Putting a "Property Damage" Price on Layers

[birdwrangler057]

My family put shock wire around our acre garden, and it cost us $300.

 

[JanetMarie]

We put 7' deer fence, wire rabbit fence, and electric wire around our gardens, and since losing many poultry to a fox this spring have added more electric and fencing, and we're not done yet. It is a lot of work.

It's less expensive to do all the fencing than to add a livestock guardian dog.

It would be nice live in Nirvana and have everything open and friendly.

 

[lazy gardener]

If I were faced with this situation, the first thing I'd do is call animal control. If the owner did not make immediate financial amends, I'd also file a police report. I could care less if neighbors have pot operations that could be discovered. Regardless of how nice a dog this is (where chickens are not involved) I'd chain him and call animal control to pick him up, or shoot him. Some day, it may be someone's child or your dog that he chooses to attack. Agreed, electric fence is an expense that many don't want to invest in. But, if this is a business that you expect to profit from, an electric fence can be amortized over time as a tax deductible expense, and will increase your profit margin over time. There are chargers that plug into household current as well as chargers that are powered by 12 V deep cycle batteries. I have electronet fencing that will enclose 1600 s.f. The beauty of this fencing is that it is easy to put up and take down, and can be moved to give birds access to fresh ground. It will deter 4 footed creatures including dogs, fox, coons, and even bear.

In terms of financial amends, you'd have to check with local authorities, perhaps do a search on similar situations re: Judge's awards for damages. But, chickens are considered livestock, no matter how much of a pet we tend to turn them into, so awards would most likely be limited to replacement costs for a bird of similar breeding and age, and property damage.

 

[downriverchicks]

If I were faced with this situation, the first thing I'd do is call animal control. If the owner did not make immediate financial amends, I'd also file a police report. I could care less if neighbors have pot operations that could be discovered. Regardless of how nice a dog this is (where chickens are not involved) I'd chain him and call animal control to pick him up, or shoot him. Some day, it may be someone's child or your dog that he chooses to attack. Agreed, electric fence is an expense that many don't want to invest in. But, if this is a business that you expect to profit from, an electric fence can be amortized over time as a tax deductible expense, and will increase your profit margin over time. There are chargers that plug into household current as well as chargers that are powered by 12 V deep cycle batteries. I have electronet fencing that will enclose 1600 s.f. The beauty of this fencing is that it is easy to put up and take down, and can be moved to give birds access to fresh ground. It will deter 4 footed creatures including dogs, fox, coons, and even bear.

In terms of financial amends, you'd have to check with local authorities, perhaps do a search on similar situations re: Judge's awards for damages. But, chickens are considered livestock, no matter how much of a pet we tend to turn them into, so awards would most likely be limited to replacement costs for a bird of similar breeding and age, and property damage.

We'll be calling animal control if it happens again. It wasn't our first line because we initially thought the neighbors would be more responsive. After the second time it happened they finally got him neutered, but he's still been at it. I'm not worried about him in relation to people, as he can be downright skittish with them - he's easy to chase off, and I can't imagine him biting unless cornered.

We are planning on adding some electric fence eventually. The reason I wasn't more appreciative of the initial suggestion is that we're likely going to have to deal with this again before I ever have the chance. There's no way I can put anything sort of thing at all up before the weekend financially or time-wise, and more realistically, not before Thanksgiving. We've also been wanting to look into electric fencing more deeply so that we can invest in something that will be safe and effective against predators like dogs, goats and sheep we're planning for next year, and also not hurt the chickens. I admit, I know little about electric fencing, besides having interacted with horse, dog, and deer fences in a perfunctory way.

 

[FarmerTony]

In africa its the value of the meat plus all the eggs it would have laid in its lifetime, usually runs about $150. I doubt a judge in the US would award you this amount.

More realistically, I would charge $30 a hen to cover the cost of feeding her replacement until she starts laying again, plus the cost of the eggs she would have laid in that time. A judge is more likely to award you this amount since you can make a logical argument as to what it is based on.

If however it was a champion show hen that has been appraised, you would probably get the appraisal value. But you would also have the burden of showing that you took reasonable measures to ensure the hens safety from predators.

 

[robdog]

Decreased egg production = winter

 

[chickens really]

Depending on the breed of the Chicken losses??? $20 to $30 a bird should be fair......We can not charge for our feed, we all have to feed our birds......You can only try for replacement costs.....

The Breed of the Dog is not the problem.......All dogs without training will chase something that runs......


The young dog from next door came here one day when my dogs were in side eating breakfast.....The bugger had one of my Chickens crammed into my Lilac bush triying to get her....I ran with a Rake and I am sure the guy next door and the Dog thought I was a LOONY!!! lol.........Neither have come back again.....lol!!!!!

Cheers!!!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The advantage of investing the time, money and effort in adding a few strands of electric fencing is that you address not just *this* situation, but also addressing future issues that may well arise with other predators --- addressing just this dog is short-sighted.

 

[lazy gardener]

We'll be calling animal control if it happens again. It wasn't our first line because we initially thought the neighbors would be more responsive. After the second time it happened they finally got him neutered, but he's still been at it. I'm not worried about him in relation to people, as he can be downright skittish with them - he's easy to chase off, and I can't imagine him biting unless cornered.

We are planning on adding some electric fence eventually. The reason I wasn't more appreciative of the initial suggestion is that we're likely going to have to deal with this again before I ever have the chance. There's no way I can put anything sort of thing at all up before the weekend financially or time-wise, and more realistically, not before Thanksgiving. We've also been wanting to look into electric fencing more deeply so that we can invest in something that will be safe and effective against predators like dogs, goats and sheep we're planning for next year, and also not hurt the chickens. I admit, I know little about electric fencing, besides having interacted with horse, dog, and deer fences in a perfunctory way.

When you start shopping for fencing, I suggest you look at Premier1. They provide an excellent product. I've bought the Poultry Electronet with double prong posts, and couldn't be happier with it. I've not used it for the past year b/c we've had heavy hawk predation which required that I put up a covered run. (not a cheap undertaking after investing in the Electronet!... But, it is what it is. This company has a complete line of accessories to get you completely set up, and they have good support staff to talk you through it. You can also look at the charger requirements for the electronet, and then, if you find a charger that is powerful enough (just have to know what is required) for a better price elsewhere, even used, you can buy the charger, and just get the electronet from P1.

 

[aart]

We are planning on adding some electric fence eventually.

Check this thread out...excellent info and thorough experienced advice from Howard.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1117877/a-treatise-on-electric-fencing