Not a predator, just a pest!

[Justaheifer]

My sister came over tonight.
She had had her two 2yr old grand kids and her 8 year old daughter with her.
Both 2 year olds were told, to NOT chase the birds! (ducks, chickens and guineas) One of the gandkids has been here a million times, he don't mess with my birds!
The 8 year, that has been told and caught chasing my birds before, was caught AGAIN chasing my birds!
About a year ago I caught her "following" a hen and her chicks. I was very blunt and might have used words that should probably not be posted on a family board, so she knows better!

Tonight I caught her chasing my ducks!
Once again I used words that should not be posted on a family board and made her come "sit with me" like I do the dogs! I also told her if she was one of my dogs, she would get the shock collar!

Is this a simple lack of respect?
My birds are free range, the yard is their safty zone, they know that!
I have 3 lab/rottis, none of them mess with my birds!
I have a Chesapeka bay retriever, she don't mess with my birds!
BUT, I have to watch an 8 year old?

What do do you do with kids that seem to think chasing the birds is OK?

 

[Marie66]

maybe when she comes over, if you have notice, you can have some 'chores' that she can do with the chickens. some way that she can help with them. maybe she just wants to be involved with them?

 

[saddina]

Hmmm. I'm going to guess that fowl are a new thing for her? Perhaps give her some oatmeal or scratch and let her sprinkle some out to amuse both her and the birds? Or a few chunks of fruit?

If it's just plain chasing them to be a punk, then she can spend the visit sitting there with her mother (who SHOULD be the one watching her anyways).

 

[RachelFromTheBlackLagoon]

Two words: WOODEN SPOON.


Hehe, just kidding.....sort of, but I think Marie66's idea is much better! Maybe by helping you to care for them when she visits she will learn to respect them. I bet she's also doing it just because she was told not to do it. So if having her help out doesn't work THEN get out the spoon!

 

[Boyd]

Quote:
Tell your sister to watch her daughter more closely

 

[hobbyfarmrookie]

I can loan you a RIR rooster that will break her from that. My beagle pups chased the chicks a few times then the rooster chased the dogs a couple of times. There is now respect for the chickens. THen when she comes to you crying because they chased her you can use the Wooden Spoon that Rachaelfromtheblacklagoon suggested.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Agree. Or even more basically, maybe he is trying to learn how we are supposed to handle and regard animals, since she does not seem to have any idea.

 

[nzpouter]

I think the collar is a good idea.....

 

[Justaheifer]

Quote:
She spent alot of time here last year, I boarded her horse and babysat more times that I care to count.
I think that's what irratates me the most, she knows the rules around here!

We were outside of the yard, and she tried to go back into the yard "to see the geese" . Her mother and I both told her to stay out of the yard and leave the geese alone. It was minutes later she was back in the yard, bugging the ducks.

Are all 8 year olds this defiant, or is this just another example of her mother not using the wooden spoon enough?

I thought about turning my gander loose next time she is here, but one of my dogs thinks he should protect people from him.
So, that would be no fun at all!

 

[BeccaOH]

I have a similar issue with my brother's 7 and 5 year olds. I've tried to explain to them that chasing the cats and ducklings won't win them over as friends. They pout about the cats hiding from them since they named the cats and call them theirs, but still they chase them, corner them, and otherwise stress them out.

I don't know how you get it through a child's head when there are discipline issues at home and you (and I) can't work with them on a daily bases to teach them proper animal care.

I feel your pain.