English Shepherd as Poultry Guardian

[centrarchid]

Pup coming into heat is complicating things a lot. At this point the only dog really of any count is Lucy and she has been eating too much, especially today. Two male dogs are coming in at different times so far to flirt. Ben is running one off pretty well but another is coming in acting like a pup, acting. He is getting in and even trying to win Lucy over and pulling it off. I walked the dog off and then went with him in an effort to find out who he belongs to. I am tired of shooting dogs so will go some length to find owner in effort have dog confined. If that fails I will capture him and deposit him at the county animal control office providing owners contact information. Odds are owner will have to pay a modest amount to get him out of the pokey. If they fails then will shoot him. A neighbor also has a female coming into heat where the male is trying make puppies their too. That neighbor is prepared to go straight to shooting.

I have checked three chicken owners I can find in area. None lost a White Leghorn. People in area might think I am nuts.

 

[centrarchid]

Ben howling and pup starting to. Lucy growls, otherwise stays quite. Ben's howling needs work.

 

[aart]

Ben's howling needs work.

To make it stop or to make it sound better?

 

[centrarchid]

Sound better. A good group howl I think better than defensive 3 short barks given repeatedly.

 

[centrarchid]

Close to purchasing pen components for confining pup while she is in estrus and likely when pups to come. The pen will be higher in and enclosed by barn. Will not include the quality dog house used for birthing. Dogs getting real expensive. Since pup acquired, we have had a huge improvement in both older dogs with eldest (Lucy) now doing much the same things Scub used to do. Pup herself is becoming very dog aggressive and already scent marking with Ben.

 

[centrarchid]

My neighbor is walking his dog around their property boundary. We do same. Pup causing a change in dynamic where my dogs want to challenge territory boundary. I have to work to hold them in check.

Pup getting really close to coming into heat. Pen needs to be in place in next day or so.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

... I am familiar with LGD's and used hunting dogs in the past....

In the past I had great luck with two large red bone hounds. They were mellow, laid back, and seemingly had an inborn hatred of coons, foxes, coyotes, and most other mammal predators. They would of likely proved satisfactory against birds of prey (at least once the raptor was on the ground and tussling with a hen, pullet, or cockerel) but my fencing strategy excluded the hounds from my 3 acre chicken yard.

 

[centrarchid]

In the past I had great luck with two large red bone hounds. They were mellow, laid back, and seemingly had an inborn hatred of coons, foxes, coyotes, and most other mammal predators. They would of likely proved satisfactory against birds of prey (at least once the raptor was on the ground and tussling with a hen, pullet, or cockerel) but my fencing strategy excluded the hounds from my 3 acre chicken yard.

I have made a gap the dogs have learned to hop over even when fence hot.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have made a gap the dogs have learned to hop over even when fence hot.

I didn't have Electricity at this location and besides these two hounds would suck a Pterodactyl's egg in a heart beat.

 

[centrarchid]

My dogs do not seem interested in consuming eggs, unless mixed in with feed.


Pen is almost completed and should able to keep pup separated from boyfriends. A slight problem encountered with parts not fitting properly even though same brand. Something changed in actual design making so new clamps do not work on old panels. Tonight pup will go in when I can watch for efforts to escape. I may pen Lucy with her for a while.

Owl will not be happy with dogs in barn all the time.