Too Close for Comfort

[CoyoteMagic]

Remember me telling ya'll about my "Headless" chicken Tessy, yesterday?

Tessy and her cohorts nearly became bottomless today!!!!

They had soooooo much fun free-ranging yesterday so I let them out while I was working in the yard. I went into the house to get something thing to drink and use the potty. I wasn't out of the yard even 5 minutes when the neighbors pit bulls went after them.

I came out onto the porch and couldn't figure out what the brown thing was out by the coop.Then it hit me! The Pits!
The mean one had gotten Tessy cornered behind a plastic tote and couldn't get to her. The other wasn't sure what the heck was going on. I grabbed a rake and headed out across the yard. The mean one turned from Tessy and was gonna try and take a bite out of me when Spook (my dog) came flying out from under the porch and went for it. I had to call her off because those pits are dog aggressive and would have hurt her bad.

Fortunately that's all it took for them to stop with the chickens. I picked up a brick and through it at them and chased them off into the woods.

I found 7 of my girls up under one of the other neighbors trees. (Don't know why the dogs didn't go after them they would have been easy to get) Couldn't find Tessy but when I went back to where the dog had been before he came after me, I found her. Scared but unharmed.

Animal control is of no help. Takes them 3 hours to get here. They can't do anything unless the dog is loose when they get here. We have only 2 people who work for them and only 1 works on the weekend. And of course the neighbor denies that the dogs were loose. (he got home when I was on the phone with animal control). Tells Animal Control that I can't have chickens, it's against the home owners association. Duh! There hasn't been a home owners assoc. since the month after I moved in. They couldn't even keep the street lights on!!

Animal control suggests that I carry a camera with me so I can get pictures of them when they are loose. ( which isn't all the time)

Here's the kicker. The guy who really owns the mean dog, is currently out on bail for MURDER 1 and awaiting trial. The guy that owns the other dog is his brother!

 

[speckledhen]

Well, this is a case for Shoot, Shovel and Shutup if I ever heard one. And hold to the Shutup part due to the character of the neighbor. In fact, I think I'd have a hole dug and waiting...

 

[mlheran]

And of course the neighbor denies that the dogs were loose. (he got home when I was on the phone with animal control). Tells Animal Control that I can't have chickens, it's against the home owners association.

It doesn't matter if you have chickens, a child, or a plastic beach ball in your yard -HIS dogs were in YOUR yard. I know they have it tough, but I wish Animal Control (and police, etc) would do more to actually enforce this simple property boundry rule. Of course it doesn't help when the owners are the real culprits.

The camera is a good suggestion, assuming you can get a picture of them in your yard before they go after your birds -I think I'd have a hard time looking through the viewfinder while screaming at attacking dogs.

Glad to hear Tessy is okay though! *pets her, um... head?*

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Wish I had a way to do it Speckled Hen. Sold my shotgun one time when money was tight (hubby being a cityboy) didn't like it around the house anyhow, so I haven't bought a new one)

I have a half acre, 1/4 of it is wooded and leads back to a creek on the next property. I would love to be able to pitch my tent down there by the creek for a cheap vacation. I'm scared to death that these dogs will come for a visit.

I really feel bad for the girls. They have loved free-ranging these last 2 days but I just can't be outside with them all the time.

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Hi,
I know animal control is busy, but did you by chance make a report? Start a paper trail so that if your chickens get killed in the future you already have it on record of previous trouble. And you never know, other neighbors may be experiencing the same thing and if you file a report as well as them you all may get something accomplished (strenght in numbers).

I understand not wanting to mess with someone who has a criminal history. My close friend is also dealing with a pit bull issue. She just went to court (our animal control does not mess around w/loose dogs) and at the court hearing found out the pit owner has a HUGE criminal background.

In any case, I am so glad your birds are ok. You may want to invest in security cameras from Wal Mart and set them to record if you don't think you can do the camera thing fast enough. ASTAK brand has a double camera package with night vision and they are the best I have tried. You can add up to four cameras.

Best wishes

PS: Have that hole ready, and be prepared to take more serious steps-next time they could go after you

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
Oh we have! Guy next door first came to me about 6 weeks ago when I first put the girls outside to tell me that the mean dog was out there trying to get into the run. We called animal control then.

Week later, dog trys to get another neighbor as he is getting out of his truck in his own drive way.

Both of these guys don't walk out of the house without a gun right now but the dog wont get close enough for them to pull off a shot safely.

About 3 weeks ago the mean one, came after me and Spook when we were out for a walk. Kept coming even after I stated backing up and had sent Spook back to the house. Didn't back off until one of the guys packing guns came out of the house and then took off.

We've called animal control, they've been out, set traps (that the dogs wont go near) they've spoken to the one guy, brought the cops (for their safety) with them to talk to the other guy but he didn't answer his door.

I don't want my girls to get hurt. I also have one cat that spends most of her time outside. She can climb like a squirrell but that doesn't do her any good out in the open.

Plus, it's summer and I'm scared to death that one of these kids around here is going to get hurt.

 

[speckledhen]

It's pretty sad when dogs are threatening PEOPLE and the cops won't do a dang thing. Make them do their jobs, massive amounts of paperwork, whatever it takes for them to get off their duffs and solve the problem. I live in a place where animal control is kind of like that, too. We just decided we'd deal with it ourselves and do what had to be done. I hope no one gets hurt.

 

[mamading]

Sold my shotgun one time when money was tight (hubby being a cityboy) didn't like it around the house anyhow, so I haven't bought a new one)

Maybe you could ask one of your neighbors who has guns if you could borrow one for a while?​

 

[wendy]

i do not like pit bulls at all and this kind of stuff is the reason!!!!!

i would have a weapon beg , borrow, buy but i would get one. POISON! those dogs are going to maul (sp?) a child i am afraid if it continues!

better have a date stamp on the pics, because next thing you know they will argue that!

 

[kstaven]

Lets not start the dog breed slams again. PLEASE!!!!! How about lets leave it at "any breed" can be dangerous in the wrong hands. And in this case look at the owners and it is rather self explanatory.