Thought this was Backyard Chickens, not . . .

[jenichick]

Most of us here love our dogs just as much as we love our chickens!! Just not other peoples dogs coming on to our property and threatening anything we have period!

My dogs cannot get into our coop, our chickens don't free range because of all the threats to them.

I haven't really seen dog hating - just a sincere dislike of any threat to person, pet, or property from any outside source! We're all instinctive creatures, with a drive to protect whatever we have. Unless it's our on chattel then we can consume it, expire it, kill it, sell it, because it's ours!

This post could cause a stir, the only thing I don't agree with is the assumption that there are a lot of dog-haters. Other than that I agree with you.

 

[2mnypets]

I think that most people would take into consideration all of their animals and any potential problems that could occur. I know we took into consideration not only our dogs, but any predators that could potentially visit our place. We did what we could short of putting them in a locked tower. We know that farm or country life is not a life or death guarantee. You not only have predators, but Mother Nature has her moments when say those frontline winds came through causing extensive damage. Only thing that saved my chickens that day was the flying predator netting we had over our enclosed run. They looked like someone had a huge magnet holding them in limbo to the top of the netting. We can only do what is humanly possible and nothing more.

 

[schmoo]

genius

You definetly have a strange way of trying to make a point. What was it exactly? Let me get this right........Its the chicken owners fault when his birds get attacked by a dog owned by someone else? Because their coop isn't built right? HUH?

I like dogs just fine as long as their owners keep them on their property. Dogs and cats are meant to be OWNED by someone. Which means the OWNER is responsible for that animal and what it does.

Last I checked racoons are not owned by anyone, and yes I would shoot any critter that wasn't possibly a pet the minute I saw it on my property. Sorry but its true. They carry rabies and they are nasty scavengers.

As far as dogs getting away from their owners, I know it happens. However, if that dog has a tag then the owner is claiming that animal correct? So why should'nt they be responsible for any loss it causes?
A responsible dog owner who cares about their animal has it tagged. They should either keep their dog off other peoples property or be prepared to pay for any damages it causes. PERIOD

I'm going to stop at this point because the whole egg stealing thing is just to "divine" for me to touch

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I guess I am lucky, I don't have any dog problems anymore, moved. Although we have killed dogs that have continued trying to get into our chickens and turkeys. We give the owners, if known, plenty of warings that their dogs are in our yard trying to get to our animals. We even video tape for proof. If no success, then we protect. The only problem we have now is foxes and coyotes. My chickens can no longer run the yard or the woods behind their coop because they get snatched in brood daylight, right out of the back yard. They have to stay in their pen. We even have a radio playing while they are outside. It keeps the pedators away and I don't have to worry about killing them. But I would if needed. I cannot afford to build Fort Knox to keep predators out. We have learned how crafty some animals are at the expense of our chickens, when all I needed was a radio.

I think everyone would agree that noone likes killing anything, it is just necessary sometimes. God gaves us these animals and the decision making capacity to decide how we will use these gifts ie. food/pets/business or just to watch. Which sometimes is the greatest gift of all!!

 

[hollyclyff]

How many people would really just shoot a dog they had never seen before if it was on their property, assuming it was stray or owned by an irresponsible person? What if the dog was obviously wearing a collar with tags and was not acting aggressively to humans? What if the dog was only about 10 pounds? Don't get me wrong, I understand about true problem dogs, repeat offenders and any dog that acts aggressively toward people. We've been through that with our neighbor's dogs. Telling them we would shoot the dogs if they came over here again was what finally convinced them to put up a fence. But every dog that is found loose is not owned by an irresponsible person who doesn't care about it. My dogs are fenced as securely as I can reasonably make them, but they have gotten out twice in 15 years. Luckily they didn't get far and were rounded back up within 30 minutes, but I would hate to think someone would just shoot them without even trying a different solution. I know 2 of my dogs would go after chickens, but it would be easy to get them away from any chickens they were after (they're quite small and friendly to people) and I would gladly pay for any damages they might do. Please tell me most people use SSS as a last resort.

 

[jenichick]

I think MOST people do use SSS as a last resort!

I can see this thread getting closed very quickly.

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

Ok a few words for this thread.......

We own a dog it lives in our home. It is intelligent enough to understand when we say No we mean No. and it backs off.

Have ran off several dogs that were stumbling around lost or whatever. Have also befriended stray animals that were obviously in distress. I have also had to put down(with great pain) animals that I loved and hunted with for years.

I have not and will not tolerate anything or anyone who looks to harm or destroy things on this place PERIOD

That being said....have a nice day

 

[schmoo]

Quote:
Exactly what I'm saying. You would be willing to pay for damages, that says you take responsibility for the animal you own. I don't think most people would just shoot some dog UNLESS it was growling or threatening humans in some way. Atleast I can say I would'nt. Dogs aren't racoons, they are pets.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Amen Hollyclyff.

As for the eggs... what makes one think the chickens don't feel like it's a THEFT, and just have been conditioned to accept it??

Got so much to say on this... that I'm not going to say any of it

-Meghan

 

[MayberrySaint]

Quote:
There are so many illogical points to your post it is hard to address them all. It appears you are trying to convince everyone that a dog's life is more important than a chickens...a $3 chicken is the term you used. First of all...the value of an animal's life has nothing to do with some arbitrary monetary value that we have stuck on it. A $1000 dog's life is no more important than a stray mutt. If an owner loves and cares for their chickens whether it is worth $3.00 or $0.25, they have the right to protect that animals life any way they see fit. I like to trap my predators and re-locate them...but with that said, I would have no problem shooting someone's dog if they were threatening my flock on my property.
You are correct that country living entails risks...however, most states have laws that allow individuals to kill predators that threaten or kill livestock or birds. It is our responsibility to protect our flocks if we don't want to accept losses. However, if we want to free-range our flock and understand that we may sometimes have to eliminate a predator (whether that is a raccoon, possum or fido, the pet) it is our right. Predator kills chicken...chicken owner kills predator...