Neighbours dog keeps breaking into our yard-what do?

[Haloclimb]

Hi guys, having a bit of a problem here and I could do with some advice. Our neighbours have two dogs (new I think) and they both keep escaping, and the whippet has so far killed two of our chooks. We just found it running around on our property again today, going after one of the roosters, and since this is the 4th time its happened I've put my foot down and called the pound to collect the dog rather than just giving the dog back to the neighbours.
Is this the right thing to do? The neighbours have apologised each time and the dog itself is lovely, but if this keeps up we'll end up loosing all of our chickens. I don't want to put the dog in the pound or make enemies from my neighbours, but at the same time we've lost two chickens too many- both were really dear to us. How else could I resolve this?

 

[ivan3]

They've apologized three times already (did they pay for the chooks killed)? That you called the pound, on this fourth instance, is more than sporting of you. Do they attempt to fence their dogs? Do you have any fencing up to protect your chooks?

I'd probably have to advise investing in some electric fencing. If that isn't possible then put up cams so you can document every intrusion/trespass and keep calling pound; small claims court for recompense for killed chooks. If the dogs happen to `disappear' well.... A loose dog is road kill waiting to happen and the owners of dogs that insist on letting them roam are engaging in `cruelty to animals'... Humane retirement is, unfortunately, sometimes the only resolution available. As we will always get between any dog and our poultry (and if the dog keeps coming) we have no recourse but to report that the dog was attempting to attack humans, when we file the complaint with the sheriff (attacking and killing chooks counts for nothing in many jurisdictions. Threatening/attacking humans? That perks up the ears of the constabulary - and allows one a wider range of legal options).

Electric fencing, where possible, dissuades all sorts of vermin.

 

[ivan3]

A smaller run, that can be electrified, would at least cut down on the anxiety level when there is no one to monitor the acreage/chooks. Whatever other fencing you can put up to limit access is good as well.
I had good luck, a few years ago, when having some dog issues with some folks up the road, telling those `neighbors' that, owing to the foxes and coyotes infesting our property, I'd been forced to put out poison and set up dead falls in our woods. As I'd seen their dogs in our woods, and didn't want anything to happen to them, would they be so kind as to protect their dogs and not let them `get out back'. Have never seen those dogs again.

Best of luck!

 

[Mattemma]

If you can catch the dogs get rid of them. I get so annoyed with pets that get loose multiple times.Sorry is not enough especially when one of your animals gets killed.Catch them and make them disappear.

As for the chickens a smaller fenced area is needed for them.Enclosed run. that can handle all sorts of predators.It is either that or accept losses.
Good luck!

 

[Jenny1]

Is there any way you could ramp up your bird security system? It might not be a bad idea in case other predators come. Some people use electric fences, or chicken tractors.

 

[jak2002003]

Can you fence in your yard? I think if a dog can get into the yard and kill chickens then so can other animals like foxes, other dogs etc. If you put up a fence you would protect your chickens from them.

That neighbour does not seem to care if her dog kills your chickens. Sure she has said sorry, but if she was really sorry, then this would not keep happening 4 times.

If you have called the pound and they have taken the dog away - I think you already made an enemy of you neighbour.

Sorry you are going through this. I have had problems with neighbours and dogs before and some people just don't seem to care about others.

Let us know what happens and good luck!

 

[Haloclimb]

We're on 5 acres so we can't really fence our land any more than it already is- there are trees all up at the fence line as well, so we can't run an electric fence by it either ): The chickens all free range during the day and thats when they keep getting caught, but we don't have anywhere enclosed to run them so we're in a bit of a bind! Their coop itself is a renovated woodshed, and we have our dogs outside most of the day so they (hopefully) keep away the foxes, and I've not really seen eagles around here much so I don't have to worry about that, thankfully.
But our dogs are useless against the other dogs, all they do is bark and then try to play with them!

But yeah, we're getting past the realm of 'they'll fix it', since everything they've tried so far to fix the problem (tying the dogs up more securely and running electrire wire across the top of their run) hasn't worked. We'd called the pound to pick the dogs up, but the neighbour came looking for the dog just before the animal control officer got here so we ended up just giving the dog back and having another talk with them. I think it's the sons housesitting, since we've only ever seen them at the house, and he said he'd be locking the dog in the shed to keep him away, but to be honest I'm just going to learn the adress of the pound so I can drop the dog off myself next time he gets out :/
On the subject of pay, we're not really bothered by that- I'd rather just have the certainty that the dogs won't be coming back :x If they'd taken our aracuana chicks though I'd be demanding payment!

Would pig fencing keep a whippet out? I'm tempted to just run that across the back fence and see if that takes care of the problem. If the whippet didn't chase the chickens, we'd have no problem with him in our yard since he's such a sweet dog!
Thanks for the help though, its definetly given my ideas to try and fix the problem. The entire situation is just frustrating

Especially since the dogs themselves are lovely, and we don't have a gun to SSS! I kind of wish the neighbours had been really awkward and uncaring, I wouldn't give a hoot about dropping them in the pound otherwise :V

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Can you Aussies get a shotgun and rock salt? Very effective and controlling unwanted dogs. The size of the run really shouldn't figure in on electrifying as much as the output of the energizer.

 

[Zigmont]

Can you fence in your yard?  I think if a dog can get into the yard and kill chickens then so can other animals like foxes, other dogs etc.  If you put up a fence you would protect your chickens from them.

That neighbour does not seem to care if her dog kills your chickens.  Sure she has said sorry, but if she was really sorry, then this would not keep happening 4 times.

If you have called the pound and they have taken the dog away - I think you already made an enemy of you neighbour.

Sorry you are going through this.  I have had problems with neighbours and dogs before and some people just don't seem to care about others.

Let us know what happens and good luck!

I agree here. If your neighbor's dogs can get in, so can anything else. As wonderful as it is to allow full time day free ranging, chickens are so vulnerable to so many predators that it just isn't worth the risk. We have twenty acres with five foot oak rails with 2 inch mesh around three acres to keep our horses and dogs in. I thought that would plenty of protection from day predators and a darned hawk killed one of my chickens. Now they have a 50 by 20 foot area with double aviary netting over the fence. They are in the coup at night. I hated to do that to them because they loved roaming the yard and hanging out in the barn with the horses, but I didn't want to lose any more. Just a few weeks ago, a fox was hanging around too. I also have dogs, but foxes are very sly and are out day or night. We chased him off, but I am still concerned. Good luck

 

[KrisH]

Sorry to say it, but it is up to you to provide a safe area for your chickens as much as it is their responsibility to keep their dogs off your property. if it's not the dogs, i'm sure there are other preditors to protect from.

besides, good fences make good neighbors.

trees are not a great excuse for not putting up fencing.

Sorry

RobertH