Animal control is on its way...Update post 73...

[Kittymomma]

That's a tough situation. Not only the lack of recourse for the losses, but that future family members aren't more considerate of you.

The only other thing that comes to mind is to try electric fence. It won't do the dog any harm and he'll only get "bit" if he's trying to go thru the fence. Run it 3-4" from the ground if you can go that low and probably another couple of strands at 6-8" intervals above the first. Terriers are (generally) super prey driven and VERY smart, stubborn, focused, so this is a tough one. Good luck with the dog and the in-laws.

 

[MimiChick]

You probably should have posted your own thread, because this is a little more complicated than the OP. That being said, the first thing you need to do is get your fiancé involved. He needs to put his foot down with his mother regarding her dog destroying your property.
Obviously, your future MIL has very little respect for you and your property. The dog killed 15 of your chickens - they replaced 4. The dog then killed another 15 chickens and they got you 2 turkeys (did you ask for turkeys?). There is really something wrong with this picture.
If your fiancé can’t or won’t deal with his mother, you need to make a decision. *Don’t marry into this family - *Marry anyway and continue to lose chickens - *Put your foot down with your future MIL or have the dog picked up by animal control (or make it disappear quietly yourself) and take whatever consequences there may be - *Stop raising chickens.
If she doesn’t respect you now, she may never respect you and your life as a DIL will certainly be less than happy.
Good luck.

 

[Kenabelle]

Thanks for the input. It's grampas land, btw, so neither of us really has a say about that.. I think I'm going to have to go electric, cruising craigslist now. Atleast she's helped me to make the fence better enforced. I guess the real problem I have is that they're so ok with the situation. We all saw the aftermath of the massacres, and they saw me bawling my eyes out, so I just don't see how they can be so inconsiderate of my feelings. We all work together and are on good terms! They just seem to think that chickens are just stupid animals that we eat, so the death isn't a big deal when a dogs doing what a dog is programmed to do.. They even feed the dog chicken in front of me and make jokes about the 30+dead chickens.

I'd really like to shoot the darn thing and eat it! (and I'm a vegetarian!)

on a side note, they got me the turkeys to protect the chickens "for next time" (next time?!?!).. Aren't turkeys just as vulnerable to dogs? Would a goat in the pen help? I'm thinking defense here, something that will beat the snot out of that dog if it got in..

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
They have no respect for you. If your fiance doesn't step up to the plate and defend you by putting his foot down about the dog, that is a huge red flag that life will be miserable around these inlaws and your future DH might not back you up. Your future DH should be talking to them about this. Remember, people can only use you as a doormat if you lay down and let them. The next time they joke, make a joke about dogs getting shot then show them your brand new shotgun.

 

[MimiChick]

Quote:
That's the biggest problem honey. And it's not going to get any better until someone puts thier foot down about it. If you or your fiance can't, you can't. You'll just have to get used to the fact that they obviously don't care much about you or your feelings, or have any respect for you or your property. Is this really what you want for your future? Sorry, but you have to face it for what it is.

 

[Fudgie]

Quote:
Do they make a harness style, that one is not coming off easily!!!

 

[Kenabelle]

Well, I think I'm gonna have to put on my big girl pants and man up.. I've talked to her about it, and she seemed genuinely sorry, I just don't think they realize how much $$ and time and love go into chickens- they see them as a lesser animal, like a rat or spider, you know? He's talked to her about it and hes been really upset over the whole thing (dealing with family, dealing with me, and blaming himself because he built and fixed the whole pen and coop 3x now). The dog disappeared for a month. Yesterday, it's back, just one week before the babies go out. "you should just look at the way she looks at us when we go to the shop, she just really wants to come" she says. I say,"it's because she has live toys to play with and kill!" to which she says, "I promise to keep her inside with me." and this morning, who's outside the window, staring into the coop? The darn rat terrier.

I love my fiancé, and am not planning on letting this ruin us. I just need to find a way to keep the dog away, and if I have to secretly kill it, that's what I'll do. I've lost too many birds. I've trained my roommate's pit bull to keep away from the chickens! My dog stays away from the chickens! Do you think breaking glass around the perimeter is too much? Thanks, again.

 

[onthespot]

How about a a paint ball gun? Won't kill the dog, but it'll scare the feces out of it. It will also make their dog ugly every time they (MIL) screws up and lets it out. Or you could just peg MIL with the paintball gun every time you find her dog around the pen. Won't hurt her but it would get her attention, LOL JUST KIDDING! Sorry for your tough situation. I second the hot wire. Go crazy and just string fresh kidneys all over it when you fire it up the first time.

 

[Melissakins]

A strand of electric wire or two as previously mentioned might deter the terrier from wanting to come too close to your girls. I have a retriever x who patrols the back yard for us, but he also has a fairly high prey drive. He knows the chickens are off limits, but it didn't stop him from trying to dig until we put the electric fence up. One bite of the fence was enough for him - 65 lbs of dog.

We also have two Newfoundlands who are as sweet as can be and don't have a mean bone in their body. Sophie, our girl LOVES the chickens and wants to protect them but got nipped by the fence so she stays as far away from them as she can. She's over 100 lbs.

You won't be the cause of the terrier being "bitten" directly but after a time or two of being nipped, he/she should redirect his or her attention to something else, like wild birds flying around, not what's behind the fence. It won't cost too much to put up or maintain either nor will it kill or maim the dog. If you really want to have a last effect, sprinkle the ground around the pen so it's wet and let the dog get nipped while standing in it. We used foot long pieces of PVC with holes drilled at varying heights to allow for water drainage for running the wire through and a small fence charger.

I LOVE dogs but I won't put up with them trying to eat my birds or any of my other animals. Electric fence gives them great incentive for trying to stay away from them.

 

[chooniecat]

if hubby is a "softie" wheres the softness for the poor fowl? I love ALL animals(yeah-coons too) and am all about 2nd chances but dogs are domestic and harder to discourage(well-mine aren't cause they're well excersized and tended) so a neighbors dog that doesn't give a hoot if you are mad can't be frightened away probably and I would shoot to kill quickly(I am a humane person and killing is NOT my first choice) only had to ping one neighbors dog with bb after she refused to keep her dog home. he still LOOKS over here and its been 13 yrs since that incident. (he was on my property barking at a possum-hey- I like the possums-I have since scared them all away with my trap/scare/release method and it DOES work)