Worried about neighbor's loose beagle getting my chickens!

[chickengeorgeto]

From reading the OP I don't believe that the pooch has displayed any interest yet in running, trailing, or hunting chickens. In my opinion confronting neighbor before the fact is not a wise use of community good will. It will only earn you the title of the Neighborhood Grinch, and slinging threats invites preemptive revenge from your neighbors, very likely at the hands of the same ANIMAL CONTROL agency you would use. Not only will an electric fence solve this dog problem, it will solve 99.9% of all future 4 legged critter problems maybe for the next 50 years and dogs don't talk.

 

[nova022]

I really do want to file a complaint with animal control or just take it to the shelter, as suggested, but I also do not want to make my neighbors my enemy. There are one or more disabled persons in their house so I can see how the dog would get out easily, but that does not excuse them. Would there be a way to stop this threat politely enough to not cause a ton of drama with my neighbors? Also, I really don't have the money for an electric fence

How secure are your run and coop? If you do not want to create an enemy maybe you can dog proof your run. I have mine enclosed in 1/2" hardware cloth and it withstood a two plus hour our attack by two labs who did everything they could to get into it. I have it on trail cam. I have never seen those dogs before and haven't seen them since, but if I do they will be going to the pound, enemy or no.

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

I have one particular neighbor that I have battled with for over a decade. Over the years he has had at at least a dozen trouble causing dogs.

Steps I have taken to deal with his dogs:

1. Asked him nicely to keep them up.
2. Had the police ask him to keep them up.
3. Relocated his dogs.
4. Shot the dogs.
5. Called Animal Control to pick up the dogs and he has had to pay a fine to get them back.

Results:

Talking to the owner worked for a bit until he "forgot' to pin them or they "escaped".

The police talking to him generated the same result.

Relocating his dogs meant he went and got new dogs.

Shooting the dogs made me feel guilty for killing a dog because it's owner was an idiot. And it made the owner dangerously angry... then he would go get new dogs.

Animal Control and Fines... We have a winner!! This one has worked for over 4 months. I caught his two dogs after my mini horse, grabbed them and called the dog catcher. I finally found what hurt the neighbor most: Paying to get his dogs back! One month later I caught one of his dogs back at the horse. I caught the dog and turned it over to the dog catcher again. Bigger fines for repeat offenses!

The dogs have not been back to visit since!

 

[CreativeCowgirl]

My coop is secure from dogs, however my run is not. I think any determined dog could dig under it. When I built it I intended it to be mostly just to keep chickens in, I don't think the neighbors had this beagle at the time so I didn't think of the possibility of a loose dog trying to get at my chickens. Perhaps I will look into the hot wire, that seems like a good option, even though I may have to spend some $$. It is a rather large run though, so it could be expensive Still considering my options...

 

[CreativeCowgirl]

If I do decide to go with the electric fence, how would I find the right one and set it up? I have been browsing for some electric fences online but they all seem to be for horses and cattle, which if I am only going to be using it for chickens, seems like overkill to me. Also, I don't want to fry my chickens with too strong of a fence lol, I just want to keep the dogs away.

 

[cntrywmnkw]

You might try like a Tractor Supply or something like that, also some of the hatcheries sponsored on this site have electric chicken fencing. All you would really need is maybe one hot wire about 6" from the ground, all around your pen & maybe another a couple of feet up, if you don't have electric to or for your coop or pen, you can get ones that are battery powered.

 

[centrarchid]

Birds will quickly learn to avoid fencing if you do not set it up so they can't access it. I would want fencing setup to provide an outside perimeter to deny predator opportunity to challenge coop / run construction. The smaller units are designed to keep a perimeter fence hot around several units so what you are likely to purchase will be overkill. Most have pictures of animals they repell. Remember, electric fences are not designed to kill or cause significant harm.

 

[CreativeCowgirl]

Would an extension cord from the house be a good enough electricity source lol? I have set up electric fences before but only the battery powered ones for horses, so I'm not quite sure how to set it up for chickens, other than setting it closer to the ground.

 

[cassie]

If it were me, I would invest in some electric poultry netting. It is not all that expensive and it si cheap insurance. If it is not your neighbor's beagle after your chickens, it will be something else. Just put up the fence and save yourself a LOT of grief.

 

[cassie]

If I do decide to go with the electric fence, how would I find the right one and set it up? I have been browsing for some electric fences online but they all seem to be for horses and cattle, which if I am only going to be using it for chickens, seems like overkill to me. Also, I don't want to fry my chickens with too strong of a fence lol, I just want to keep the dogs away.

Go on line. Google "electric poultry fencing" and see what comes up. Randall Burkey carries it, and there are several others that do.