English Shepherd as Poultry Guardian

[centrarchid]

This contraption will begin Hun's training with respect to hotwire and simply leaving chickens alone. Fencer charger much lower output than used around poultry yard. Only one wire makes perimeter that is 4" to 6" off ground. Birds not roosting up so I placed a couple sheets of old rotten particle board to block line of site of them sleeping under black half pipe. As I put fence up she chewed on hotwire and my shorts. Then she sparred with Edgar, my pet game cock. Edgar went to Lucy where pup would then stop. Pup and my 5 year old daughter had to work out rank which my daughter won. Daughter has a lot to learn as well.

 

[centrarchid]

Pup and Edgar got into it pretty good today. Pup would not relent so Edgar briefly beat her down although did not actually flog or employ spurs. Did not stop pup from causing juveniles trouble a few minutes later but she does give Edgar space. Edgar is the only game cock I have ever had that follows me at a run between house and his pen. He also hangs with my daughter, likely because she walks slower and piddles around places insects are easy to catch.

 

[centrarchid]

Pup and Edgar still having issues. They run and attempt to push each other as going side by side like kids trying to beat each other in line. Very un-chickenly of Edgar.

Pup it getting to be part of routine going to barn at least four times each dial cycle starting when I get home from work and when going back. We are starting to go with Lucy and Lucy is really getting into a fox issue. Lucy observes a strict ritual with regards to perimeter fencing. When are just patrolling she will not cross it unless I grab wire and say "OK". Pup is starting to osberve that. Lucy has taken a lot of good zaps to learn her approach. So have I.

 

[centrarchid]

Welp date for pup is about May 27, 2018. Time for some shots and first vet visit. Learning how to navigate fences that are not hot. She is starting to imitate Lucy that stops and tries to avoid contact, especially when crossing. Pup stops and chews fence so work needed. She needs to learn fence does not always bite and she can get close without is biting even when it is hot.

 

[centrarchid]

We got our first fox by trapping. Ben was not present at time as appears have been engaged with Coyotes. He came back from correct direction for that to be and had Bella with him. Lucy was more directly involved. Pup growled at Lucy when first detecting fox smell. Bait chickens were released and pup had no interest in them, she was more into smells shed by fox. I learned a lost from this as well. Red Fox's in the future are going to get shut down quicker. We will no longer focus just on repelling. Still leaves GHO's, they make leaving chickens out at night dicey as well. Traps are up so dogs will again have unfettered access to poultry areas at night. Opossum, you are next.

Red Fox thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/red-fox-in-barn-at-0415.1244409/page-6#post-20283885

 

[centrarchid]

Ben located a monster sized male armadillo calling Lucy and Bella to seen where they proceeded to attack it as the critter attempted to go down the hill. I thought they had a badger based on intensity and duration of the battle. Raccoons have a hard time last 90 seconds even when in heavy brush. No picks this time, darn it.

Pup stayed back as we want.

First actual visual of armadillo on property.

 

[aart]

Sounds like Bella(neighbors dog, correct?) is more part of your pack than the neighbors.

 

[centrarchid]

Neighbor's dog that spends about half her time on our place. To be fair my dogs visit her home but spend far more time here. We have more property and even on the human side patrol more actively. We walk our entire property once in a while which is a big deal to the dogs.

 

[ShrekDawg]

We only have just under 3 acres but it's set back in the woods plus connects to the neighbor's woods and anyway, long story short, Gator, my dog, loves walking it. It only takes like half hour to an hour cause it's so small but it's basically a walk or even a hike to them. He doesn't go on many regular walks because he's getting older so can't go too far anymore plus he is occasionally reactive to some dogs and living in a neighborhood, there are a lot of dogs so we can't go much or would have to go at obscure times. So by doing the mini "patrols", he gets to go on a walk. Plus the woods have wayyy more interesting scents anyway.

Of course, for you guys it's probably an actual patrol/safety thing rather than just fun or exercise but still, dogs love it. Gator is leashed but if they run free, it's even more fun for them.

Gator is half Black Lab, half Great Pyrenees so it is also somewhat still "work" to him because he genuinely does like to make sure there are no threats, especially having chickens and a cat and having had foxes, raccoons, and hawks after the chickens and coyotes living here too. But it is mostly just fun and I'm sure even if he was full Lab he would love it. In fact, the Lab side likes to look for critters on the patrols. He's an expert varmint catcher too. Well, I wouldn't say expert... given that sometimes they run away right in front of him lol but he tries hard. He loves hunting chipmunks and mice. Almost never catches them because they can literally run away or out the other side and he won't notice. But at least he tries hard and gets enjoyment out of it. Lol

Sorry, now I'm just rambling. But point being, dogs love walking in the woods or patrolling property or anything like that

 

[centrarchid]

Pup got first exposure of adults forming up for group howl to repel Coyotes. Coyotes were maybe a 1/4 mile to SE doing a group howl. The adult dogs quickly came together barking and howling as they moved maybe 100 yards towards location of Coyotes. Coyotes then went quite. We already had a size advantage, soon that will be even better plus numbers. Pup did not participate in howl but that will change by late fall.