Selling All My Sebastopols!!! Can't take it anymore!!!

[cbohn80]

try using hardware cloth, its openings are only 1/2 inch, nowhere near large enough for a bill to fit through

 

[SouthernPride]

That's what I was thinking, fencing with smaller openings.

We have 2 Akita's that we hope will get over their prey drive and accept our 3 goslings and protect rather than eat them, time will tell.

 

[smoothmule]

Did you sell your Sebbies? If not, I want to suggest a dog for a guardian and I do not recommend the usual breeds. I have no use for the Great Pyrenes, there are a lot of them around here and they are useless. We have Texas Heelers. They are the best all around farm dogs we have ever had. We've had Texas Heelers only, for the past 20 yrs. The dog I have now is over 10 yrs old so I bought a female Heeler and bred her to a working Australian Shepherd male and we had a litter of 7 and kept 3. The other 4 sold "FAST". They are so intelligent, I have my 3 pups sitting and laying down on command in a line at 8 weeks old now. They are great with my poultry (guineas, chickens, turkeys, swan etc) and let them eat from their dish. My dog Sam is raising them now. I sold the female since I'm not a fan of the Heelers. Sam is a natural at herding but not tough on livestock. I took him through basic obedience at 6 months old and it was too easy for him. I've never owned another breed that was better on a farm. Sam doesn't "deter" or run off predators, he kills them. He routinely kills raccoons, possums, skunks and has even had a coyote down in the front yard one time. He nearly had him but the coyote got away and never came back and we have tons of coyotes here. I have not lost a single bird to predators and most of mine are free range and the pens not closed at night. That's over a period of 20 yrs here so I think that speaks for the effectiveness of the Texas Heelers. If you look them up, they run about $300 to $350 for a pup and there is a waiting list. I raised my own. They are about 50 to 60 pounds, Very courageous, hard mouthed (they "kill" with a single bite), very intelligent and they know their job. I've never penned my dog, he has our 40 acres and nothing to stop him but he has always known his boundries. He's so smart, he knows what belongs here and what does not and he does not tolerate intruders (animals/predators) but he is awesome with people/children and when I socialize him to a new animal here, it takes only one time for him to know it lives here. I can't say enough good about them.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Quote:
Smoothmule that is really cool!
How are the "Texas Heelers" different than a Blue Heeler or an Australian Shepherd?
If I had predator problems like Jordan Family I would certainly get a LSG.
As for enclosing poultry and waterfowl in at night there is nothing cruel about that.
I've been doing that for 35 years and all my birds are just fine.
When I turn them out in the morning the geese run around for about 1 minute
honking and flapping their wings but then soon revert to their typical standing
around doing nothing in peticular routine.

 

[StevenW.]

She has sold them all on auctions here...

 

[destinduck]

Oh well. Everyone had great ideas that would easily solve the problem. Hardware cloth, electric fencing, traps. Or any of these used in combination.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I am truly sorry about that. I realize predators have to eat too, but NOT our babies.