PLANNED POULTRY GUARDING DOG

[scottcaddy]

MY HELPER IN TRAINING STARTING TO FILL MY SHOES


When the dogs get worked when we are all home, the little man is starting to develop an interest in participating. He how runs to get the big Maglite and says "us go, us go" as he turns it on. He clearly wants to go outside but getting him dressed for temperature down in the teens takes to long. When go outside without him he then yells "comm bock, comm bock". Soon he will be able to go out and help me do the chores by holding the light. He still likes to hold beam to right of where I think it needs to be.

At least he is interested and willing to help you, not afraid of the dark and critters in it!!
A flock master in the works!!

Scott

 

[Scott H]

That's awesome!

 

[centrarchid]

GETTING OWL PRESSURE AGAIN

Great-horned owl came in at least twice last night and once already tonight. Last night shortly after dark it flew into garage after front porch flock. Dogs came scrambling back house for that. Commotion had birds hiding on floor and all sorts of things knocked down by dogs. Owl got away. Just before dawn owl visited cockyard and got penned birds to bail from roost. Shortly I will be going out to sleep in some high weeds right in the middle of all the fun. Dogs we be kept in house for a good twenty minutes before released so I can be close owl alone to hear and possibly see what it does. Last winter on a fully moonlit night I could see everything but the owl also made noises that where not hoots. Also dogs really impacted owl's behavior once it went to work. Tonight, even though moon is not in my favor I should be able to hear better.

 

[centrarchid]

SKY CLEARED AND STARS GOT TOO BRIGHT

I managed to stay out for about 2.5 hours laying in the weed patch. Dogs found me immediately after being released then setup camp around my hiding place. Lucy found a hen that just started brooding a small clutch today right next to me. Scoob spent most of his time sitting on my leg as he watched to the northeast which is the direction the owl comes from. At about 2300 a couple coyotes starting howling to the south causing Scoob and Lucy to head down and chase them from woods. A little later Lucy started doing her chuffing bark which usually mean something like a deer is around. Sky began to clear causing temperature to drop pretty fast. I now have a headache and sore back. It was far from quite with human made noises such as those coming from aircraft and cars going constantly. We are directly below the patch lots of commercial aircraft take as flying between St. Louis and Kansas City.

 

[Baymule]

With all the holiday air traffic, I bet there is a lot of noise in the sky!

 

[centrarchid]

DISPUTE AFTER RILING HARVESTED CHICKENS

I just wrapped up harvesting a few doms causing some squalling as birds had already been harassed by Great-horned Owl a couple nights ago. That means when I try to pick them off roost the bail and start running about on ground all fluffed up making my job take too long. Scoob and Lucy were out and about checking on broody hens and harassing the duck as I did my work. After penning and bagging was done we headed back to the house when both dogs bolted into the front yard snarling, I turned my light on to see south neighbor's white female pitbull and east neighbors male Australian shepherd walking down road bordering our property. Scoob and Lucy made certain the did not loiter with both snuff-barking as they pushed their rivals off. In all likelihood the shepherd was also getting sassy with the pitbull. Neither dog is a threat to my birds. I am building up a buffer zone of friendlies but they still need to stay off our turf.

Seeing critters after chickens are disturbed is not a big deal at all. Mr Fox is really prone to come calling when the birds are disturbed, especially when it is Mr. Owl doing the disturbing.

 

[centrarchid]

MISS-ID ON DOG LAST NIGHT

Male was a black chow looking dog that appears to weigh about 90 lbs. He came back this morning and we ran him off again. Lucy was key because that dog, despite major lack in speed is well made to scrap with another dog. Lucy tipped he balance very well going after his backside and I hope his balls very aggressively. Dog appears to be in the company of Thanksgiving visitors with a neighbor. Taking a dog into a new area like that and allowing it free-range is frankly very stupid. I penned virtually all birds into fenced in perimeter last night but with respect to dogs we switched into off season mode as of yesterday where they will not be free to deal with threats during day. I will be out of town for next couple days so hopefully perimeters and pens will hold. Neighbor girl to take care of birds did not seem to realize threat dog poses. I hope she does not learn while I am gone that just because dog does not go after you that it not go after your stock. A good dog is a good dog in the context of what you want it to do. My neighbor to NE has a dog (short-haired Portuguese LGD of some sort) easily big enough to take on such a brute one on one but that is something you want to avoid. We do not want fair fights, we want to when decisively and hopefully not even a scratch to out team. There is honor in bluffing to avoid actual scrap.

 

[Sheilak]

Ok, is there an app. I should download?

 

[Sheilak]

Opps disregard previous post. I love this thread and check for new posts often! Thank You! It is very informative and entertaining.

 

[centrarchid]

See linked post in another thread that updates issue with dogs referred to above.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/791717/free-range-keeping-of-american-dominiques/90#post_12413166