Dogs

[MattyL]

I realize this is my first post, but come on. How many threads are dedicated to shooting dogs? I realize that dogs kill chickens. I realize people enjoy their chickens. I fail to see how shooting a neighbors dog is justified if a chicken is killed. Dogs chase things, it happens. I am a chicken person and a dog person. $*%& happens. As a rescuer, I see countless tales of dogs being mistreated by crappy and irresponsible owners. I have 5 dogs and about 30 ish chickens (along with a lot of other critters). For me, it would take A LOT to shoot a dog. killing one of my chickens wouldn't be nearly enough. shooting a dog for attacking one of my kids.....sure. But that's just me.

I live in the middle of nowhere in PA but I have 4 close neighbors with farmland surrounding us. I keep my dogs on an underground fence, my neighbor lets his lab run free. his lab comes to visit my dogs regularly.....doesn't bother me at all. His son and I have been training his lab to be a bird dog (none of my dogs were interested). This poses a problem because the dog has a tough time distinguishing between pheasants, ducks and chickens. I allow my birds to free range during the day but lock them up at night. this past weekend, the neighbor was cutting firewood and had his lab nearby, my chickens were out as well. The lab decides to have some fun and chase the chickens around. Luckily, he's not that great of a bird dog yet and he's kinda of fat and slow so most of the birds got away except for my favorite rooster. I threw out my back a few weeks ago and couldn't chase the lab fast enough. Sure as hell, he nailed my fav rooster, Pecker. Knew I couldn't do much but watch since they were both so far out in the corn field. All I could so was hope. By the time my neighbor got his lab, I figured Pecker had met his maker. I wasn't happy by any means, especially when my neighbor came up to me holding pecker upside down, motionless by one of his legs. He felt terrible and kept apologizing, and I kept my cool. It's certainly not worth wrecking a relationship with my fav neighbor (and fishing buddy) over a darn rooster. Turns out though, Pecker was fine and didn't have a mark on him, he was just scared nonsense. He went in the coop to calm down and a few hours later he was out and about again like nothing happened. So looking back, I'm glad I didn;t lose it and start hollering at the neighbor. Afterall, it's just a chicken (to me).

I guess I personally value a dog more than I do a chicken. And this is coming from the guy that ran around the highway yesterday on my way home trying to catch a stray roo before he got hammered by a car. (no i didn't get him btw). So why do people have such hatred for dogs, or any predator for that matter? They're jsut doing what they do and shooting a dog or a fox or a hawk or a whatever isn't going to solve the problem, just like yelling at the neighbor isn't going to solve anything. The best thing to do is to keep my birds securely penned all day. This is the safest thing but I choose to let them out to freer ange. I've accepted the fact that some of my birds will be killed or go missing sooner or later and it's my responsibility to keep them safe. Just like it's my responsibility to keep my dogs and other livestock in on my property. But sometimes, even though I'm very careful with my critters, they do get out of the yard and go for a run through the neighbors properties. If one of them shot any of my dogs, there would be hell to pay regardless if they might have been eating one of their chickens. Something to chew on, what if chickens were the problem animals and they killed dogs. If one of your neighbors shot a chicken for trying to a kill a dog, would you be just as upset as if you shot their dog? Just saying, that things take on a different perspective depending on which side you're on......long story short, don't lose your cool and kill somebody's dog just to prove you're a macho man with a gun. So let the flames begin. I'm not a liberal treehugging hippy. I'm an avid hunter, but I don't take any joy in killing stuff. Seems a lot of the posts on here regarding shooting dogs deals with some pride about "how many dogs I've killed today". Is it worth being at your neighbors throat over a chicken and a dog? Life's to short people, be nice.

 

[NovaAman]

When you have a loose dog come in, break thru you run, and take out almost every bird you have... And then come back again looking to have a bit more fun...

I have 2 dogs. They've killed 3 of my girls. I still have them. Mine free range. I am taking a risk. BUT, if my girls were in a run, and a dog broke in, I would shoot it. Its destroying my flock. Its not in there to get a meal. Its joy killing. I don't begrudge a hawk, fox... But I will kill that fox.

 

[goldies99]

i think i read the post that made you right this......i know there are 2 sides to every story....but i have to agree with you...i couldnt shoot a dog no matter how much i love my chickens....
i would have caught the dog and taken it to the pound before i could kill it.....dogs dont know any different...and the dog got killed because of a bad owner...pretty sad...isnt it??

 

[Criskin]

The point is, whatever your opinion may be, it is perfectly legal to shoot a dog that is harrassing your livestock, chickens included in that term in the specific wording of most state laws.

 

[Ted n Ms]

Quote:
x3

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. And my opinion is that MY chicken is no less important to ME than YOUR dog is to YOU. Heck, I like my chickens BETTER than my dogs. More entertaining, smarter, and provide me breakfast.

 

[sourland]

It's all about priorities. I have dogs, and I have birds. I contain my dogs, and I expect that my neighbors will do the same. If my dogs attack and kill a neighbor's animals, the neighbor has the right to kill my dogs. The converse is also true. The bottomline is that we all should be responsible pet owners, and as poultry owners it is our responsibility to protect our birds. I love my dogs, but can not say that their lives are worth more than those of my neighbors' animals.

 

[War Chicken]

You may value your dog more than your chicken but your dog's value to me is zero and my pet's value to me is greater than zero. So your dog dies.

 

[goldies99]

people kill and cull chickens all the time.....how many "DOGS" have you eaten lately????

 

[theoldchick]

Only human nature to protect what we own. Some newbie folks here have had dogs rip into their less than perfect chicken coops and obliterate an entire flock. Then there is the fanatical chicken breeder who has spent years on developing his/her flock to be as close to the standard of perfection they could get only to have a dog break into the Fort Knox pen and kill all the birds. Then there are folks who raise chickens for meat in chicken tractors. In this case flock losses means empty stomachs or empty wallets. Then there are the those who have chickens as pets and are deeply insulted, enraged, and disgusted that the neighbor's dog killed a beloved pet who was minding its own business in its' own yard.

You make an valid point about losing a good neighbor over a chicken. Is one chicken worth that loss? No. But if one loses an entire flock to the neighbor's dog tempers are going to flare. Always good to open a dialogue with a neighbor especially if their dog is a problem. If talking does not solve the problem, then document the problem, and discuss this situation with law enforcement.

To be perfectly honest, I don't care who owns the animal attacking my chickens. Feral or domesticated, if it invades my pastures to chase my cows, or tear its way into my chicken pen I'm going to protect my livestock as effectively as possible. If that means using a rifle then so be it.

I own a dog who would most likely kill mine or any one's chickens so he's not allowed to wander about at all hours. I make sure he does not have a chance to interact with the chickens. Chickens are prey and some breeds are just not able to survive free ranging. We've bred them to suit our needs and made them easy pickings. So, I feel my responsibility is to keep them safe from harm.