Chickens VS. Dogs

[Howard E]

Not sure if it has a bearing on things or not, but all my birds were trained to the fence from an early age. About 10 weeks of age. And all trained by a single, low strand. Wire or tape. All of them would step on it to go over and got zapped on the bottom of a foot doing it. Once that happens......they seem to fear what is on the other side. I've left it off and it took a week before any of them crossed it. But once one did, they all started. Turn it back on and all that stops and they stay in again.

Then once the birds are trained to the fence.........I start adding wires to get to a height that dogs and other predators can't simply step over. Two strands might work if you bait it to start. I like 4.......and I bait those too.

For a lot of reasons, I've had better luck with fences than poultry netting. Birds may fly over poultry netting.......they see it as a physical fence. And it is harder to maintain. But probably better protection from foxes, coons, etc. Netting fences are expensive, but not much is going to get past a well maintained and properly setup netting fence.

 

[centrarchid]

Not sure if it has a bearing on things or not, but all my birds were trained to the fence from an early age. About 10 weeks of age. And all trained by a single, low strand. Wire or tape. All of them would step on it to go over and got zapped on the bottom of a foot doing it. Once that happens......they seem to fear what is on the other side. I've left it off and it took a week before any of them crossed it. But once one did, they all started. Turn it back on and all that stops and they stay in again.

Then once the birds are trained to the fence.........I start adding wires to get to a height that dogs and other predators can't simply step over. Two strands might work if you bait it to start. I like 4.......and I bait those too.

For a lot of reasons, I've had better luck with fences than poultry netting. Birds may fly over poultry netting.......they see it as a physical fence. And it is harder to maintain. But probably better protection from foxes, coons, etc. Netting fences are expensive, but not much is going to get past a well maintained and properly setup netting fence.

I will try that approach during 2019 production season with juveniles.

 

[Col1948]

I'm in the UK so as most of you know we don't normally carry guns unless you are a farmer, they sometimes have guns for various wildlife etc.

Forgive my ignorance but what 'SSS' I see mentioned in the posts?

If you do happen to have to shoot a dog you can always say it was dark and you thought it was a fox or coyote lol.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'm in the UK so as most of you know we don't normally carry guns unless you are a farmer, they sometimes have guns for various wildlife etc.

Forgive my ignorance but what 'SSS' I see mentioned in the posts?

If you do happen to have to shoot a dog you can always say it was dark and you thought it was a fox or coyote lol.

SSS shoot, shovel, shut up.
I am not a fan of the idea myself. If I have to shoot your dog I'll return it to you and I would hope others would do the same if it was my dog killing their birds.
I don't want someone searching forever for a dog that was killed. IDK guess I'd rather them know the truth then always wondering and thinking its off starving somewhere.

 

[centrarchid]

I'm in the UK so as most of you know we don't normally carry guns unless you are a farmer, they sometimes have guns for various wildlife etc.

Forgive my ignorance but what 'SSS' I see mentioned in the posts?

If you do happen to have to shoot a dog you can always say it was dark and you thought it was a fox or coyote lol.

You do not shoot unless you have positive ID and no risk of collateral damage; do not shoot at shadows. Dogs as individuals are very easy to distinguish from each other. I have yet to see a domestic dog that could not be distinguished from a wild canid.

All I have had to shoot were during the day when seeing good and range very close. Shots I take drop target immediately as in head shot. I have never peppered a dog or human with a shotgun as legal issues associated with that. Shoot to kill.

 

[Folly's place]

Bad things happen when there's not a very clear shot, and a very safe background behind that shot!
Mary

 

[The Moonshiner]

@Howard E and @centrarchid
What heights do you put the strands?
What keeps foxes or coyotes from just jumping it?

 

[centrarchid]

@Howard E and @centrarchid
What heights do you put the strands?
What keeps foxes or coyotes from just jumping it?

6", 16" and about 26". Some foxes may jump through, but they are antsy about it. Domestic cats jump through while I watch them. My dogs will jump over, but they had to have intermediate steps where they jumped over something they could see well and not zap them. Coyotes are likely not familiar enough with hotwire here because no one else appears to use it. The leaky nature of my fencing is compensated for by my dogs. The fencing works very well against dogs that are not mine because the dogs do not have time to learn it.

I will likely install two more strands to if leaks can be sealed. I have lots of attractant most poultry keepers likely do not have inside their fence, lots of rabbits, so the canids have real motivation to get in even when no chickens out. I have watched a rabbit evade a Red Fox by simply hopping real close to hotwire keeping the fox on the other side. Fox could get within 15' of rabbit yet would not dart through fence.

Others peoples dogs handily a bigger issue here so fence smart.

 

[Compost King]

I worry more about liabilities when the neighbors stupid kid touches the fence and some crazy lawyer finds out. If you are comfortable with an electric fence and want to pay for one and can sleep easy with a liability like that then I am more than cool with you having an electric fence. For some people it's likely the perfect solution. It's definitely not a direction I am going in though.

 

[centrarchid]

I worry more about liabilities when the neighbors stupid kid touches the fence and some crazy lawyer finds out. If you are comfortable with an electric fence and want to pay for one and can sleep easy with a liability like that then I am more than cool with you having an electric fence. For some people it's likely the perfect solution. It's definitely not a direction I am going in though.

You can do a couple things on the liability side. Put up warning signs first on fence itself. Then have to when someone touches it, make so they are trespassing. Secondly, have little kids of your own growing up around the stuff and surviving, I did. I and my kids have been shocked many times. No body hurt. Stay away from chargers that can cause real harm.