Help! A dog is killing my chickens!

[pigeon258]

I have a dog killing my chickens while I'm at work. I don't know which one. I'm to the point where I'd shoot it if I caught it but of course, it only happens when I'm gone. I've lost 27 chickens this past year. Daytime killing. Dog poop in pasture. Animal drags the birds to a nearby tree and chews them up or eats them. I'm pretty sure that it's the neighbor's dog, the same dog that showed up with a dead chicken on their porch. But I might be dealing with multiple dogs. And of course everybody claims that THEIR dog would NEVER kill chickens and that the dog must have FOUND a dead chicken. I'm considering investing in either a security camera or wildlife camera. Anybody else have one or have suggestions? I've never had anything like this so I'm clueless as to what to look for. In addition, I'm going to build a trap as per the suggestion of the county trapper (wild pig trap using "hog panels"). But mostly, I'd like to document with a camera which dogs are in my pasture. In my county, it's illegal for a dog to even be in my pasture. Twenty seven chickens is a LOT of chickens!

 

[Tara Black]

I'd get the camera! Then is take a day off work and wait for the offender and take a couple shots at it with a pellet gun! I can't stand when people let their dogs roam! You could also consider a well trained Livestock Guardian Dog, it would protect your pasture and chickens, but a dog is a commitment and not a light decision.

 

[jak2002003]

Shut you chicken up in a secure run when you go out to work.

Get the camera and aim it at the run and see what dog / animal turns up.

I would not get a dog to protect your chickens, unless you really want a pet dog, and just be aware that the dog may decide to be friends with the chicken killer, and also dogs are expensive to buy, and very expensive if and when they fall sick...

 

[Bullitt]

Shut you chicken up in a secure run when you go out to work.

Get the camera and aim it at the run and see what dog / animal turns up.

I would not get a dog to protect your chickens, unless you really want a pet dog, and just be aware that the dog may decide to be friends with the chicken killer, and also dogs are expensive to buy, and very expensive if and when they fall sick...

I guess the person who started this thread is in the United States.

Most towns in the United States have a dog and cat shelter. You can find good dogs for a small charge at these shelters. But the dog will have to be trained to protect the chickens, and some dogs will not have the temperament to be a protector. If the dog has health issues, a veterinarian can be expensive.

But it is hard to beat a good dog for protecting livestock.

 

[Tara Black]

Yeah, I know someone who has Great Pyrs just for this reason and they aren't house pets, but working dogs that guard the livestock, including chickens. They aren't raised in houses, but barns and they won't trust or accept outside dogs at all. Yes, they do cost money (about $400 to purchase) and then food and vet bills, but in the long run, if you have a predator problem, they fix it. My friends Great Pyrs are so awesome that way. They sleep next to the coops in a dog house and the follow the flock all day. She lost tons of money in chickens and goats before she got her 2 dogs, to everything from stray cats to foxes and dogs. Now she doesn't lose any. Like I said though, its not a decision made lightly and you have to weight the pros and cons. If you have enough space and the money, and you are losing too much money in loses, it would be an option to consider. I have a hawk problem and that's it. But I chose to deal with that problem by getting LB chickens which are too big for the hawk, so he stays away now.

 

[pigeon258]

I have a wonderful border collie but he's kenneled when I'm not at home to prevent him from zealously herding the neighbor's livestock. It's a rural neighborhood and most of us kennel or securely fence our dogs when we leave to prevent problems like chasing livestock or killing chickens. It's pretty easy to guess which dogs are killing chickens since only 3 dogs aren't penned when their owners leave! When I'm home, our border collie does a great job at keeping marauding dogs away.

A tight run is a good idea and I probably will do this temporarily but I would prefer to let the chickens have access to the rich green irrigated pasture. I work hard to provide lush pasture for my flock of chickens and it doesn't seem right to irrigate so the neighbor's dog can run in it. Also, I've worked on tightening pasture fencing as well, but I can't do more fencing until next winter when the rains begin.

My question is more about cameras. I have 3 neighbors who allow their dogs to run and each denies that their dogs leave their property or that they chase and/or kill chickens and each family blames the 2 others and each regularly sees the OTHER dogs running and chasing livestock. I need to document which particular dog is on my property with either photographs or by trapping the offending dog. Maybe all 3 dogs are chasing and killing chickens, I don't know. I like the neighbors. I just don't like the dogs. I'm trying to be a good neighbor. Shooting the kids' dog isn't going to make me a good neighbor.

Has anyone used a camera? Would a home security camera work better or a wildlife camera? Any knowledge or suggestions would be appreciated. I know nothing about either. I don't even know where to begin or what to look for.

 

[Bullitt]

I see the "Moultrie Feeders MCG-12589 Game Spy Camera A-5" costs about $75 and takes pictures or records video. That would get the evidence you need to prove whose dog is coming on your property.

 

[pigeon258]

That's a good idea!!! Have you ever used one? How much video or whatever do they save? Someone mentioned that if I used a motion activated camera, it would be recording all the time because the chickens would set it off. It would be kind of fun to watch my chickens all day, unless of course, if they were being killed.

 

[Bullitt]

I have not used a camera like this.

You could point the camera near your chicken run, but not pointing right at the run so the camera would not be taking pictures of your chickens but still get pictures of any dogs.

Here are some specifications I found for that camera. It seems you have to buy the memory card also.


Specifications:

- 5.0 megapixel Low Glow infrared game camera
- Up to 50-ft night range
- Day and night video clips
- Moon phase, time, date and camera ID stamp
- Picture delay 1, 5, 10 and 30 minutes
- SD memory card slot — up to 32GB (not included)
- 8,000+ images on 4 C-cell batteries
- Integrated strap loop with Python

cable compatibility (cable not included)

 

[thomasboyle]

I have a Browning Range Ops camera. Got it online for under $100. I bought it based on the review at trailcampro:

http://www.trailcampro.com/browningrangeopsreview.aspx

I have it set to take pictures every 10 seconds. so I get a complete picture of all that goes on, not just what happens within 50 feet from the camera (if you set the camera on motion detection). Is 10 seonds too much? I have lost a chicken in 20 seconds. Picture 1 showed a hen in the yard. Picture 2 shows an explosion of feathers with a predator on top of the hen, and picture 3 shows just a pile of feathers on the grass, no chicken, no predator.