PLANNED POULTRY GUARDING DOG

[scottcaddy]

How Is Lucy's off hind foot doing? I do find your running commentary interesting. Thanks for taking the time doing it!

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

I inadvertently cross posted because on infant care job I guess. Lucy has a lacerated pad from stepping on something sharp. That is a frequent wound around he because of the type rocks exposed.


The change in roosting arrangement noted above are relevant to Scoob and Lucy because the dogs again have a chickens roosting within a couple feet of where they look about from at night. The birds are also currently at eye level for the dogs.

I am starting to tighten up free-range flocks and will begin making initial changes in preparation for winter. Soon the only free-range birds will be centered on the front porch. Culling and selecting for winter keep / brood will start soon with the special birds given priority for protection against elements and baddies that can slip through and cause damage before dogs catch on somebody is present. Highest value birds will be kept in the core of cockyard where an additional round of electrical fencing will be deployed. Feed mixture for adult birds is now being adjusted in the assumption that all birds are in heavy molt. Dogs like that feed best.

 

[centrarchid]

SCOOB WITH NEWEST CHARGE

Pictured are Trueman and his baby sister Iris. Fun will be really started next spring as Iris will be walking and getting into fence with her brother. Trueman got zapped yesterday and did some hollering as a result. He did not run but waited to me to come turn fence off, then we went back through. A major problem is he was watching me flip switch. His doing so as well may not always result in fence being turned off, especially when I am working on fence.

 

[centrarchid]

SOMETHING WITH NEIGHBOR'S CATTLE STIRRING MY DOGS UP

Neighbor to south has cattle that were bawling more than usual and sounded as if spread apart. Calves maybe in the process of weaning but Scoob does not normally get excited by such. Scoob nearly dragged me out of house to see what was going on. My guess is some of the cows got through fences intended to separate them from calves and got all riled up trying to get back in with young. Neighbor could heard calling them and seemed to be doing it for longer than usual.


Trueman went out with me for first time to check fences and pens at nigh. He sat on my shoulders hugging my head while breathing into my ear. He made a point to show me the "muun" (moon) and clearly enjoyed the chore.

 

[CAjerseychick]

awww aint kids fun! and kids on Farms with dogs and chickens even more fun! Love your chronicles! We happened to get a great pyr/ anatolian shepherd pup a couple of weeks ago and he is coming along great-- just starting to bark with the Big Dogs at things that go Bump in the night (he is close to 13 weeks now)-- went over to my back neighbor a couple days ago and he showed me all the damage Bears are doing to his apple trees.... He gets bears and racoons.... we got Nothin' so far (he has indoor toy dogs and a cat ) and we have farm dogs- love em!

 

[centrarchid]

DANG GREAT-HORNED OWLS ARE COMING IN ALREADY


Party is over now. Dogs now going to north and barking towards neighbors very large coop / run. It took me a while to figure out what it going on but I did catch a glimpse of a great-horned owl working fencerow behind neighbors poultry keep. They will come into my yard even with dogs present but are unable to take anything that must be grappled on ground. That still means about 30 juveniles need to be penned up at night now. I was hoping to get into October like in previous years before owls started ruining the party.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Ouch great horned owls? Make have a dog sleep out with your Juveniles until you have a better solution?

I forget where, but someone keeps a border collie/pyr mix in her coop at night and swears by it....

 

[centrarchid]

Dogs are useless if owl can grab bird from exposed elevated roost and fly of with it. Dogs can stop owl if owl must process chicken on ground. To stop first option, small birds will be confined to pens until too big for owl to fly any distance with. That means better than 2 - 3 lbs.

 

[centrarchid]

SHAME AND EMBARRESMENT


Lucy will take on a raccoon, fox, opossum, and domestic without a problem. She eats snakes while they are still alive and skunks no matter how rotten. She has no problem chasing any raptor, day or night. She is also scared of a little Chihuahua looking dog wearing an oversized red handkerchief and seemed unable to lick its own butt properly. She followed me out to mailbox this morning and encountered the little dog in a neighbors yard. I must admit the little dog was vicious in it demeanor. Fox will probably snatch it someday.

 

[scottcaddy]

Maybe training her with red on other critters will help!?

Scott