Lost 5 out of 6 adult FBCM's that I hatched last April

[Chicken Keith]

I'm just now getting strong in the heart to be able to write about it. Happened 7:55am Sat morning, Feb 25th. Carnage everywhere. Death from two stray lab retrievers, happened in about 5-10 mins! Dogs came back after 4 hours. One died from a .22 bullet, the other limped away. Small satisfaction with this revenge.

My lone survivor is a roo, and he's beat up pretty bad, no broken bones but lost a lot of feathers from his back side. Ugly scratches and tooth marks in his skin.

Anyway, I was the owner of a Premier1 poultry fence, electric netting. I had gotten complacent and was haphazard in turning the fence on sometimes if I was home. I had gone 8-9 months without predator trouble and got complacent.

I'm looking for ideas on how to improve security...besides NOT GETTING COMPLACENT! Lesson learned. Guilt is a powerful teacher.

I've heard rumors that chicken owners will employ a goose or two to keep dogs away. Some poultry owners train a Pyrenees or equivalent to guard the chickens?

Is the goose story true? I hate to install a permanent fence...I feel it looks so junky. Love my Premier1. Is this enough of a barrier? Should I double fence?

I'm searching for any advice y'all may offer.

 

[OCpeep]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Mahonri]

Keith,

I hope you disposed of the dead one properly so KNOW ONE will ever know what happened to the dog.
I wish the other one would have passed on too.

So sorry for your loss.

I lost almost a pen full of FBCMs once too, but not to predators... to sickness and it broke my heart.

 

[Chicken Keith]

Keith,

I hope you disposed of the dead one properly so KNOW ONE will ever know what happened to the dog.

I did not shoot the dog. But if I had, I would have been justified by the local laws in my state, since it was on my property. In my state, a human intruder can legally be shot if the homeowner feels threatened on their property.

Enough about the "perp", ...back to the victims. Any ideas for better protection? Other threads indicate that an electric fence is successful against a dog. Does a Premier1 have enough of a jolt to deter a dog, or must I resort to additional means?

 

[speedy2020]

I heard goose do keep other animals away. Just keep in mine... it is very noisy. I am putting up the chain link fence in few months to keep my chickens safe.

 

[Oregon Blues]

A goose wouldn't stand a chance against a Labrador.

If you get a livestock guardian dog, you will have to put up a secure fence to keep it home. As long as you have to put up a secure fence, just the fence will keep the stray dogs out.

 

[Chicken Keith]

Thanks, everyone, for the thoughts, ideas and sympathy. The chainlink fence is an idea for sure and junkiness is kept to a minimum.

We have coyotes here and I am shocked (bad pun) that they have not taken out my chickens guarded only by an electric fence.

 

[Mattemma]

I have a black chainlink fence around my entire property.Goes up to the sides of the house and includes a driveway gate. I did have a dog climb out ( I guess) of the yard when I cornered it,but I have yet to have any dog climb in or dig under the fence. Sorry for your loss. Glad someone shot one of them.