➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[ShrekDawg]

Random musings of the day..... A few years ago, we were plagued by those Asian Beetles. They look like Ladybugs but aren't. They would be on the house, around the house and IN the house. Everywhere. For the past couple of years, this year being the worst so far, it is Stink Bugs. I mean, they are out in ridiculous numbers. All along the side of the house and yes, indoors. I see them out on and sometimes in, the chicken coops. Crawling and hanging out on anything they can. They are like an armored cockroach. I hate these things. And they will pinch if they feel like it. They are procreating profusely and are a nuisance. Anyone else having an issue with them? How to get rid of them? Are they the reason that the Asian beetles are no longer around. They've been replaced by them? Ugh! I hate these things!

That sounds absolutely awful!!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

I should also probably add that for me guns are a last resort. For other people, they’re the first and/or only option, which is fine, but I also just don’t have that luxury here like I mentioned. They’re not allowed in town (or at least not allowed to be shot) and even if they were, I don’t even own one. So for me it can’t be my only defense. And we also just don’t have issues like this here. So I guess I also just have a slightly different perspective because here practically no one owns a gun and they’re the last thing on most people’s minds.

 

[Conan]

I get it, I do, but I also don’t think it’s necessarily limitless chances for these dogs. They were only caught once and they were with a completely idiot owner before so for me, they haven’t even really had one chance yet. I think they at least deserve to be placed with an experienced, responsible person and given a real chance. And if they hadn’t been surrendered, they would still be alive anyway and likely be contained and trained and be good dogs, so I don’t really see how that’s different than someone else taking them.

That said, I’m aware that people probably won’t want to adopt them, even if they’re otherwise good dogs, so in this case it may be best for them to just be put down rather than rot in a shelter, but I do think they deserve a chance. Probably won’t be given one though.

All that said, I also, again, don’t think a dog has to be a bad or nasty or vicious rotten dog to kill chickens. Franklin probably would and he’s the best dog in the world. And I’m sure plenty of Golden’s would if given the chance. I know for sure my friend’s Goldens probably would. Maybe not intentionally though. They’re just giant flapping squeaky toys to them and it’d probably be a game. Maybe some dogs purposely want to hurt/maim. Idk.

I think I also come from a completely different perspective and world though. Maybe I’m too soft or too emotional or whatever but I think by loving training so much and wanting to become a trainer, I might possibly have more of a perspective of wanting to save them or fix them or whatever. Especially since I also studied behavioral science/psychology. This behavior stuff interests me and I guess I want to figure out why dogs (or people or chickens or whatever animal) do what they do and fix it/train them. I realize not everyone will agree with that but I do think most animals at least deserve a real chance. Most of them can be fixed.

But I realize that not every single one can be.

But anyways, the completely different world thing was also meant in that I live in more of a town/suburb rather than rural. If we have a problem here, we call animal control or the police. We also have pretty strict gun laws here and you need a license to carry and also can’t shoot within 500 feet of any residences so that effectively means we can’t shoot at all. Guns and shooting animals are not an option here.

But in addition to that, we also really have never had an issue with loose dogs or anything. Had the occasional one come through our property, yeah, but it’s not often at all and they usually are just passing through.

I am sure maybe I would differently if I had to deal with loose dogs all the time. I’m sure that would get old. So I get it.

But I still don’t think I would shoot them even if I could or if it was a common occurrence. Idk. Again, maybe I’m too soft, but I think I’d just call animal control and/or scare it off rather than kill it. If the same one came by multiple times I’d probably take stricter actions but I also know it’s likely the idiot owner’s fault and not the dog’s so I think I’d probably call the owner/bring them back and give the owner a chance to contain the dog. It could have just gotten loose by accident one time or something. But if it happened again, maybe I’d kill it. Idk. Never had to deal with that. I still think I’d probably do a warning shot nearby or an air horn or pepper spray or something though rather than a lethal shot but idk.

Anyway, sorry I keep rambling.

There's a difference between a dog that chases an errant loose chicken in an opportunistic manner than a dog who will tear apart metal and wood to get to an animal just to kill it. Those two things are not even remotely the same thing in my mind. Of course most untrained dogs will chase chickens. No question of that, but I don't know a lot of dogs that have the dedication to tear apart coops and pens to kill when they aren't even hungry.

