my girls are no longer free range

[cntrywmnkw]

I would never modify the way I live on my property, and spend my money to accomodate an irresponsible dog owner. If it were me, that dog would be dead or straight to the pound.

My sentiments exactly!!!! My DBF & I refuse to make our place (10+ acres) look like a penitentiary because irresponsible dog owners can't or won't control their animals. We do NOT tolerate any stray animals on our property.

 

[broodieswelcome]

had a talk with the neighbors.. they will do whatever they can to keep the dogs home. They will be reimbursing me for the fenceing and the 7 lost chickens. They want to make it right. I am glad it was handled peaceably. Also I spoke to the sherriff and it is illegal in my county to shoot a dog even if it is attacking my chickens!

 

[Jimtherunner]

I would ask someone else in the sheriffs dept about that. It does not sound right that you have to put up with a loose dog on your property killing your livestock. Where do you live anyway?

 

[annewandering]

Shoot it and bury it.

 

[jak2002003]

If you have livestock, you have to protect it.........shooting and killing every animal that is a threat to your livestock is shortsighted, and a waste of time and money in the long run.

You would be better off building strong, secure enclosures for you animals..........you don't have to fence off you entire land. You can make them yourself......you don't need to spend huge sums of money.

I feel sad that many peoples idea is the quick fix and no brain power idea to just shoot things. Then they are surprised when problems keep coming back.....a never ending war.

It also seem to be mostly happening in America. In the UK is very uncommon to shoot anything in regards to looking after chickens.

Looking after any animal requires a certain amount of care and money. If you are not willing to take the time, spend some money, and look after you animals, then don't be surprised when something happens to them...........the same goes for those people that let their dogs run around free to kill peoples chicken in the first place.

 

[joan1708]

If you have livestock, you have to protect it.........shooting and killing every animal that is a threat to your livestock is shortsighted, and a waste of time and money in the long run.

You would be better off building strong, secure enclosures for you animals..........you don't have to fence off you entire land. You can make them yourself......you don't need to spend huge sums of money.

I feel sad that many peoples idea is the quick fix and no brain power idea to just shoot things. Then they are surprised when problems keep coming back.....a never ending war.

It also seem to be mostly happening in America. In the UK is very uncommon to shoot anything in regards to looking after chickens.

Looking after any animal requires a certain amount of care and money. If you are not willing to take the time, spend some money, and look after you animals, then don't be surprised when something happens to them...........the same goes for those people that let their dogs run around free to kill peoples chicken in the first place.

Amen Jak!!!! Exactly right!

 

[Tednchickens]

a few years ago, we had 3 white ducks. we were foolish and didn't pen them in the winter. the pond froze over, the neighbor's dogs killed them. (left a trail in the snow straight back to their home, and didn't eat the ducks.) my husband spoke politely to the neighbors.and asked them to keep the dogs under their control and on their own property. nothing changed. a few months later one of their 3 dogs dragged herself home half dead from a gunshot. mrs. neighbor called me at work and berated me, saying my husband had shot the dog. (he hadn't, but if he had, he wouldn't have left it alive to suffer and crawl home to cause this ruckus). relations immediately became very sour and have never recovered. now we have chickens and we have started letting them free range. there are fewer dogs next door (we live on 7 acres, so not exactly next door). we won't get into it with them again, but if their dog harms our chickens, my husband will shoot to kill (the dog only!). if another dog is obtained by them and becomes a problem, then we will have to protect our flock by penning them until we can resolve the problem somehow. i think each of us has to decide to free range or not, depending on where we are, how much danger our flocks might face, how much predation we can tolerate, etc. there is no one answer, and of course, the answers can change at different times.

 

[speckledhen]

had a talk with the neighbors.. they will do whatever they can to keep the dogs home. They will be reimbursing me for the fenceing and the 7 lost chickens. They want to make it right. I am glad it was handled peaceably. Also I spoke to the sherriff and it is illegal in my county to shoot a dog even if it is attacking my chickens!

Now, that is pretty unusual and rather backwards, IMO. Most everywhere you can shoot a dog if it's harassing your birds, either by local ordinance or state law. Hmm, strange. Well, guess you have to do what you can within the law. I'd be grinding my teeth and looking for another place to live, but that's just me.



Tednchickens said:
Quote: Very true.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Using lethal force to protect dog attacks against livestock is fairly universal. However, the secondary issue for a lot of folks is discharging a firearm in an incorporated municipality (city, town, village, township, etc). That's what can stop the whole show.

Here's a section of our law.

287.279 Killing of dog pursuing, worrying, or wounding livestock or poultry, or attacking person; damages for trespass; effect of license tag.

Sec. 19.


Any person including a law enforcement officer may kill any dog which he sees in the act of pursuing, worrying, or wounding any livestock or poultry or attacking persons, and there shall be no liability on such person in damages or otherwise, for such killing.


Any dog that enters any field or enclosure which is owned by or leased by a person producing livestock or poultry, outside of a city, unaccompanied by his owner or his owner's agent, shall constitute a trespass, and the owner shall be liable in damages

 

[Suzierd]

Right on Jak! Well said.