Neighbors Dog Massacred My flock

[MandaRae]

I've known a lot of dogs that climb and jump fences, regardless of height. So maybe a small electric fence around the coop would be a better deterrent than a whole-property fence?

I'm so very sorry this happened to you.

We actually were discussing getting an electric fence for the coops. It would be added protection from wildlife too.

 

[JAMarlow]

I think the purchase price of organic eggs from the store would suffice, around here it's over 4 bucks a dozen. At the cheap store.

Wow, only $4? That's cheap! Around here a dozen eggs that are organic and pasture raised cost $7.99 a dozen. If we really watch, we can hit sales that brings it down to $5.99. And, about 60% of the time the store is out of stock! Hence getting new chicks to replace the retired flock. We need those eggs!

 

[Shezadandy]

We actually were discussing getting an electric fence for the coops. It would be added protection from wildlife too.

We used https://www.amazon.com/Parmak-Energ...53987901&sprefix=fence+charger,aps,182&sr=8-9 for our goats. It runs around 12,000 with everything it's hooked up to now. It's handy because it displays what it puts out instead of having to guess. I also use a fence tester (that goes up to 12,000) to verify.

If you're going to have an electric fence for something this specific - I would have at least one ground wire down low. Some folks use them for up high- say where a raccoon might scale their fence and be up off the ground. If the animal isn't touching the ground, it can't be shocked. Also - because electric chargers work by sending a pulse out every second or so- the potential exists for there to be be a no-shock contact- how and where the dog touches the fence can have an impact on whether it reacts. By making sure its body WILL be in contact with your ground wire (a wire attached to your ground rod system) AND your hot wire at the same time ups the chance of repelling the invading animal.

Special attention will have to be paid to keeping the vegetation chopped nice and low underneath- even the best charger can only do so much with a bunch of stuff touching the fence.

And of course check your local laws to make sure electric fences are permitted in your area. Also - if your chickens will ever be outside this fenced area - they can get shocked too.

I'm sorry you've had to go through this. I hate that this dog has already obliterated someone else's flock before yours. Check into your local laws - since it has already damaged someone else's livestock before what happened to yours- maybe there's a repeat offender or dangerous dog designation that applies to animals who kill livestock.

 

[Alagirl]

We used https://www.amazon.com/Parmak-Energizer-Impedance-Controller-SE5/dp/B0002YUWHA/ref=sr_1_9?crid=1T4GINYDNZ6GO&keywords=fence+charger&qid=1653987901&sprefix=fence+charger,aps,182&sr=8-9 for our goats. It runs around 12,000 with everything it's hooked up to now. It's handy because it displays what it puts out instead of having to guess. I also use a fence tester (that goes up to 12,000) to verify.

If you're going to have an electric fence for something this specific - I would have at least one ground wire down low. Some folks use them for up high- say where a raccoon might scale their fence and be up off the ground. If the animal isn't touching the ground, it can't be shocked. Also - because electric chargers work by sending a pulse out every second or so- the potential exists for there to be be a no-shock contact- how and where the dog touches the fence can have an impact on whether it reacts. By making sure its body WILL be in contact with your ground wire (a wire attached to your ground rod system) AND your hot wire at the same time ups the chance of repelling the invading animal.

Special attention will have to be paid to keeping the vegetation chopped nice and low underneath- even the best charger can only do so much with a bunch of stuff touching the fence.

And of course check your local laws to make sure electric fences are permitted in your area. Also - if your chickens will ever be outside this fenced area - they can get shocked too.

I'm sorry you've had to go through this. I hate that this dog has already obliterated someone else's flock before yours. Check into your local laws - since it has already damaged someone else's livestock before what happened to yours- maybe there's a repeat offender or dangerous dog designation that applies to animals who kill livestock.

I'd like to add the trespasser needs to be grounded.
So either on the ground, or touching something grounded. Most fences work, wood to a lesser extent than metal. You can probably go to a farm store and get some info although it's available online as well, with diagrams. If your soil is loose and sandy, the electric fence might not work as well as in a loamy damp soil.
the smaller the load (amount of wire charged by the unit) the bigger the pop will be. (why I opted not to buy a 60 mile unit off Craig's List. I want my dog to leave my chicks alone, but I don't what popdog either.)
Electric fencing isn't difficult;t to figure out once you know the basics.

 

[MandaRae]

So these fences are obviously higher voltage but he told us he had a electric fence for her and the other dog and it didn't stop them. They would sit just close enough to the fence line to wear out the battery enough for them to cross.
It just sounds like this guy hasn't properly trained his dog.

 

[Folly's place]

He has a dog fence, a buried wire with the dogs wearing collars tuned to it. Very effective, when it's strong enough, and used properly. There are dogs who will run through it, no matter how heavy a 'zap', we've had one like that. We then added a 'real' fence, with the wire about three feet inside the physical barrier, and that works well.
It's about being motivated enough to actually contain the dogs!!!
Mary

 

[MandaRae]

He has a dog fence, a buried wire with the dogs wearing collars tuned to it. Very effective, when it's strong enough, and used properly. There are dogs who will run through it, no matter how heavy a 'zap', we've had one like that. We then added a 'real' fence, with the wire about three feet inside the physical barrier, and that works well.
It's about being motivated enough to actually contain the dogs!!!
Mary

YES! Honestly I think he has no care. Because really he should have gone out the night before to get her instead of letting her run wild all night into the morning.

 

[McChooky]

You and him both need a better fence because this dog will be back if it gets the chance.

 

[MandaRae]

You and him both need a better fence because this dog will be back if it gets the chance.

We are working on an electric fence for us

 

[Shezadandy]

So these fences are obviously higher voltage but he told us he had a electric fence for her and the other dog and it didn't stop them. They would sit just close enough to the fence line to wear out the battery enough for them to cross.
It just sounds like this guy hasn't properly trained his dog.

That's why yours should be plugged in, not solar or battery. Unless the power goes out, the fence will keep doing its job no matter what.

Our fence (that runs 12,000 with everything plugged in) - if touched - will illicit an involuntary scream, i.e. you hear the scream, and you wonder who's making all that noise ... and then your mind catches up and you realize ... it's you. IMHO, if you're going to do an electric fence, that's what it should be. The goal is to keep dangerous animals away from your birds.

There's a big difference between the "electric" fence they're talking about (the invisible dog fence) and an electric fence intended to repel predators worked up enough to rip your fence down and do what it did.