 

[Conan]

Random musings of the day..... A few years ago, we were plagued by those Asian Beetles. They look like Ladybugs but aren't. They would be on the house, around the house and IN the house. Everywhere. For the past couple of years, this year being the worst so far, it is Stink Bugs. I mean, they are out in ridiculous numbers. All along the side of the house and yes, indoors. I see them out on and sometimes in, the chicken coops. Crawling and hanging out on anything they can. They are like an armored cockroach. I hate these things. And they will pinch if they feel like it. They are procreating profusely and are a nuisance. Anyone else having an issue with them? How to get rid of them? Are they the reason that the Asian beetles are no longer around. They've been replaced by them? Ugh! I hate these things!

Every few years we get the ladybug infestation too. I thought they were just ladybugs, though. We also get stinkbugs, but not in droves. Just a few here and there crawling around on the the walls. This year I have noticed them sucking the juice out of my raspberries. Dirty buggers!

 

[ShrekDawg]

There's a difference between a dog that chases an errant loose chicken in an opportunistic manner than a dog who will tear apart metal and wood to get to an animal just to kill it. Those two things are not even remotely the same thing in my mind. Of course most untrained dogs will chase chickens. No question of that, but I don't know a lot of dogs that have the dedication to tear apart coops and pens to kill when they aren't even hungry.

Hmm I guess that’s true. And it is a little weird that they spent so much time on these pens when they could have been out running around and exploring way more. Sure there’s way more fun things out there. Definitely seems a bit odd. And the fact that they climbed up on the top. That takes smarts. But then again GSDs are smart dogs so maybe their brains just weren’t being used enough/they were bored. Idk.

Anyway, I think I thought you were saying any dog that even chases chickens at all or kills by accident was a bad dog. That’s part of why I was saying I don’t think that alone makes a bad dog or warrants death. Sorry, misunderstanding I guess.

 

[BantyChooks]

There's a difference between a dog that chases an errant loose chicken in an opportunistic manner than a dog who will tear apart metal and wood to get to an animal just to kill it. Those two things are not even remotely the same thing in my mind. Of course most untrained dogs will chase chickens. No question of that, but I don't know a lot of dogs that have the dedication to tear apart coops and pens to kill when they aren't even hungry.

Agreed. I had a husky that repeatedly terrorized my flock a few years ago. The damage he did to my run was such that I thought a bear had done it. He killed more birds than I can even remember at this point, some of which were very special to me. I don't think he deserved any more chances after that. He was a far cry from a random overexcited mutt that thought he'd have some fun chasing feathery things. He caught them, killed them, and then moved on without even sniffing the bird ever again. I don't care if it's instinct or not. It's a bad instinct.

 

[ShrekDawg]

There's a difference between a dog that chases an errant loose chicken in an opportunistic manner than a dog who will tear apart metal and wood to get to an animal just to kill it. Those two things are not even remotely the same thing in my mind. Of course most untrained dogs will chase chickens. No question of that, but I don't know a lot of dogs that have the dedication to tear apart coops and pens to kill when they aren't even hungry.

Oh and that said, I forgot to add before, I also think there’s somewhat of a difference in shooting the dog in the act of killing birds/actively defending your stock and putting them down later. I think if they were going to be put down anyway, they should have just been shot right then and there rather than be put through the trauma of being in a strange shelter environment. Would have been kinder.

 

[R2elk]

I also don’t think it’s necessarily limitless chances for these dogs. They were only caught once and they were with a completely idiot owner before so for me, they haven’t even really had one chance yet.

Killer dogs do not reform. Around here there are no second chances for killers of any sort.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Agreed. I had a husky that repeatedly terrorized my flock a few years ago. The damage he did to my run was such that I thought a bear had done it. He killed more birds than I can even remember at this point, some of which were very special to me. I don't think he deserved any more chances after that. He was a far cry from a random overexcited mutt that thought he'd have some fun chasing feathery things. He caught them, killed them, and then moved on without even sniffing the bird ever again. I don't care if it's instinct or not. It's a bad instinct.

Sorry about your birds.

What happened to the dog? Did you end up shooting him?

Completely understandable in that case.

Although I still think it’s on the owner for not providing him enough mental stimulation and exercise. Huskies and GSDs are smart dogs and need to use their brains as well as running.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Killer dogs do not reform. Around here there are no second chances for killers of any sort.

I don’t think that’s true. I’ve read plenty of stories, even on this very site, of dogs that have killed a few chickens when first being introduced/trained and then never again after being trained. It is possible.

But obviously it’s different if it’s not your own dog and I completely understand protecting the flock but training is possible if it’s your own dog.

But also it’s completely different here. We can’t shoot so I have to come up with other options.