Washingtonians

[hallerlake]

The dogs are in their yard, right?
If so why are you upset? I understand the danger to your chickens I just don't understand your anger. It really is on you to keep your chckens on your property. Now if the dogs were coming onto your property that would be a whole different scene.

One hates to see dogs left out in the yard with no attention or training. Some people seem to see dogs as a yard accessory, like a barbecue.

 

[SadieSue]

The dogs are in their yard, right?
If so why are you upset? I understand the danger to your chickens I just don't understand your anger. It really is on you to keep your chckens on your property. Now if the dogs were coming onto your property that would be a whole different scene.

I like dogs. I have 2, but both are trained to behave around my chickens. I can build a higher fence but my concern is for these dogs. Before my neighbor lost her last lab in her divorce her lab would bark and howl, and dig at our fence for hours because it was bored and lonely. Now she has a new lab puppy, and her room mate has the pit bull/dalmation rescue. He just told me that the owner of the lab thinks she has to wait until the puppy is 6 months old before it's in a training class but she has neither the money or time to train him. I think pet owners should consider the time and expense it takes to maintain happy, well socialized, healthy animals before they bring them into their home and also consider the effect a bored, unsupervised, untrained animal will have on surrounding neighbors.

 

[Sudsy Chick]

So I have a brand new problem. Last week I found 3 of my chickens in the yard of the neighbors behind us. They have a new 4 month old black lab puppy. I was relieved to see the lab wasn't anywhere around but of course just as I reached the fence to open the wire and let the girls back in, the puppy showed up. The girls started running and so did the puppy! He grabbed Juju in his mouth and since I wasn't anywhere near the opening all I could do was reach through the wire, grab him by the scruff of the neck and give him a firm "NO!". He dropped Juju and I ran to open the fence and get the girls back to safety. Every time he made the slightest move to run after them I gave him a sharp verbal correction. All 3 chickens were put safely to bed.

The next day I confined them to the run while I was at work. I let them out for an hour and sure enough, looked out the window to see 4 of them in the neighbors' yard again. I ran to let them back into my yard, they came running to me and again I put them back into the run behind a closed door.

They've been confined for the past 5 days. Just now I went outside after my dogs were making a commotion to find out the neighbors have a new rescue pitbull/dalmation mix puppy.
APPLESAUCE!!!

This wouldn't aggravate me if these folks were ever home. But they work full time, none of the dogs are being trained, or put into classes, they know NO commands and they have full run of the yard all day long without supervision. AND, they are free to go out into the yard as they please since there's a dog door on the house. Wild dogs, no supervision.

Three issues going on here.
A. I think I need to clip the wings of my girls. It appears they were flying over the fence.
B. The wire fence is not tall enough. It's only 4 feet tall, which was enough for the past year, but apparently no longer. The neighbors have a lush green, overgrown yard which is apparently just too tempting since everything green in our yard has been eaten down to the nub.
C. Freakin' new wild dogs that are not trained to leave my chickens alone.

I can take care of 2 of these issues. I can clip wings. I can get an expanse of 6 ft. wire fence to run across the back of 2 neighbors' lots. There are other neighbors who have 2 small pomeranians. If the girls are going to jump into one yard, sure enough it's only a matter of time before they decide to jump into the other.

I'm aggravated and frustrated. *I* can control the situation when I'm home, but DH is like a hyperactive 3 year old asking me daily, "when are you going to let your chickens back out into the yard?" And I'm afraid he's going to let them out one day when I'm not home.

The run is 10X12 so they're okay, but this is really not fitting into my plan. I was going to landscape the yard this spring/summer to put in gravel paths and plant areas specifically for the chickens to forage in. I was going to reseed the lawn in other sections and fence it off so it was chicken proof.

My questions are - will clipping a wing keep them from flying over the back fence? And, how high does the fence need to be? I have all LF and I would have thought they were too fat to get over it. Apparently they are more athletic than I gave them credit for. Will I ever be able to let them out to free range again?

In the meantime, now there is the constant threat of untrained, unsupervised dogs with freedom to come and go as they please... GRRRR.

Oh dear - these are your EE's, aren't they? Mine really like to fly. I've read that clipping one wing works best as it keeps them off balance, but I've done that with all of ours and they still fly. And they're small enough that they can! And I tried both wings on the one that goes 25 feet or more up our cedar tree! We have a six foot fence and it keeps them in - but they fly (the EEs) into the garden and eat all my plants - it's a 4 foot fence.

Sorry to hear about the untrained & unsupervised dogs - we have those right behind us as well. The people leave them outside all night long where they howl until they get home when the bars close - about 3 a.m. Ick!

 

[RedReiner]

FYI ~~~~~~~~~~ One of the white hens you gave me has great carunkles !! She is just a love too.....also FYI::: TODAY is the last day POSTMARKED entries, period unless you call

If you sent them in Mon or Tues please email a copy of your entry in as well,..  there was a mistake made and they should have had the deadline sooner.  PLEASE email them with what birds you are bringing and what, if any, sale cages you need so they can plan accordingly and get coop cards made!

this is getting confusing, I sent in my entry for orps on Monday, I asked on the serama page when they said late entries please email someone if that meant serama only or all entries and did not get an answer. so its for all later entries? and who do we email? I entered 3 LF pullets. black orpington

 

[RedReiner]

The dogs are in their yard, right?
If so why are you upset? I understand the danger to your chickens I just don't understand your anger. It really is on you to keep your chckens on your property. Now if the dogs were coming onto your property that would be a whole different scene.

