Whats a good small livestock guardian?

[FeathersNSpurs]

We have a miniature horse about 8 hands tall and 2 potbellies. The mini horse hates everyone except people, the pigs and the 2 bantams. Sounds weird but mini horses have attitudes akin to Shetland ponies. She would easily kill any dog or coyote that somehow got in our six foot fence.
Most people don't have the land to support actual livestock so fencing and keeping the flock locked in at night is the name of the game.
Here in Central Texas I lost all of my bantams hens to owls because I stopped locking them in, oddly enough the two bantams rooster we got are still going strong and are left out 24/7. I dislike bantams for free range, and in general, no offense to anyone who loves bantams.. (I like big chicken breeds...like the biggest breeds you can find big lol..) my wife picked the chicks at tsc...we just got ten new chicks but these are Jersey Giants..
Yes, the potbellies will eat the eggs and they will raid the chicken food if allowed but I control when the potbellies free range. The pigs help though because most animals dislike swine, and will not mess with a pig. They steer clear of our acreage. Not sure if anyone knows how tough their skin is but it's like a natural armor not to mention even a pot can knock a full grown adult on their butt. I also have a potbelly boar but he is still young and not allowed to free range because I don't want piglets right now. He's a pain in the butt though. If any of you are ever thinking of getting a pet potbelly or swine in general, steer clear of a boar until you have a imprenetable fence. The sows stay in their pen and don't test it. I've had to make adjustments to the boars pen at least 3 times a month until this month...sigh... (I'm a big pig hobbyist, they are my favorite animal because of their intelligence, we don't eat ours, they are pets)

 

[centrarchid]

I would combine adding deer netting to top of run so it is anchored in part to tree. Cover need not be complete to be effective with owls. Adult rooster in with birds hawks likely to target first is good for that most of the time. A perimeter of hotwire about 4" out and 4" above ground we keep most ground predators with exception of the more athletic mustelids out. That Doberman with inclination to guard house is perfect random threat to keep predators from investing too much time probing and can alert you to disturbances.

IPM - Integrated Pest Management approach.

 

[Sutremaine]

There are also the neighbors pitbulls running loose that i'm worried about, as any animal can dig under my chainlink fence if they were desperate. those are my main worries for my flock.

I've read that some sort of skirt is effective. Dogs might dig a hole under vertical chainlink, but they're less inclined to dig a tunnel underneath flat chainlink.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Geese