Keeping Chickens Free Range

[OrganicFarmWife]

Westies look nice but DH us staunchly against owning a large dog. I like the cats, a few of them have even earned names. They are great entertainment for the girls, and perform a useful function. So I do not mind feeding them.

Westies are about 20lbs (average). I prefer large dogs (newfies in particular) but took the westie in as a foster and he won me over.  I've known a few others and they're just happy, very comical, loyal and make fierce vermin hunters as they were bred to do. I don't mind the cat I have now but she's the last one.  She's an indoor/outdoor cat and likes to rip up her catches on my door mat.  I've grown very tired of constantly having to watch my step and cleaning up after cats.  She's good about not using my gardens as her litter box but there's no guarantee that other cats would be so courteous.   

I had westies, confused with Newfies. I do not have much use for little dogs, they usually just strike me as cats with better personalities . I will probably just stick to my Shepard and cat combo. Though I do like the look of the Newfie.

 

[islandgirl82]

I had westies, confused with Newfies. I do not have much use for little dogs, they usually just strike me as cats with better personalities

. I will probably just stick to my Shepard and cat combo. Though I do like the look of the Newfie.

I'm in the same boat with you on the little dog thing. I have a newfie, grew up with newfies and mixes of. It took a while for our foster westie to grow on me.

 

[Highcotton]

An electric fence is perfect for Foxes, Racoons, Opossums, Dogs anything that digs or climbs.

 

[duluthralphie]

An electric fence is perfect for Foxes, Racoons, Opossums, Dogs anything that digs or climbs.

As is a 12ga.

 

[vpatt]

I wish i could learn to shoot, but i am uneasy about other people being around. We are in the woods but the neighbors fields are on either side and children and others are around at times.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I wish i could learn to shoot, but i am uneasy about other people being around. We are in the woods but the neighbors fields are on either side and children and others are around at times.

The fence will work.
Traps might help too.

 

[vpatt]

We caught my grandsons dog and a possum in the trap we borrowed. Lol.

I think Wyatt may be getting into 'Chase the Fox'.

We picked up 200 ft of fence today. I'm hoping grandson will get it up tomorrow.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

We caught my grandsons dog and a possum in the trap we borrowed. Lol.

I think Wyatt may be getting into 'Chase the Fox'.

We picked up 200 ft of fence today. I'm hoping grandson will get it up tomorrow.

Well a opossum is something. All I have caught is my cats, at least I am getting rid of some toms thus way. (No I am not killing them -though I would, there is at least one that needs to go, he is mean- I take them to our cattle lots -it is where we keep our sick, old, or very onery cattle- they have food and some shelter there, just not as much as they do at the house)

 

[Tikkijane]

One of my Orpingtons is a hunting machine. She kills mice and snakes. The commotion attracts the other chickens and all start fighting over the remains. It looks a little gross, but I'm glad for her pest control instincts. Still I have to help them by controlling the mice population, but I never touch the snakes, for they do help a lot w rodent control.

My bantam babies got a baby snake the other day. Be still, my heart. They are growing up so fast.

 

[poodlechicks]

they are going to be great gardening partners!