New coop, neighborhood dogs

[Badchickenpun]

While you aren't wrong, I always like to suggest caution with this approach. Even if someone is 100% in the wrong with letting their dog roam and potentially killing livestock, killing said dog could bring the wrath of the owner in any number of forms - including killing of your livestock. I strongly suggest against this route, but if you absolutely must go this route, make damn sure they never find out it was you.

I know. The laws are funny. It is said in many places you can get into more trouble for shooting a dog with a paintball gun than killing it with a bullet...
I'd rather give the dog(s) a sting/welt than a death certificate.

 

[azygous]

A non-lethal deterrent would be to get a super-soaker and load it with water and a little bit of ammonia and shoot the dogs on the snout. It's extremely unpleasant and should discourage the dogs from pursuing this sport.

 

[Badchickenpun]

A non-lethal deterrent would be to get a super-soaker and load it with water and a little bit of ammonia and shoot the dogs on the snout. It's extremely unpleasant and should discourage the dogs from pursuing this sport.

Yeah, true, but I'd rather not be that close. The ideal when it comes to changing the habits of animals is that the non-desirable affect can occur even when people are not around.
If they know a bad time is coming when they hear the door open, then they will be watching for that.
If the bad time happens randomly, then, yeah, they just avoid.
I will stop at TSC on the way home and see what they can hook me up with. The run is only 12x18... I would think the biggest part would be the solar charger/battery, the wire and standoffs should not be outrageous...

 

[mowin]

While I agree with you that the dogs should be controlled, there is also the argument that this investment will be used to deter wild predators too. An electric fence just so happens to work on domestic dogs too.

...along side of raccoons, wild cats, domestic cats, drunken humans, ect...

While electric fences do work, they are not foolproof. Plenty of videos of fox, coon, coyotes, and bear getting past. Not to mention useless against areal predators.
The investment, as you call it, shouldn't be because some idiot let's his dogs run loose. Lots of people can't afford gas in there car, let alone a electric fence system. If said offender is willing to pay for the fence and installation so he can let his mutts roam free, great, but we both know that isn't going to happen.

Have the authorities give them the message that Fido might be coming home feet first, if it happens again.
Bullet is far cheaper than a electric fence system.