English Shepherd as Poultry Guardian

[Aunt Angus]

I think "follow a feed bucket" works with most kinds of animals, if you want to try the same method on all of them.

I have also read of goats that come when called by name for milking, so you may not need the dog to bring them (feed while being milked is probably a good motivator, so it would just be like having a different "come" call for each one. I have no idea how much work it actually takes to train this, but it sounded like a good idea when I read it.)

I have 2 who know their names now. I have 1 who will respond no matter who I call. And the last one is the biggest fraidy cat. I don't know that she'll ever be very approachable. And she's got the tears with the best milking potential, of course. Goats. I tell ya... Been a steep learning curve for me.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I never even thought of dogs opening gates. Guessing they're different gates than the ones closed with chains? I have thumbs and those still are difficult occasionally

 

[aart]

I have met someone that may join us in our chicken and small farming operation. She has alpacas and a couple of dogs.

Cool, is she moving in too?

One dog is a 3.5 year old Dachsund x coonhound mix.

I would like to see this dog, what a mix!

 

[centrarchid]

I never even thought of dogs opening gates. Guessing they're different gates than the ones closed with chains? I have thumbs and those still are difficult occasionally

Gates I'm thinking of are pushed with nose or pulled by mouth.

 

[centrarchid]

We Just Had Another Dog Pack Battle Over Northwest Corner of Our Property

I could here Flo barking at multiple dogs barking back at her in the barn. At least a couple of those dogs were in the barn as Pup Pup ran somebody off that got past Honey and Lucy. Honey and Lucy had a much larger male (neutered I think and appears to be a cross between Rottweiler and German Shepherd) cornered in barn. He bolted past my dogs getting bit in butt a couple times once he saw me coming. Several other dogs were barking from bamboo patch. I then released Flo. We progressed towards the rival pack slowly with me directing my dogs to stay on me and to come back when they tried to run into rival as it retreated. A pair of opposing skirmish lines formed at existing barbwire fence where we stopped advancing even when the rival pack held ground so long as on their side of fence. A couple of rival dogs tried to slip around behind where mine cut them off and ran them back through fence.

Neighbor that owns dog pulled in with car about that time and began to advance a slowly saying nothing. I waved at him to let him know I could see him. Then I attempted to tell him that a fence needs to go up because his dogs are getting into my barn. His body language indicated he was agitated and I am not certain he understood what I said or as to my intent. He appears to be an older male relative of individual I met across fence several days back. I slowly retreated with my dogs making certain his did not come back through fence if they thought they had the advantage. Later I could hear raised voices there that indicate to me someone was not getting spoken of well or too.

Shortly I will contact extension office for advice on what my responsibilities are with respect to constructing a dog resistant fence along a property boundary, especially when a fence is already in place that can contain cattle. There will need to be some tree cutting.

 

[centrarchid]

Below is extension document I am using. Will contact Callaway County for more local rules if any. I think I will be paying for all 9 fencing panels. This will be an extension of fence I rebuilt about a decade ago between us and trailers court that used to be to the north. Would like to consult actual landowner first.

https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/Pub/pdf/agguides/agecon/g00811.pdf#:~:text=In Missouri as in other states, a boundary,you cannot just remove or move the fence.

I'm starting to like improvements to adding stuff to these posts.

 

[centrarchid]

The fencing is going to require upgrading anyway to keep the darn goats in. They may be harder than keeping dogs out.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

For goats we have used straight 3 strand electric which also worked well to keep dogs out. We currently have 3 foot welded wire with a top strand of electric, and one halfway down to keep the goats from rubbing on the fence and pushing under. Electric is mostly on during the summer when we see goats pushing or reaching.

We've had goats just jump over the fence as well. 4 foot would work better, but some can clear that without problems. It all depends on the goats, and whether they are fed or not. Goats prefer to be fed so they don't have to work for their meal. Goats on pasture will always see something better on the other side.

 

[aart]

The fencing is going to require upgrading anyway to keep the darn goats in. They may be harder than keeping dogs out.

TrueDat!
Have heard if is won't hold water, it won't hold a goat.
Obviously that's an exaggeration, but still.

 

[centrarchid]

Four of seven dogs. Two others laying on porch to left out of view. Third found to belong to someone else. I am straddling fence line with my property to right. Pit bull shown it a male. Another pitbull not shown and not part of what is present at time is a female that belongs to yet another neighbor.