Foxes and chickens hawks, OK. but the neighors dog?!?! Come on, man!!!!!!

[cajun chicken]

No, I'm saying you should either expect to lose birds every so often, or enact measures to protect your birds. In typical suburban settings fences are a good choice, in rural settings dogs work. Fences and dogs are better than one layer. 



If you just deal with the neighbor, you're still going to lose birds.


EDIT: Also - your pen appears to be chicken wire - which is good for keeping chickens in, but not really good at keeping anything out. 

This is the best I can do for a guard dog.

 

[KendyF]

Part of the responsibility of knowing you will loose a few birds if they free range is to deal with the predators and make adjustments I don't think you are out of line. But I might be in the minority. If it were a raccoon you would have support in killing it. I think the point is there may be other things out there as well. The dog will be back if he gets a chance, just as a fox or a raccoon would. I personally hope you can find a way to free range your chickens, with out too many loses.

 

[cajun chicken]

Part of the responsibility of knowing you will loose a few birds if they free range is to deal with the predators and make adjustments  I don't think you are out of line.  But I might be in the minority.  If it were a raccoon you would have support in killing it.  I think the point is there may be other things out there as well.  The dog will be back if he gets a chance, just as a fox or a raccoon would.  I personally hope you can find a way to free range your chickens, with out too many loses.  

I appreciate it. Common sense tells me to deal with the problem thats in front of me. Deal with it, move on until next time. I actually hope they keep the dog contained and we are all good and I don't have any more problems!

 

[tarajane]

No, you are not out of line. Usually the dog will be better off dead because they are not doing the dog any great service by letting it run loose. SSS it will go to the Rainbow Bridge.Just PLEASE make it a clean kill, no suffering.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

I have to say, this is an interesting discussion ....

Seems for the most part to be reasonable, the worst predators you can deal with are domestic dogs. I free range a lot of chickens in what would be considered the Wild West. Fishers, Bobcats, foxes, raccoons, weasels, coyotes, bears, and every type of aireal predator you can imaginge including bald eagles.

I have only lost 1 bird in the last 3 years....

My coops are secure at night, I'm talking like Fort Knox nothing is getting in. The locals try at night and realize there's no chance, they stay away in the day time.

Running dogs are not the same as wild predators, they have no apprehension of people nor do they care about being in the wide open during the day. They will kill every bird you have just for fun in the middle of a field in the middle of the day, and they don't care who's watching.

Unless your neighbors seriously change the way they handle their dog, you will deal with him again. I have no tolerance for stray animals dogs or cats for that matter.

I find it amazing that some people expect me to treat other people's "pets" as I would my own, my farm is my lively hood as well as my home. Nobody should have to deal with dogs even on their property because of irresponsible owners, I would never let a dog live that was in my pasture chasing $15000 worth of angus beef cattle. Not to mention the fact that if a dog is willing to take on a 1000lb steer what would it do to my children?

Thank goodness this is not a big issue around these parts, people know better and keep their dogs home, the ones that do run loose don't make it very long

 

[123RedBeard]

I think that your right in defending your property!

I also think you should get "buckshot" for your 870 ... Birdshot is for the birds! #6 will only wound unless your really close like less than 10' and then your pattern will be about 2"! Buckshot also will be a small tiny pattern at that range ... Lots of coyote hunters who use a shotgun, use #4 buckshot ... It will reach out to 50-60 yards and still kill quickly if you hit them in the head or chest!

If you do shoot it with #6 birdshot, more than likely it will crawl home and suffer ...

This is 20' from my 12 gauge Beretta with a Improved Modified (IM) choke ...



My homemade buckshot about 000 buckshot!



What kind of choke does your gun have?

 

[cajun chicken]

I think that your right in defending your property!

I also think you should get "buckshot" for your 870 ... Birdshot is for the birds! #6 will only wound unless your really close like less than 10' and then your pattern will be about 2"! Buckshot also will be a small tiny pattern at that range ... Lots of coyote hunters who use a shotgun, use #4 buckshot ... It will reach out to 50-60 yards and still kill quickly if you hit them in the head or chest!

If you do shoot it with #6 birdshot, more than likely it will crawl home and suffer ...

This is 20' from my 12 gauge Beretta with a Improved Modified (IM) choke ...



My homemade buckshot about 000 buckshot!



What kind of choke does your gun have?

I think it has a modified. I mainly use it for dove and squirrel hunting. I was thinking if I had a little bigger pattern I could stop him on the run a little easier. Let's hope I don't have to worry about it but I have a feeling he'll be back. He's got the taste for chicken now......

 

[123RedBeard]

With a modified choke your gonna just pepper it at 30+ yards ...

The buckshot will still spread out sorta like birdshot, but to a less extent ... just that the larger spheres of lead carry more energy, and have more power farther down range ... But have more space in-between each pellet.

Here is a guy that did some testing ... http://modernsurvivalonline.com/shot-patterns-of-different-12-gauge-loads/

I shoot Jack rabbits at 50-55 yards with size BB and a full choke ... Only 2-3 hit it, but rabbits are easy to kill

 

[centrarchid]

This comes up again and again, and here's the short of it:


If your neighbor's dog can get to your chickens, so can everyone else's (and every fox, coyote, stray dog, etc) within miles. This is going to happen over and over again unless you fix that. Address the actual problem, not the symptom.

Very, very good advice above.

Shooting dog is very much in the realm of a waste of time unless you are there. Many methods can be employed to limit access of predators and many provide at least some degree of free-range keeping.

 

[cajun chicken]

I appreciate everyone's advice and input. Crazytalk you mentioned a dog. Is there a particular breed that chicken owners prefer? Thanks