Need barbed wire/electric fencing around a chicken yard - what works for you?

[gailm]

Unfortunately I can't make them disappear. I am an animal lover (vegetarian etc) and want to take other measures. But in the heat of the moment if I actually caught the dog that was chasing my girls I would probably beat the daylights out of it. And that actually scares me.

 

[blucoondawg]

I know exactly where you are coming from on the animal control not wanting to do their part, it's like they feel it is somehow below them to actually have to come out and do their job. We don't have an "Animal Control" office in my county, our Sheriff's Dept is in charge of enforcing the ordinance, there are a few deputies who are trained to act as animal control officers in the even of complaints of neglect, abuse, etc. however in nuisance and dog at large cases any old deputy can respond to the call and issue a citation. I have a complete jerk of a neighbor who is a waste of oxygen on this earth who's dogs, bear hounds of which at times he has more than 20, bark constantly night and day and get loose from their ramshackle enclosure and roam around tearing up garbage and causing general mayhem. I called in complaints constantly, I took video with audio of most every disturbance, they cops basically issued the citations, this guy then simply kept postponing them in court for months on end and continued to do nothing about the dogs, he is a skilled liar when talking to law enforcement, he had them basically believing that I was a wacko who simply didn't like him and I was calling in to be malicious, until my other neighbor finally started calling in, then they started taking it more seriously, we also had a change of DA and Sheriff over the 2 to 3 years this went on and they finally got sick of wasting tax payer funds to drive way out to our place to investigate these complaints, so they finally started to do their job, the dogs are far less of a problem now as he moved them.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Unfortunately I can't make them disappear. I am an animal lover (vegetarian etc) and want to take other measures. But in the heat of the moment if I actually caught the dog that was chasing my girls I would probably beat the daylights out of it. And that actually scares me.

Don't be scared of that reaction. Other people (irresponsible dog owners) unfortunately will put you in the position of having to protect your own at some point. I am an animal lover too but I owe it to my own animals to protect them. We very rarely have to make a dog "disappear". If it's friendly and just running loose and I can catch it I will have animal control pick it up, I am lucky to have a good animal control office in our county in that regard. BUT if a dog is on my property, is aggressive and going after my animals then I do not have time for all of that nor will I risk getting bitten.

One night there was a ruckus outside, opened the front door to see a large, black dog trying to get into my goat pen. I yelled at it from the front door and it advanced towards me growling and barking. My husband arrived on the scene and put an end to that dog. You do what you have to do sometimes.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Don't be scared of that reaction. Other people (irresponsible dog owners) unfortunately will put you in the position of having to protect your own at some point. I am an animal lover too but I owe it to my own animals to protect them. We very rarely have to make a dog "disappear". If it's friendly and just running loose and I can catch it I will have animal control pick it up, I am lucky to have a good animal control office in our county in that regard. BUT if a dog is on my property, is aggressive and going after my animals then I do not have time for all of that nor will I risk getting bitten.

One night there was a ruckus outside, opened the front door to see a large, black dog trying to get into my goat pen. I yelled at it from the front door and it advanced towards me growling and barking. My husband arrived on the scene and put an end to that dog. You do what you have to do sometimes.

Agreed - I am an animal lover to the the nth power - but my love is first and foremost for MY animals - if YOUR animal is a threat to mine because YOU are not being responsible, that is not MY problem. My first choice is always to resolve the situation in a way that keeps everyone alive and well (even if they are alive and well at the local animal shelter), but if it comes down to a situation where that is not going to be possible myself, my children and my pets are at the top of the list of those who will come out of it alive and well.......

 

[lisaterrell88]

My niebors have a dog and she let it attack her roosters and didnt even come outside to see what all the ruckus was about. But u let my dog bark and she tells me my dogs vark to much. And most of the time my dog is barking cause her dog is in my yard laying two foot outside my fence instagating my dog so my husband and I have decided we are putting up a fence and when we do they lose there parking spot cause they been parking in my drive way. I say if u are gonna have a dog thenman up a relize all the rresponsibilities that come with having one.

 

[blucoondawg]

Forgot to mention about the electric fence, go with the plain smooth wire, barbed wire is not needed, the shock is what does the trick not the wire, also in some areas electrifying barbed wire is illegal as a person or animal could potentially get snagged on it and not be able to escape the shock as quickly. I don't know if they have any such law in your area but it just isn't necessary. Smooth wire is likely cheaper as well and you won't constantly be snagging and poking yourself when you work with it or around it.

I know what you mean about getting so mad you would beat the daylights out of the dogs for going after your birds, I am to the point with my jerk neighbor that I am done with law enforcement measures and any of his dogs that are on my property and harassing my chickens or my dogs will be shot on sight, that is legal and considered acceptable by most standards in my area, however beating a dog senseless can lead to all kinds of animal abuse/cruelty allegations, lawsuits, possible fines or jail time, even if you are justified in doing so, so if you can't use lethal force to protect your birds it is a fine line you are walking if you take other measures, though in my eyes if they are attacking all bets are off, beat them to death if you must.

It sounds like your neighbors are down right inconsiderate about the birds, but you can't really fault them for allowing the dogs in their own back yard if in fact the dogs are staying in THEIR backyard and not crossing into yours, I would put that electric fence about 1 inch on your side of the property line all along your property line with them, I doubt they will enjoy the fact that they now have to have an electrified fence bordering their yard due to their stubbornness at refusing to remedy the situation, I too would grease the wires to entice the dogs to lick it and get a good zap, it would likely make them stay far away, if it did draw in another animal they would get the same education in a hurry and likely not return. I would continue with the reports to the animal control agency or police dept as well, they usually are required to look into every single complaint and sooner or later they will be forced to act as they will get tired of responding.