Neighbors Dog

[LadyVictorian]

Well, no one is dead...yet...but I have some concerns for sure. My neighbors dogs keep getting our of her yard and coming over to my house which I am going to be putting my chickens outside soon and come summer time my larger hens are going to be allowed to free range in our yard. We have about 20 acre's but we will keep them mostly in the front pasture by the house.

Now, I prefer for my hens to free range during the day and coop up at night but with the neighbors dog coming around I have started to get nervous. I knew she use to have chickens, 6 red sexlink hens actually though they don't seem to be around anymore so I don't know if her dog killed them and if her dog will come after my birds.I would prefer to free range because i live with my folks and they are not real keen on putting up fences just for chickens and feel they will be just fine wandering around.

What do you think I should do if I can't put up a run? The neighbor has one big white German Shepard, one Doberman, and one mystery white dog who mostly comes into our yard. I tried getting my parents to agree on a livestock guardian dog but they didn't want that either and I can't just keep my chickens in a coop all day. It's a 10x20 refurbished horse stall but for a total of 12 or more chickens I don't think that is enough room.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Tell your neighbors to keep the dogs off your property. Easy peasy lemon squeezy as my kids would say. Don't allow it to continue.

Good luck.

Gary

 

[cavemanrich]

You are in a difficult position for sure. Here are some of my thoughts.
Talk to your neighbor in a friendly manner and discuss your concerns. Maybe the dogs are not dangerous to chickens. My dogs are friendly to mine but they are small dogs.
Make up a run area with cattle panels and install a HOT WIRE persuader. Dogs learn FAST. Here is what I was talking about. Wont break the bank. Energizer about $35. You do need the other wires and insulators and such, as well as the cattle panels.
WISHING YOU BEST..

This will not hurt the dogs, only teach them..

 

[LadyVictorian]

You are in a difficult position for sure. Here are some of my thoughts.
Talk to your neighbor in a friendly manner and discuss your concerns. Maybe the dogs are not dangerous to chickens. My dogs are friendly to mine but they are small dogs.
Make up a run area with cattle panels and install a HOT WIRE persuader. Dogs learn FAST. Here is what I was talking about. Wont break the bank. Energizer about $35. You do need the other wires and insulators and such, as well as the cattle panels.
WISHING YOU BEST..

This will not hurt the dogs, only teach them..

You think a 20 year old electric fence can be brought back to life? We had one for our horses back when but put up wood around it instead and shut off the fence when the horses went through it.Not sure if it still works anymore since we haven't turned it on in about 20 years. Might be able to rewire the property though if we could get it sparking again and it was super effective. Originally designed for horse and cattle so if that doesn't keep a dog out nothing will. I tested it once as a fun game with my friends, made me about pee my pants.

 

[bobbi-j]

You think a 20 year old electric fence can be brought back to life? We had one for our horses back when but put up wood around it instead and shut off the fence when the horses went through it.Not sure if it still works anymore since we haven't turned it on in about 20 years. Might be able to rewire the property though if we could get it sparking again and it was super effective. Originally designed for horse and cattle so if that doesn't keep a dog out nothing will. I tested it once as a fun game with my friends, made me about pee my pants.

There's only one way to find out...

 

[cavemanrich]

Your horse Electric fencing might need to have some additional wires ran closer to height of dogs. Another thing I learned from a thread is to place some bait on wire. Here is the link to it. It is really good and somewhat funny reading. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1156419/coyotes-and-other-predators

 

[aggiemae]

Are dogs allowed to roam at large where you live?

 

[Teila]

Hey there LadyVictorian

aggiemae raises a good point in that your neighbour has her right to keep dogs but you have your right to keep chickens and not be concerned about them being killed by a wandering dog.

The dog should not be allowed to wander.

Just this week, after mentioning to my neighbour that we were moving, a couple of days later he mentioned that he was going to let his much loved cat wander outside untethered.

I have two indoor cats who have an outside run. He has the one cat who he lets wander around his back garden on a leash. The reason? She can see our chickens through the fence, wandering in our garden and he does not want her killing one of them. That is what good neighbours do; have respect for each others desire to have pets and boundaries.

As cavemanrich has suggested, I would talk to your neighbour and tell them your plans and that they will need to find a way to keep their dog contained on their property.

 

[LadyVictorian]

Are dogs allowed to roam at large where you live?

Nope, we have a leash law here which requires either your dog be on a chain or leash or behind a fence 'secured fence'. Technically the dogs are behind a fence but not a secure one as they get out often and wander around between my house and the house next to me on the other side. I know those neighbors have voiced concerns because they have smalls dogs they put on long lines but the neighbors have since only let their little dogs outside to do their business on the deck for fear a little dog will get eaten by the big dogs wandering around. They were going to build a fence for the little dogs but decided not to feeling the big dogs might still just dig under and the deck is from the second story with no ground access keeping their little dogs safe.

I really have no idea if the big dogs would attack another dog, they haven't attacked my bichon yet but normally he's been inside when they have been in our yard since he is only out when we are out to supervise him and neither of the big dogs show people aggression but the smaller white mystery dog has shown people aggression.

 

[Chonke]

if they get in your yard again call the dog pound. Then at least your neighbor will have to pay some cash if they really want to keep them.