You can have 17 shotguns, 13 pistols and 6 tin cans full of rocks, but if you ain't there to use them, then they will protect nothing. The electric fence works when you are at home, it works at night, it works when you are gone, it works all the time.
Dog? Have read a few post about the guard dog, eating the chickens. Besides you don't have time to train a dog, you need protection for your chickens now!!!!!!
Quote:
Electric fence well place and well maintained is nice, but I do have two wonderful Anatolian Sheppard great dogs with the family and stock but fierce when it comes to predators of any kind. Some times you can find one at a breed rescue type place? Just an idea a LGD type dog would keep all comers at bay from birds to bears.
We've never lost more than one or two pullets at a time to loan coyotes or bobcats. A pack of coyotes may make off with multiple hens, but bobcats don't pack up and very rarely waste energy on killing sprees. I'm thinking it's possible that something else has also been visiting your henhouse. The only time we've lost multiple hens was to dogs.
Please don't hit me - it's just something to think about...