Speaking of dogs...

[Cassandra]

It is 11:35 p.m. and hubby & I just came in from moving our brooder. It was right up against the side of the house, which is lucky because we heard the dog(s) trying to tear into it. The first time we heard it, about 9:30, John went out and the dogs ran to the back part of the yard (we have an acre or so fenced in) where the woods are. There were three of them. I think they are strays.

We had to wait for them to come back. I heard them again and ran out with a fire poker. I went out through a different door so they would run out the gate they had pushed open instead of back into the woods. They went out as far as I know. I heard them, but didn't see. And they'd pushed the gate open going the other way, so I know at least one of them went out. I didn't see or hear any sign of the others.

I was pretty proud of how my little brooder held up, but didn't have faith in it to last the night if the dogs come back (which of course they will.) I could see signs where the dogs (looked like a big blood hound, a rottie mix and another big mutt) had been digging around it. If they had all night, they would have gotten in.

So, we put the five pullets in a bucket and laid a lid over the top. Then moved the brooder to the inside of the chicken yard and put the pullets back in. They are about two - two and a half months old. We can't let them run free in the chicken yard yet because they can get out through the wire. It is actually a chain-link dog kennel.

I figured it if was built to keep dogs in, it should keep dogs out. Fortunately (or not) we don't have a problem with smaller predators, such as raccoons because the dogs take care of them. It's got weld wire covering the top to keep hawks out and chickens in.

John wants to get a gun. Only neither of us know anything about guns. He says he could shoot a dog if it was destroying our property. I don't think *I* could.

Hmm... I could bludgeon one with a fire poke, but not shoot it. pscht... I don't know. We are out in the country so there are no leash laws, but I'm sure I'd be within my rights to shoot predators.

Sorry for the ramble. I am so keyed up I can't sleep. I SHOULD be sleeping cause I have to work in the morning. but I'm afraid I'm going to wake up with no chickens. meh

Cassandra

 

[picklespickles]

hope you can get some sleep.

it could be strays or it could be neighbors dogs. when they pack up, they can get more wily than on their own.

good for you for moving them.

these are tough decisions to make.

whichever one you choose to go with, good luck.

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

I have seen and heard stories (I worked at the animal shelter) of cornered dogs turning on the person who was beating them and do serious damage to those people.

A fire poker will get you in VERY close proximity to a (probably) hungry animal who is MUCH faster moving than you are, and is equipped with about a dozen knives (aka teeth) at the front end.

I have seen several posts from people who recommend shooting the dog. I am not going to argue about that, but I will say this:

If you are going to shoot the dog, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!! Kill it with one shot. Don't shoot AT it. Don't shoot UNDER or OVER it (hungry dogs are not "scared away" by a close-range bullet; they don't have a CLUE you shot near them. They only hear the shot, and if they are hungry enough, a loud noise is NOT going to deter them.)

I have euthanized too many dogs who suffered for hours or days from a poorly-placed shot.

Again, I'm not saying don't shoot it if it is after your chickens. I am just saying, KILL IT WITH ONE SHOT.

 

[Cassandra]

I'm not personally afraid of the dogs. I see them running around here pretty regularly. I catch him (the blood hound leader of the pack) out in my 'lesser' back yard all the time and wave my hands and yell and he slinks away. They are mostly a nuisance. If I were afraid of them, I would have rounded up a posse and had them dispatched already. I'm not going to be terrorized by dogs or anything else in my own yard. period

I understand treating animals humanely, also. I, too, worked at a vet. Saw awful cases of dogs shot, caught in various trap devices (like one with a wire embedded around its neck), anti-freeze poisoning, some who'd obviously been fighting. And others who were so miserably mistreated it made me want to cry.

However, if my family or my flock is threatened, my first priority is going to be how quickly the predator is stopped and my LAST priority is going to be how quickly it's going to die after it runs away. Gosh, this just reminded me when I was ten years old, I saw three dogs trying to eat my cat. I beat them off of her with a stick of firewood. It was pretty awful. She had a big hole torn in her neck, but she lived and got ok. I musta been traumatized!

Cassandra

 

[KingsCalls]

Shooting a dog would be more humane than beating it to death with a fire poker!