Can I manage my neighbors instead?

[cwc362]

I say put electric fence up too. Not just for that one particular dog- It might also help if yours ever gets out too. You still need a good chicken pen or coop though. Electric fencing is not too expensive if you are not trying to make it too upscale. We used to split boards for posts (stobs) The insulators and wire are not too high new and you might get lucky and advertise on Craig'slist or Freecycle and get a used fencer unit. This isn't a 100% answer but I know how it is to find money for a project. And if that dog acts aggressive toward you or your kids on you property- Shoot and ask questions later. Make sure you get a good powerful fencer, One that won't short out every time a piece of grass falls on it. Good luck and I hope you get everything together to get your chickens!!

 

[sundance]

your not going to change the way your neighbors feel about your chickens, so just forget them, and make other friends, as for the dog, I would sit out and just wait or him to come on my property and SSS, Next time it may be your child he attracts. marrie

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I just moved from the city, (NY) to the country (TN). What irks me is the city people that come to the country and then want to "citify" the country! I moved to the country to live in the country. I couldn't wait to get the heck out of the city!

As for your neighbors dog, I would find out what the laws are in your area pertaining to it. I would get a copy of said laws and mail it to them. I would put them on notice. I would also notify the authorities that there has been a problem with their dog in the past and if you have the right to shoot their dog if their dog threatens you, your home, or your livestock, then I would do it.

I love animals, all animals but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. I also agree with the dog was probably a Malamute. Husky's don't get to be 120 lbs but Malamutes do.

Please make sure you not only take action but you keep a journal of what happens with their dog and what actions you take.

Good luck.

Laurie

 

[jenni2142]

I agree that you should check out the laws. My area is outside of city limits so there is not a "leash law", but there is a law that states the dog owner must contain the dog on his property and must have control over it off of said property, basically it is a leash/fence law without the title. The law also states that I can kill said dog if it is "worrying" my animals. Chickens are wonderful and you deserve to have whatever you wish on your property, build a good fence and do whatever you need to keep them and you safe. I personally keep both a 22 and a 12 gauge ready to go. Good luck.

 

[sm0kin]

just shoot the dog next time it comes around and deliver it to your neighbors. If i understood you correctly you have kids. Any dog that will corner a grown person would not hesitate to corner and attack a child. Get rid of it before it gets worse. I have already shot at a few myself. Next time i will shoot to kill.

 

[Akane]

Electric fence is not barbwire. I would never put up barbwire after all the injuries I've dealt with. Hate the stuff. A couple strands of electric fence is really really cheap as far as fence goes and you can barely even see the stuff so it doesn't block your view or anything. I've walked right into the neighbors 2 strand sheep fence before and as a kid rode my bike into a single strand about shoulder height once. The only moderate cost is the charger. You can get fiberglass or plastic rods for $.10-$.20 each and put them about every 10', a couple $2-$3 bags of fasteners, and a roll or 2 of wire at probably $10 (rough guess since I use tape not wire around horses). People do several miles of this fence around large sheep pastures for maybe a few $100. Like I said the only somewhat expensive part is the charger since even the small ones tend to be $30-$40 and the really strong ones that work no matter what you do to the fenceline can be close to $100. I grabbed a small battery operated charger and all the materials needed to add electric to my 2acre dog yard for about $60. It gets more cost effective the more land you do until you have to step up to the next size of charger. It's about the cheapest and easiest fencing material out there. The neighbor will have the 2 strand fence around his 40acre field up or down in about 2hrs. I'm never keeping anything ever again without an electric perimeter fence as a backup.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
That's what I was thinking. We used to have a dog like that in our neighborhood that was actually a husky/wolf mix.

 

[Chickenmaven]

Quote:
Create a paper trail and quit trying to argue your point with these folks. They aren't your parents (are they?) so they don't need to give you permission.
Sometimes neighbors have to simply coexist. My next door neighbor is nice, but loves four wheelers, snow mobiles, late-night beer drinking bonfire parties.. YeeHaw! (Not my style...)

So, he gets to be Mr. Wild Dude & I get to be the Crazy ChickenLady.

So avoid these people; keep your chickens secured; and do not hesitate to deal with their vicious dog if they will not.
Oh, and enjoy your chickens!!!!

 

[brandywine]

This is the classic entitled rich idiot who builds a McMansion out in the sticks and has some vague idea that dogs "have the right to run." They are the reason country folk are suspicious of those who move from "the city." I can't tell you the job I had convincing my neighbors that I wasn't "one of those" when we bought our farm.

I am CERTAIN that, despite (because of) no leash law, there is a law that holds them strictly liable for any damage their dog does, and one that empowers you to kills the dog to protect your stock. (Not to mention your children.)

Nordic breeds are notoriously unreliable about (a) running away; and (b) killing livestock. Actually, strike that. They are very reliable about it. Most will do so every chance they get. It's unusual for a husky or Malamute to menace a person, and that worries me quite a bit.

I like keeping my dogs "free range." That's one of the thousand reasons why I chose breeds of dog who are inclined to stay home, and then TRAINED them to do so, and SUPERVISE them so they don't expand their home range.

Get online and find the relevant state and county laws about free-roaming dogs and livestock damage. Print 'em and have 'em ready.

Okay, I wouldn't want to kill anyone's dog either -- though I would have shot it when it menaced me on my own property. If you don't want to go there, get a paintball gun and pepper the bugger with red paint. Catch the dog and shave it. Actually, shave part of it. Dye it hot pink. That often gets the owners' attention, and it doesn't harm the dog.

Or take the dog to the animal shelter/pound as a stray, which it is. Let the owners pay a hefty fine to redeem it. They're already probably paying a balloon mortgage on a 400 k trophy house, so I'm sure they can afford it.

And then convince all the rest of your neighbors to join you in your poultry-keeping hobby.

I would put in a fence. It's not just one person's marauding dog you need to think about. It's your responsibility to contain YOUR animals, too.

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

About ten years ago someone from the "big city" bought a piece of land close to the school that was inbetween farm fields on all sides. The man's wife started complaining that the heavy machinery running all the time was anoying. Then it was unattractive mechanical sheds going up without permits. (No permit required here for ag buildings.) Three years of petty complaints to building and zoning later and suddenly all the farmers in the area became interested in hog farming. Their lot is now literally surrounded by pig pens on three sides with another accross the street.
We keep our pigs on another piece of property where no one is bothered by them but on the few occasions I've had people express their distaste with the birds I've casually mentioned that I'm thinking of getting a few sows here too.