Husband Trying To Help His Wife

[Judys Husband]

Hello all,

I am a husband trying to support my wife with her passion for chickens. My opportunities are that she asks me or sometimes just talks to me about issues she is having with her many birds. I am sorry if I offend anyone by calling them birds but its hard for me to keep up with the chickens, geese, goose, drakes, fowel or all the other BIRDS she calls them. Again I am pretty novice in this area.

My question is, we are currently renting a large piece of property. On our rently property, my wife has built a very spacious area for her flock. On the land next to ours, our landlords also raise farm animals. Up until a week ago they just had horses, donkeys and a ram. Life was good and everyone got along GREAT. A week ago our landlord introduced 2 cows. Thats when the trouble started. The cows seemed to jump the 4 ft fence to the pasture my wife sectioned off and have decided to invade her birds run. I think it's a run. It's the area all the birds hang out in during the day.

We have talked about different ways to keep the cows out of her birds area. I am looking for a low cost way to deter the cows before I just decide to cut a hole in the pastures fence and let the cows roam on to the Morris's property, at which point Mr. Morris will catch them and take them to slaughter. . Just kidding. i would never allow them to get hurt. I understand that it's just COWS being COWS. I would prefer that all the animals just get along and share their areas.

Does anyone have any low cost effective ways to deter cows from approaching the fence. Any ideas of what we could do? I'm just trying to be a supportive city boy, trying to help my wife with her passion and love for "birds".

Thanks

 

[Marty1876]

Hello all,
I am a husband trying to support my wife with her passion for chickens. My opportunities are that she asks me or sometimes just talks to me about issues she is having with her many birds. I am sorry if I offend anyone by calling them birds but its hard for me to keep up with the chickens, geese, goose, drakes, fowel or all the other BIRDS she calls them. Again I am pretty novice in this area.
My question is, we are currently renting a large piece of property. On our rently property, my wife has built a very spacious area for her flock. On the land next to ours, our landlords also raise farm animals. Up until a week ago they just had horses, donkeys and a ram. Life was good and everyone got along GREAT. A week ago our landlord introduced 2 cows. Thats when the trouble started. The cows seemed to jump the 4 ft fence to the pasture my wife sectioned off and have decided to invade her birds run. I think it's a run. It's the area all the birds hang out in during the day.
We have talked about different ways to keep the cows out of her birds area. I am looking for a low cost way to deter the cows before I just decide to cut a hole in the pastures fence and let the cows roam on to the Morris's property, at which point Mr. Morris will catch them and take them to slaughter.

. Just kidding. i would never allow them to get hurt. I understand that it's just COWS being COWS. I would prefer that all the animals just get along and share their areas.
Does anyone have any low cost effective ways to deter cows from approaching the fence. Any ideas of what we could do? I'm just trying to be a supportive city boy, trying to help my wife with her passion and love for "birds".
Thanks

well, the phone call to the cow owner i your cheapest bet. Its IS THERE JOB to keep their cows confined, not yours. That said, cows are spooky ( I was raised ona ranch ) and a cheap motion sensor hooked to a radio (in a dry location) near the fence would send them running away. I'd just keep it on rock and LOUD. Thats cheap. The next option is the least expensive hot wire set up you can manage. We used to put the cut off tops of cans wired (through little hole) to the hot wire...they touch this out of curiosity with their nose, and run away.

 

[Miss Lydia]

well, the phone call to the cow owner i your cheapest bet. Its IS THERE JOB to keep their cows confined, not yours. That said, cows are spooky ( I was raised ona ranch ) and a cheap motion sensor hooked to a radio (in a dry location) near the fence would send them running away. I'd just keep it on rock and LOUD. Thats cheap. The next option is the least expensive hot wire set up you can manage. We used to put the cut off tops of cans wired (through little hole) to the hot wire...they touch this out of curiosity with their nose, and run away.

Great ideas Marty, [wow did you notice JW some how got her dh on BYC? I would fall over in the floor if mine wanted on here.

Judys Husband !!

 

[jdywntr]

I was surprised myself Miss Lydia. And could not understand WHY he would pick the handle "judy's husband"

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was surprised myself Miss Lydia. And could not understand WHY he would pick the handle "judy's husband"

Well thats what he is, I think it's cute.

 

[theoldchick]

We've been in the same situation. Had a neighbor who's two heifers decided our place was the place to be. Once a cow learns how to go through or over a fence, there is no stopping them. They'll even go through an electric fence when motivated.

We solved the problem by purchasing the cows, borrowed a bull to service them, and when they had calves by their side sold them as a cow/calf pair. Heifers like to be around a bull and they stayed where they belong.

On the other hand, we lost all but two cows to a lightning strike, and despite being born and raised in the pasture, the two survivors decided to go live in the next pasture with an established herd. They were determined, and we sold the pair to the neighbor.

 

[Going Quackers]

well, the phone call to the cow owner i your cheapest bet. Its IS THERE JOB to keep their cows confined, not yours. That said, cows are spooky ( I was raised ona ranch ) and a cheap motion sensor hooked to a radio (in a dry location) near the fence would send them running away. I'd just keep it on rock and LOUD. Thats cheap. The next option is the least expensive hot wire set up you can manage. We used to put the cut off tops of cans wired (through little hole) to the hot wire...they touch this out of curiosity with their nose, and run away.

I agree, a call to who owns them.. you should not have to handle the burden of costs to prevent livestock belonging to someone else off your property. I know around here a few use barb wire to keep their cows in but dunno whether i'd want that around my birds.