livestock guarding dogs to protect flock?

[got2bskilled]

Completely on the deep end (it is late and I am awake).....

I was told that the best way to keep some predator animals away is to fertilize with tiger/lion poop. You can get it free from a zoo. Appearently the stuff keeps all kinds of animals away. That old coon might smell the lion crud and high tail it! The question is, will you after a wiff of that?!

Like I said, completely on the deep end. LOL!

 

[Beekissed]

You might try baiting that trap with something a little more irrestible to coons....sardines come to mind. Bacon is another great attractant.

That pup is just adorable!!!

 

[IceCat]

OMGosh that puppy is just adorable !!!!! so very cute and smart too !

 

[IceCat]

Quote:
The sooner the better
This one is 5 weeks old:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k238/Bearfootfarm/Pupforsale015.jpg

forgot to include the photo in my previous post.

Adorable puppy !!!

 

[drumstick diva]

I've hear raccoons love marshmellows

 

[boxleyjoe]

I am doing a fence free chicken tractor operation and have lost several(I don't want to even guess) chickens to predators. After trying everything in the book I finally got a Great Pyrenees mix to do the job. I also got a wireless collar that will work off of a 12 volt battery and wired it into the system charged with a 12 volt 1.5 watt solar panel(common panel to keep car batteries up) to train the dog to the coop as it moves. I've had much better luck since. To train a dog to protect chickens, one has to teach the dog to accept the chickens into the pack, instead of something to play with.

 

[toddreed]

Chicken wire and staple-gun staples are worthless. WELDED WIRE or HARDWARE CLOTH FASTENED WITH A PNEUMATIC STAPLER. Coon problem solved.

As for dogs, my ex-girlfriend's (we still hang out sometimes) lab is great with my chickens. Yesterday she (the dog) was hanging out in the front yard with my brooder and a clutch of 2 day old chicks and growling at other dogs walking by on the sidewalk. We didn't have to train her, she's just hung out with us and and the birds enough that she understands chickens are friends. She also hunts and kills rats.

-todd

 

[jeepguy982001]

raccoons do love marshmellows. thats what i use to catch mine.

 

[brandislee]

Ditto w/ everyone else- chicken wire is worthless.

I have wanted a livestock guardian- my biggest problem is that I already have 2 dogs, and I am a SUCKER. I let my dogs in the house. Not that that's bad, but a livestock dog has to live outside, and I would have a hard time making one dog stay outside when the other two get to sleep inside. And if I get another dog my DH will kick me out. And I don't have a big enough flock (yet...) to justify it.

But I have researched it, and I found a great book on choosing and training livestock guardians http://www.amazon.com/Livestock-Guardians-Donkeys-Protect-Storeys/dp/1580176968. Since I skimmed it, I can tell you that the primary phase of training involves housing the dog with (in the case of larger livestock) or right next too the livestock in question, so having the kennel right next to the chicken run would be ideal, and of course you would take the puppy with you when working with the birds. It also explains how to asses the puppy's attitude towards the bird- he/she should approach them with respect, slowly with head down, and obviously not pounce or try to play. And having read from other chicken people with guard dogs, and almost overwhelmingly Great Pyrenese is the preferred breed.

 

[brandislee]

Idk why that link isn't working. Let's try again. www.amazon.com/Livestock-Guardians-Donkeys-Protect-Storeys/dp/1580176968. If that doesn't work, just search Livestock Guardians on Amazon. The full title is Livestock Guardians: Using Dogs, Donkeys, and Llamas to protect your herd, by Jan Vorwald Dohner.