Why don't people listen... Rant

[Momofalice]

Client wanted chickens. However, she's not there every day. Told her the basics, but she didn't listen.

Purchased a coop-run combo said to hold 15 birds, but only realistically holds 3, barely. (3×3.5). Put up poultry fencing for a larger run, then purchased 10 standard chicken and 4 Ginny's.

Seeing she wasn't going to be around all the time, she purchased 2 mini Australian Shepherds to protect her flock... I voiced my opinion, which she didn't like.

Pups are outside only. Live in the barn or garage. Very little human interaction. Guess what? Pups got a little older, and bored, and decide to do what bored puppies do. Chase what's available. Chickens. Two missing chicken's and ginny's. Feathers all over the place.

Now she's wondering why, and what to do about it. Why don't people do their homework before they commit.

Sorry for the rant. Highly frustrated.

In this age, with the abundance of information available, people should educate themselves before they endeavor anything! Especially something that involves living, breathing,compassionate creatures.
You're so right!

 

[Justso]

Aussies are high activity- boredom bites. They should've definitely done more homework- it's a shame the poor birds were lost.

The post said she got mini Australian shepherds. Those aren't Aussies. They're mutt version including Aussie. A well-bred Aussie wouldn't bother poultry, they're smart but lazy if nothing's required of them.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Thanks for clarifying, @Justso.

 

[Halfpasthen]

The post said she got mini Australian shepherds. Those aren't Aussies. They're mutt version including Aussie. A well-bred Aussie wouldn't bother poultry, they're smart but lazy if nothing's required of them.

Actually miniature australian shepherds were accepted into the AKC in 2015ish?

I agree they are NOT Aussies, but they aren't mutts either necessarily.

Edited to add that the name was changed to miniature American shepherd to avoid confusion but the Aussie bit persists.

 

[jspeese]

I may be going out on a limb here and I apologize in advance if I am, but IMHO most of the pre-fab coop and run combos I've seen in stores are "toys". If you go that route (I'm no talented carpenter myself and in some cases might be tempted), it pays to shop around. For 15 birds you'd need a minimum of 150 sq ft of coop and run space, and if you live in an area with a lot of bad weather that forced the birds to stay in a lot I'd even suggest 10 sq ft of coop space alone per bird.

 

[Kusanar]

I may be going out on a limb here and I apologize in advance if I am, but IMHO most of the pre-fab coop and run combos I've seen in stores are "toys".

I agree, I have 1 pigeon in a prefab coop that is supposed to hold 2 standard chickens or 4 bantams. He barely has room to open his wings when in the coop part... and he's a PIGEON and there is only 1 of him. I can't even begin to imagine throwing a full size chicken in that thing...

Now, I knew when I bought it that it was not big enough for chickens and it is fine for him (though i am working on getting him a bigger area now) but a lot of people go by the recommendations.

 

[jspeese]

I just got an ad from Tractor Supply for pre-fab coops and runs. I buy my feed both from them and from our local feed store, whichever happens to be more convenient at a given moment. Some of the Tractor Supply coops are nicer than what I've seen in other stores but not one of them would be suitable for the number of chickens they are claiming. At most, they would be suitable for a broody hen with her babies or for starting new chicks (at least the ones at ground level, i.e., without ramps/ladders that would probably leave newly hatched chicks stranded). Also, they are lightweight so I question how predator-proof they are, but I guess they are no different in that respect than chicken tractors. I have two Blue Cochin hens that I will keep as long as they live because they are special. One of those coops would work for housing them while I used the large coop to start my new chicks (which I plan to do someday) but that's about it. As I said I am no carpenter, but I could probably build something myself for less money that would do the job, and am planning to do so when this coronavirus crap is over and feel safe going out and pricing/getting materials.

 

[Terri McAlinden]

It is just common sense. Dogs and birds don't play nice together. Both of my neighbors have dogs and cats so I am anticipating future problems and taking precautions.

 

[jspeese]

They definitely do not, Terri. The biggest predator losses I ever had were from dogs. A neighbor's Chesapeake retriever kept coming over from nearly a mile away, tearing open my quail pens and killing everything. I waited until I caught it in the act. And another dog killed my fancy geese from Metzer Farms. They were in a pen but the damn dog tore it open. While there are some great, noble individual ones, as a species in general, I don't like dogs.

 

[mowin]

A update on my client and her dogs, chickens.

She sent her dogs to some training for 30 day. Class I guess was to train the dogs that chickens and farm animals are not to be chased.

Well, that didn't work. The same day the dogs were back, two hens flew over the 5' fence and were quickly spotted by the dogs and attacked. Fortunately, they escaped will little damage.

Lady has spent thousands to keep chickens safe. Got to give her props there.
Several thousand the coop, think it was almost 6k.
Heavy duty electrical poultry fence 5' high 400' long. Fence is in a oval with wooden posts. Very well built fence. Underground dog fence and dog training.
She won't except the fact that her birds need to be in a covered run because of her dogs.