a neighbor for months, I confronted them and was told by them, that I shouldn't let my chickens out of the pen and I should build a bigger pin or suffer the consequence of losing my chickens. You'll drive yourself crazy trying to deal with neighbors and dogs. The key is to say nothing to anyone and just dispose of the dog. By the way, I went to our local sheriff and he agreed with me.

 

[MSH]

I have the same problem ! I decided I am going to tell the neighbor ( a friend at animal control gave me the plan lol ) that if her dog comes back in my yard and harrasses my chickens I'm going to legally shoot it and if she doesn't want her dog killed to keep it put up ! then I will do exactly that the dog is ugly evil and always growls and barks at me and my kids in my yard drives me crazy not to mention I've caught it walkin around with my poor chickies in it mouth ! I've shown her pics and she still swears its not her dog ! she'll see soon enough I guess everyone else around here keeps their dogs put up but she must be speacil

 

[FisherMOM]

We just lost 3 chickens to a vicious dog attack this week.. and I have one injured rooster. Animal control did not do a great job on the report. I have pictures of 2 of the dead chickens and pictures of the piles of feathers.... and pictures of my injured rooster. I also have a deposition that my neighbor wrote for me as the dogs had chased my rock rock out of her pen and into his yard, where they tore her to pieces.
i was so sick for days. People think "a chicken, so what" SO what my butt... they were my beloved pets.
Now I have to try to build an even better pen to keep dogs out.

yes, AC came, saw the neighbor's dogs running all over the place, and the neighbor unable to catch them and not really caring too much. But still....
we'll see.