being diplomatic to neighbor with dog killing my free-range chickens

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Nothing yet. Leader of household has not been seen since incedent but he will be approached when he comes home. I will speak to him without actually presenting letter but will cover points listed. Since last round, dog has not been seen and is presumably being kept indoors. I do not consider that to be a long-term protection plan because dog will get out again eventually. I will formally offer to help break dog of chicken killing habit so dog can be outside more. Free-ranging dog that is not threat to my livestock is best of all worlds since it will be another critter-hostile patch wild predators will have to cross to get to my flocks. That should help preserve relationship with neighbor.

 

[halo]

Quote:
So, by your logic unless you have a 16' high solid board fence topped with electrified razor wire and a gate that rivals an ICBM installation my theoretical neighbor who hates rooster crowing is well within his rights shooting your bird, right? We are not talking about a feral predator here, but an out-of-control household pet. I cannot speak for where the OP lives, but here in rural Texas we can and do protect our livestock. Shoot the darn thing and be done with it. If your neighbor thought that much of his dog he would have protected it from getting into the road and run over, being attacked by a pack of wild dogs or an irate chicken rancher.

You don't seem to understand logic. You're assuming that one dog is the end of the predator problems. It likely isnt. I agree, the dog should be taken care of. But without protecting your birds, you'll be fighting this over and over, even with wild predators that no one has to keep on a leash or behind a fence. With chickens, come predators. Chickens are at the bottom of the food chain, so be it dogs, or hawks, or coons, or coyotes, chickens need protection.

 

[ChickcrazyCharlie]

Quote:
So, by your logic unless you have a 16' high solid board fence topped with electrified razor wire and a gate that rivals an ICBM installation my theoretical neighbor who hates rooster crowing is well within his rights shooting your bird, right? We are not talking about a feral predator here, but an out-of-control household pet. I cannot speak for where the OP lives, but here in rural Texas we can and do protect our livestock. Shoot the darn thing and be done with it. If your neighbor thought that much of his dog he would have protected it from getting into the road and run over, being attacked by a pack of wild dogs or an irate chicken rancher.

You don't seem to understand logic. You're assuming that one dog is the end of the predator problems. It likely isnt. I agree, the dog should be taken care of. But without protecting your birds, you'll be fighting this over and over, even with wild predators that no one has to keep on a leash or behind a fence. With chickens, come predators. Chickens are at the bottom of the food chain, so be it dogs, or hawks, or coons, or coyotes, chickens need protection.

x2, We don't live in a perfect world. Protect your own, because no one else will.

 

[centrarchid]

halo,

Logic is not what is differing here. It is the range of predator, disease, nutrition and environmental control measures we can or decide to employ. I have chosen the free-range option to reduce nutritional and environmental control. At the same time very different predator and disease control management methods are needed and they can have limitations. Predator control is of greatest interest here so that will be where I will concentrate my discussion. Key to my predator control is a free-ranging dog that is not fully matured into his role. He is very effective against all wild ground predators and only great-horned owls have taken the smallest of small they could carry without coming down into reach of dog. It is domestic dogs that present the greatest challenge. The dog in this case is not out after a meal or operating with common sense in respect to self preservation like smaller coyote or fox does. The dog is simply having fun. The latter wild predators are not going to knowingly risk their life for a meal of chicken. The dog does not generally have the same risk aversion patterns and has time to wait for openings to visit making it a more formidable challenge to a livestock guarding dog. The first point in nut shell is wild predators are easier to manage for in my situation without need for a fence. Second point is I will tolerate some level of loss as do most certainly you at a lower level or to different causes. I will challenge you by saying you may tolerate more losses than someone else because you have very poorly developed control measures despite you not tolerating losses or risks I deal with.

 

[halo]

I dont disagree with what you are saying. Im just stating that without a fence, you greatly increase your chance of losing chickens to dogs. Your neighbors dog is not the only dog you will have problems with. A good wire fence will stop 95% of all dogs. It wont stop wild predators. Some of the smallest dogs are the worst predators on chickens, so a good fence is a good deterrant.

 

[Beekissed]

Agreed! That would be my very first line of defense....and was when I decided to start free ranging. Then I added a second line....MY guardian dogs. Then a third, a roo for an alarm system and, of course, plenty of duck and cover.

I've not had to shoot a single predator in the last 6 years of free ranging. Nor have I suffered bird loss, financial losses nor had to write a letter to the neighbor.

Just goes to show you that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of being obtuse about the most efficient way(s) to free range.

 

[centrarchid]

This thread has run its course and no longer productive. It is time to have it termintated.

 

[Judy]

Closed at OP request.