My dogs brought home a chicken...

[cafarmgirl]

Quote:
Invisible fencing is not all that expensive.




Jeeze, you guys are scaring me. I'm always amazed by the "shoot first ask questions later" line of thinking. I understand if there are repeated issues, but dogs/goats/cows/horses/chickens/sheep do get loose unintentionally sometimes. What if I shot the sheep in the middle of the road or ran them over instead of calling the deputies to help round them up for the farmer? Or the goat that gets into my garden? Seems a bit extreme to me. But anyway...

The invisible fence won't work, because we already have a shock collar on the dog and if he's chasing a squirrel, he'll run right through the zap. Typically, he comes back with just the vibration, but he can take a lot of zap if he's otherwise engaged. The neighbor dogs come over almost every day and my dogs will run across the road and romp with them if I don't nip it in the bud.

I guess we'll have to think about a fenced area for the dogs as well as a fenced run for the chickens.

And, I highly agree with spaying/neutering. Both our dogs are neutered and, the barn cat who was already living here, we took to the vet and vaccinated and dewormed.

The difference is that a goat/sheep/cow/horse is not going to slaughter somebody elses animals. So yes, it is unfortunate but loose dogs in a rural area caught harrassing or killing livestock will likely be shot. There is not time to ask questions when your livestock is being slaughtered.

To be a good neighbor and stay in everyones good graces you need to confine your dogs. Asking neighbors where their flocks are and telling them you don't purposely let the dogs roam does no good if the dogs get into trouble on someone's property. This basically forces the property owner into the unpleasant position of having to deal with the situation when your dogs show up and you are at home.

I'm sorry if a lot of us sound very negative, it's just that most all of us as chicken/livestock owners have been in the very unpleasant postion of having to deal with someone else's dogs on our property and causing damage. I love dogs and I get very upset when I have to take care of a dog on my property killing or trying to kill something of mine. We live on just 9 acres, I have a fence around just our home and barns to contain my dogs. It's just something that has to be done, one way or another.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: A sheep in the road isn't LEGAL to shoot since it's not damaging YOUR property.

The goat in the garden WOULD be legal to shoot, but a goat isn't likely to bite you if you catch it

"Asking questions" doesn't stop a dog from killing animals, so why would you even think anyone would sacrafice their animals to save yours?

We are all trying to tell you nicely you NEED to keep your dogs at home, or they WILL die

 

[nzpouter]

Quote:
Invisible fencing is not all that expensive.




Jeeze, you guys are scaring me. I'm always amazed by the "shoot first ask questions later" line of thinking. I understand if there are repeated issues, but dogs/goats/cows/horses/chickens/sheep do get loose unintentionally sometimes. What if I shot the sheep in the middle of the road or ran them over instead of calling the deputies to help round them up for the farmer? Or the goat that gets into my garden? Seems a bit extreme to me. But anyway...


And, I highly agree with spaying/neutering. Both our dogs are neutered and, the barn cat who was already living here, we took to the vet and vaccinated and dewormed.

If my dogs/ goats/ cows/ horses/ chickens/ sheep DO get loose and started chasing/ eating your dogs/goats/cows/horses/chickens/sheep you're welcome to shoot it and send me the bill, as it is entirely my fault/ failure to keep them contained. It seems extreme, but you'll do the same after you lost a few of your animals through irresponsible pet owners actions.

Good on you for having them neutered.

 

[dainerra]

it's not a matter of "shoot first" the dogs are already roaming and you know that they roam. There is no way for the farmer to know if your dogs are the ones who roamed through last night and killed 3 calves or it was another set of dogs. All he sees are that your dogs are there NOW in his pasture. Even if the dog isn't meaning too, he can cause the death of livestock. He barks, cow runs and steps in a hole, broken leg, dead cow. He sees chickens in a run. He doesn't get in, just jumps on the fence and barks at them. Even if the birds don't get injured from flying around in a panic, they can still stop laying for days or weeks because of the fright. Again, farmer is out money and his livelihood.
For others, their poultry are pets. What if a neighbor's dog came over and killed one of your dogs in your yard? Wouldn't you feel that they should have done something to keep it at home?

Livestock in the road is a hazard. If an accident happens (hitting a sheep or from swerving to avoid one) the farmer is responsible for all of the damages. And they know this and take precautions to keep the animals contained. Yes, sometimes you get a lazy owner who always has broken fences and loose animals. Eventually it will catch up with him and he's going to get a big bill for damages.

You have already said that your dogs have been roaming. You already know that there is a chance that they killed a chicken or at least have been around someone's farm and livestock. So, even if they leave for 5 minutes tomorrow, they are making a repeat visit SOMEWHERE.

 

[Ibicella]

It sounds to me that they picked up a carcass that had already been dinner for something else. There are a number of predators that will carry off a chicken, eat the innards, and ditch the rest.

I would strongly suggest building a dog run, even if your dogs aren't interested in chickens to prevent them from being shot for roaming onto someone else's property. You don't need to fence the entire acreage.

 

[citychickx6]

I agree with fencing for the dogs.
One thing that has not been mentioned is that if there are predators out there not only can your dogs be blamed BUT they can become a victim as well. I know what a raccoon can do to a duck. I hate to think what it can do to my dog.
Then there is the rabies and fleas and ticks and assorted other hazards.
I have dogs and I have chickens. I keep them all fenced in.
Even if it is other dogs killing chickens if yours are running around unfenced then they could tangle with them and come home torn up.

My 2 cents is all.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Actually, if you allow your goat to roam loose and it is in my garden destroying the food I need to feed my family, your goat isn't coming home. I'm not doing all that work to grow veggies to feed your livestock.

If your sheep is in the middle of the road and causes an accident, you are liable. If a human is killed or crippled, you can count on losing your farm and everything else you own. So, I suggest that you keep your sheep and goats inside a fence that will contain them.

In my area, if you make a serious honest effort to confine your dogs and the dog gets loose once the neighbors will call you or return it to you. If you don't bother to properly confine your animals, the dog will be shot if it isn't killed by the local coyotes.

Why do you think shooting your loose chicken-killing dogs is a "mind set? You obviously don't care much about the dogs, since you turn them loose to face traffic, poison, leg hold traps, disease, death by predator, death by gunshot, death by antifreeze, a trip to the pound, theft by dog bunchers who will sell them to animal testing laboratories.

It's not your neighbors' responsibility to take care of your dogs and to keep them safe and make sure they return home every night.

 

[dainerra]

another thing to think of is - you own German Shepherds. Many people are afraid of them and automatically assume that the dogs are vicious. They see the dog coming in their direction and automatically remember all those episodes of Cops where the bad guy gets taken down by the GSD. They will tell the police "The dog was going to attack me"

I own GSDs. I deal with this attitude every day. And the #1 cause is people who let their dogs roam and perpetuate the stereotype

 

[Baggagolers]

Invisible fencing is not all that expensive. Trust me when I tell you that it has saved the life of my neighbor's pit/chessie X -- 'nough said. Regardless of whther or not your dogs killed the chicken if they are visiting other farms they will be shot. Sorry, but that is just a fact.

X2 I use it to keep my dogs from roaming. It's cheap, easy to install by yourself, and keeps your dogs safe and on your property where they belong.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Actually they are German Shorthaired Pointers, which can still be intimidating to some, and are still large enough to kill livestock