calling any one from missouri

[OzarkCountryGirl]

Bad day here went to go to breakfast something got into pen and coop killed all but three heads bitten off some look liked they just dropped very sad day , any idea on what it might have been

I'm so sorry.

Growing up I lived not far from the river and the mink would occasionally sneak up through the woods (we were surrounded on three sides by Mark Twain National Forest), find their way into the run and take the heads off of our chickens. Tried various traps and they were just too smart. We finally got a really good farm dog and the massacres stopped.

 

[elorraine52]

I'm so sorry.

Growing up I lived not far from the river and the mink would occasionally sneak up through the woods (we were surrounded on three sides by Mark Twain National Forest), find their way into the run and take the heads off of our chickens. Tried various traps and they were just too smart. We finally got a really good farm dog and the massacres stopped.

what kind of farm dog did you get? I really need to get one soon!!

 

[potagergirl]

We have been thinking about a farm dog but hubby isn't fond of puppies and I worry about an older dog bothering my chicks.
Not sure if we will end up with one or not.

 

[jellybellyx6]

We are looking for these breeds if anyone is looking to sell just let me know. We are located about 45 north of Springfield, MO

Black Australorp
Cuckoo Marans Hens
Welsummers
Araucana
French Copper Marans
White Leghorn Hens
Delaware Hens
Sumatras
Blue Lace Wyandottes

Bantams​

Easter Egger
Cochin

 

[RedNeckRosie]

We are in SouthEast MO., just above the boot heel.

If I read that right you said that the heads were taken off your chickens? We had that happen, couldn't figure out which critter was doing it. No feathers or other evidence laying around, just our poor headless chickens and ducks.


We wired a chicken breast into a live trap, our culprit turned out to be a VERY old hoot owl. He got relocated a good ways from our place, by the river. That guy had a missing eye, missing claws yet to us, he looked to be alpha.

Hoping to find other members from our area.

 

[ocap]

We are looking for these breeds if anyone is looking to sell just let me know. We are located about 45 north of Springfield, MO

Black Australorp
Cuckoo Marans Hens
Welsummers
Araucana
French Copper Marans
White Leghorn Hens
Delaware Hens
Sumatras
Blue Lace Wyandottes

Bantams​

Easter Egger
Cochin

I have Australorp (Black) plus five other breeds/varieties that are not on your list. My wyandottes are silver penciled.

 

[carolsmith7878]

We have been thinking about a farm dog but hubby isn't fond of puppies and I worry about an older dog bothering my chicks.
Not sure if we will end up with one or not.

A good farm dog is well worth the time, effort, and money. All of our neighbors have lost birds frequently to predators. We have a golden retriever/poodle mix that was an adult when we got chickens. He trained quickly and alerts instantly if our birds make any indication of trouble. Haven't lost a single bird to predators while he is on patrol. He is so good, we went back to the breeder and purchased his younger sister (3 years-old) and brother (1 year-old) as well. All are exceptional dogs and trained quite easily. In fact, the younger male chased our birds at first, and had 0 training with cats or chickens (we keep both). With a watchful eye, and praise for "correct" reactions to the birds (and cats) for a month or two, he has become just as awesome as our first dog, and they work as a team against predators in our yard.

Nothing beats a good farm dog. I can't be outside on guard all the time when I freerange the birds in the afternoon/evening, but they can (and enjoy having a job to do). Our birds (and cats) are our pets, and an investment of our time and money. Because we live in an area of the Ozarks with a large number of predators and enjoy free ranging our birds, the dogs are the best option for us.

 

[elorraine52]

A good farm dog is well worth the time, effort, and money. All of our neighbors have lost birds frequently to predators. We have a golden retriever/poodle mix that was an adult when we got chickens. He trained quickly and alerts instantly if our birds make any indication of trouble. Haven't lost a single bird to predators while he is on patrol. He is so good, we went back to the breeder and purchased his younger sister (3 years-old) and brother (1 year-old) as well. All are exceptional dogs and trained quite easily. In fact, the younger male chased our birds at first, and had 0 training with cats or chickens (we keep both). With a watchful eye, and praise for "correct" reactions to the birds (and cats) for a month or two, he has become just as awesome as our first dog, and they work as a team against predators in our yard.

Nothing beats a good farm dog. I can't be outside on guard all the time when I freerange the birds in the afternoon/evening, but they can (and enjoy having a job to do). Our birds (and cats) are our pets, and an investment of our time and money. Because we live in an area of the Ozarks with a large number of predators and enjoy free ranging our birds, the dogs are the best option for us.

I've been thinking of going to the dog shelter and seeing if I can find a good guard dog for the chooks.....wonder if they would have anything?

 

[carolsmith7878]

I've been thinking of going to the dog shelter and seeing if I can find a good guard dog for the chooks.....wonder if they would have anything?

It's always a gamble when you get an older dog, over a younger one that you can train from scratch (though this can also be time consuming and difficult

). We knew our dog's temperament very well before getting chickens, and also what his brother's and sister's temperaments would be like. Going to a shelter, you have no idea what the dogs may be like in a home situation (their behavior can be very different within the shelter).

While I commend you for going to a shelter to adopt a dog, I would ask if the shelter has a policy for return within a month or so if it doesn't work out with your chickens. Look for a dog that is eager to please you, and fairly mellow (but not couch potato behavior). You want something active enough to want to run after foxes and raccoons, but not so excitable that it wants to chase and pursue every little animal (such as chickens).

Does anybody else have any good suggestions about what to look for?

 

[ocap]

I've been thinking of going to the dog shelter and seeing if I can find a good guard dog for the chooks.....wonder if they would have anything?

It's always a gamble when you get an older dog, over a younger one that you can train from scratch (though this can also be time consuming and difficult

). We knew our dog's temperament very well before getting chickens, and also what his brother's and sister's temperaments would be like. Going to a shelter, you have no idea what the dogs may be like in a home situation (their behavior can be very different within the shelter).

While I commend you for going to a shelter to adopt a dog, I would ask if the shelter has a policy for return within a month or so if it doesn't work out with your chickens. Look for a dog that is eager to please you, and fairly mellow (but not couch potato behavior). You want something active enough to want to run after foxes and raccoons, but not so excitable that it wants to chase and pursue every little animal (such as chickens).

Does anybody else have any good suggestions about what to look for?

we found our dog as a house trained puppy on the "petfinder" web site. I have also been thinking about another dog and found rescue sites for the specific livestock guard dog breed:
http://asdrl.org/gpage1.html