One hates to see dogs left out in the yard with no attention or training. Some people seem to see dogs as a yard accessory, like a barbecue.

well said, and I bet some people pay more attention to their barbeque than they do the sad lonely dog with no manners or socialization.
MikeyB She is aware its up to her to keep her chickens on her own property.... you dont have to understand. but its a matter of time before those bored untrained dogs figure out the fun and games are over at her place and do what they can to come and play with her chickens. I would be most unhappy also. I actually care about my dogs and take the time to pay attention to them unlike the folks Sadie is describing. if you cant find the time to teach or train your pups then dont get them...

 

[Chickielady]

So I have a brand new problem. Last week I found 3 of my chickens in the yard of the neighbors behind us. They have a new 4 month old black lab puppy. I was relieved to see the lab wasn't anywhere around but of course just as I reached the fence to open the wire and let the girls back in, the puppy showed up. The girls started running and so did the puppy! He grabbed Juju in his mouth and since I wasn't anywhere near the opening all I could do was reach through the wire, grab him by the scruff of the neck and give him a firm "NO!". He dropped Juju and I ran to open the fence and get the girls back to safety. Every time he made the slightest move to run after them I gave him a sharp verbal correction. All 3 chickens were put safely to bed.

The next day I confined them to the run while I was at work. I let them out for an hour and sure enough, looked out the window to see 4 of them in the neighbors' yard again. I ran to let them back into my yard, they came running to me and again I put them back into the run behind a closed door.

They've been confined for the past 5 days. Just now I went outside after my dogs were making a commotion to find out the neighbors have a new rescue pitbull/dalmation mix puppy.
APPLESAUCE!!!

This wouldn't aggravate me if these folks were ever home. But they work full time, none of the dogs are being trained, or put into classes, they know NO commands and they have full run of the yard all day long without supervision. AND, they are free to go out into the yard as they please since there's a dog door on the house. Wild dogs, no supervision.

Three issues going on here.
A. I think I need to clip the wings of my girls. It appears they were flying over the fence.
B. The wire fence is not tall enough. It's only 4 feet tall, which was enough for the past year, but apparently no longer. The neighbors have a lush green, overgrown yard which is apparently just too tempting since everything green in our yard has been eaten down to the nub.
C. Freakin' new wild dogs that are not trained to leave my chickens alone.

I can take care of 2 of these issues. I can clip wings. I can get an expanse of 6 ft. wire fence to run across the back of 2 neighbors' lots. There are other neighbors who have 2 small pomeranians. If the girls are going to jump into one yard, sure enough it's only a matter of time before they decide to jump into the other.

I'm aggravated and frustrated. *I* can control the situation when I'm home, but DH is like a hyperactive 3 year old asking me daily, "when are you going to let your chickens back out into the yard?" And I'm afraid he's going to let them out one day when I'm not home.

The run is 10X12 so they're okay, but this is really not fitting into my plan. I was going to landscape the yard this spring/summer to put in gravel paths and plant areas specifically for the chickens to forage in. I was going to reseed the lawn in other sections and fence it off so it was chicken proof.

My questions are - will clipping a wing keep them from flying over the back fence? And, how high does the fence need to be? I have all LF and I would have thought they were too fat to get over it. Apparently they are more athletic than I gave them credit for. Will I ever be able to let them out to free range again?

In the meantime, now there is the constant threat of untrained, unsupervised dogs with freedom to come and go as they please... GRRRR.

Clipping their wings will keep them from flying over the fence, but it will not stop the dogs from jumping over into your yard.
Four feet is not high enough!
You'd better add another 2 or 3 feet of wire on top.

 

[Chickielady]

I cannot get 1 darn thing doen today!
It has been heavy heavy HEAVY RAIN since last night!

Soaked just running to the car !
I am ready to cancell today !!!

Cannot even wash & dry crates !!!!!!!!!!!!

So sick of winter !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chickielady]

One hates to see dogs left out in the yard with no attention or training. Some people seem to see dogs as a yard accessory, like a barbecue.

It would be funnier if not so sad & so true !

 

[Chickielady]

well said, and I bet some people pay more attention to their barbeque than they do the sad lonely dog with no manners or socialization.
MikeyB She is aware its up to her to keep her chickens on her own property.... you dont have to understand. but its a matter of time before those bored untrained dogs figure out the fun and games are over at her place and do what they can to come and play with her chickens. I would be most unhappy also. I actually care about my dogs and take the time to pay attention to them unlike the folks Sadie is describing. if you cant find the time to teach or train your pups then dont get them...

Some folks feel they have done a great deed by simply "recueing" the animal from certain death, and nothing else they are obligated to do.
Hopefully they are spayed/nuetered.

 

[KMoran]

Im sad to say my dog is a chicken killer... She is 1 a Husky/ Malamute mix. I work with her 3 times a week but still no luck... she is VERY hyper. I am now looking into a personal trainer to come work with her. Until then I keep her in her run. She only runs free when I am out there with her and the girls are put away.