Well, we fixed the "holes" in the coop and no more losses last night - Toby did sit out on the porch and he went "hunting" quite a few times (I think it kept trying to come back, but he was out there til 3 A.M. and he kept scaring it off.) He wanted to come to bed, though, finally, so he came inside.
I wish he'd want to sleep on the porch, would save me some worry about them. I know any sound and he'd be off barking and hunting whatever was near his chickens.
I have three chickens in the garage in the playpen (heat got to them a bit) and yesterday he plopped himself down in front of them and growled at Lily whenever she came close
Wish I had 2 Tobys
he's a good dog. Or even a female to mate him with for pups. I could start my own line of "chicken dogs"
Ducks and geese were fine last night - no major noises out of them, so I assume they didn't get bothered by anything.
I did have to put the "nightlight" on for the chickens in the coop that got raided the other night. The littler ones (who sleep on the floor, and out of whom got two taken) refused to even come inside - they slept outside the chicken door so they could see anything coming - poor babies.
When I first turned out all the lights, everyone threw a fit - squawking and jumping around in the dark, so that is when I put the nightlight back on for them. Must have been sort of traumatic for the babies, not seeing the culprit, just seeing two of their buddies being torn up and flopping around screeching
Even the geese and ducks had a slight hissy fit over the lights going out -- and they have nightlights of a sort - not really bright ones, just four of the solar lights from Wallyworld, so the light is more of a fade out for them, than a total dark thing. the solar lights are at the top of the duck run, though, and they all sleep at the bottom of the run.
Hopefully tonight will be better for them, once they realize nothing can get inside the coop anymore. (not even a paw or claw, which is all that really got in before).
Oh and hubby has the .22 by the door all loaded up for if we see that darn cat anywhere during the daytime on our property. I know which one it is, so no mistaking neighbor's cats for it. They are yellow cats and don't come this close to the house - we are a 1/4 mile off the road, so we could see them coming, usually.
The culprit is that black and white cat who sneaks through the bottom pasture and the woods to get up here - I've seen it out by the road a few times, too. Asked the neighbors, no one knows who it belongs to - must be a drop-off. Probably not a pet cat - because I would think a pet cat would be fed better and a little more leery of coming so close to my dogs - easier food at home, in other words.
I can see a pet cat taking a free range chick, but to have one trying to steal them out of the coops - must be one hungry cat. Poor thing.
meri
I wish he'd want to sleep on the porch, would save me some worry about them. I know any sound and he'd be off barking and hunting whatever was near his chickens.
I have three chickens in the garage in the playpen (heat got to them a bit) and yesterday he plopped himself down in front of them and growled at Lily whenever she came close
Wish I had 2 Tobys
Ducks and geese were fine last night - no major noises out of them, so I assume they didn't get bothered by anything.
I did have to put the "nightlight" on for the chickens in the coop that got raided the other night. The littler ones (who sleep on the floor, and out of whom got two taken) refused to even come inside - they slept outside the chicken door so they could see anything coming - poor babies.
When I first turned out all the lights, everyone threw a fit - squawking and jumping around in the dark, so that is when I put the nightlight back on for them. Must have been sort of traumatic for the babies, not seeing the culprit, just seeing two of their buddies being torn up and flopping around screeching
Even the geese and ducks had a slight hissy fit over the lights going out -- and they have nightlights of a sort - not really bright ones, just four of the solar lights from Wallyworld, so the light is more of a fade out for them, than a total dark thing. the solar lights are at the top of the duck run, though, and they all sleep at the bottom of the run.
Hopefully tonight will be better for them, once they realize nothing can get inside the coop anymore. (not even a paw or claw, which is all that really got in before).
Oh and hubby has the .22 by the door all loaded up for if we see that darn cat anywhere during the daytime on our property. I know which one it is, so no mistaking neighbor's cats for it. They are yellow cats and don't come this close to the house - we are a 1/4 mile off the road, so we could see them coming, usually.
The culprit is that black and white cat who sneaks through the bottom pasture and the woods to get up here - I've seen it out by the road a few times, too. Asked the neighbors, no one knows who it belongs to - must be a drop-off. Probably not a pet cat - because I would think a pet cat would be fed better and a little more leery of coming so close to my dogs - easier food at home, in other words.
I can see a pet cat taking a free range chick, but to have one trying to steal them out of the coops - must be one hungry cat. Poor thing.
meri
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