Worried about neighbor's loose beagle getting my chickens!

[CreativeCowgirl]

My neighbors across the street recently adopted a beagle from the pound. Unfortunately this beagle frequently gets loose and runs up and down my fence with my dogs. My chickens are fenced in separately from our dogs, but I am afraid that one day the beagle will get into my chickens. What should I do? I have caught this dog several times and returned him to his owners, but I cannot do this every time, especially if I am at work. Beagles are bred to hunt and it could potentially dig under my fence when the weather gets warmer and the ground is not frozen. I want this nuisance out of my yard!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Every dog is an individual. Technically beagles are bred to trail, not to hunt. But if he kills hens or chickens your poultry may fail to appreciate the distinction between hunting and trailing. A really hot electric fence wire on the outside of your fence may well turn the trick.
If a dog has a lick of sense (and most beagles do) you can't drop him on an electric fence twice in the same lifetime.

 

[nova022]

As many people on here say "A dog on its owner's property is a pet, a dog on my property is a predator."

I would first talk to your neighbor and tell them your concerns, hopefully they will take it from there. If not you could call animal control and file a complaint. If there is any way you can put up hot wire around the chickens fence to keep him out I would do that too.

 

[Campine]

I had a neighbor who's dogs repeatedly killed my chickens. First I called and complained, second time I went to their house and threw a dead chicken at him, the third time I took the dogs on a long one way trip to another county.

 

[cntrywmnkw]

As many people on here say "A dog on its owner's property is a pet, a dog on my property is a predator."

I would first talk to your neighbor and tell them your concerns, hopefully they will take it from there. If not you could call animal control and file a complaint. If there is any way you can put up hot wire around the chickens fence to keep him out I would do that too.

I agree with the above, Quit taking this dog back to the owners first of all, contact animal control & file the complaint, then talk to the owners of the beagle & let them know that if it gets on your property again, it WILL NOT be coming home & that they are responsible for ANY & ALL damages their dog does. I would also re-enforce your chickens pen with hot wire. Just my 2 cents.

 

[aafairchild]

Please take action now before you lose chickens. I have first hand experience here as I have 4 beagles and 1 foster beagle. They will chase. Even if they only want to play with the birds the birds will lose. I lost one hen to my dogs and had 2 others injured. Beagles are not really aggressive. Mine really just want to play with the chickens, but they play with them like they play with each other. 25lb dog vs 5lb chicken equals dead chicken. Beagles tend to be escape artists and while I love the breed, your neighbor does not appear to have the desire to take the necessary steps to keep their dog at home, so you must protect you flock by any means necessary. Beagles are not the right breed for everyone and it sounds like your neighbor should have chosen a different breed.

Good Luck
Alice

 

[CreativeCowgirl]

I really do want to file a complaint with animal control or just take it to the shelter, as suggested, but I also do not want to make my neighbors my enemy. There are one or more disabled persons in their house so I can see how the dog would get out easily, but that does not excuse them. Would there be a way to stop this threat politely enough to not cause a ton of drama with my neighbors? Also, I really don't have the money for an electric fence

 

[centrarchid]

In this case you have a single known dog causing problem. Dogs ultimately of greater concern will be in future and likely not known to you until after they do their damage. For me, targeting a single dog works only if it is known. I have learned to use whatever methods work while I am not around. Best method proposed to you so far involved electric fencing which could be done for about $50 dollars and about an hour of your labor plus minimal electricity. Dog(s) will learn that approaching your first layer of defense (the existing fence) can get them zapped by another layer (electric fence). Significant damage to dog unlikely (keeps you on good terms with neighbor) and the zap will reduce odds dog will challenge your existing fencing.

If your efforts stop with putting all responsibility in neighbor with that dog, then you will only be reactive to a problem that could get potentially much bigger owing to a combination of efforts likely to make situation more complicated and failure to do something that is a genuine preventative measure. Be proactive first to decrease odds that beagle or another dog gets in to damage your property. If you look at the very large number of posts concerning issues like this you will note that trying to get compensation is seldom rewarded and typically results in hard feelings that can make entire endeavor with poultry seem not worth it.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Most shelters require a signed contract when a dog is adopted from them, and most of those contracts have specific clauses about how the dog should be taken care of, contained,ect. I would politely tell your neighbors that if they don't keep their beagle at home you'll be forced to contact the shelter they adopted him from and have them come and pick it up. They'll likely charge them a nice fee for his return the first time, but if it happens again they may consider it a breach of contract and refuse their right to take him (though this does depend on shelter practices). Explain to them that a runner cable is not that expensive and it'll keep their dog on their own property where it belongs. Good luck.
Nikki

 

[Fred's Hens]

I agree with the above, Quit taking this dog back to the owners first of all, contact animal control & file the complaint, then talk to the owners of the beagle & let them know that if it gets on your property again, it WILL NOT be coming home & that they are responsible for ANY & ALL damages their dog does. I would also re-enforce your chickens pen with hot wire. Just my 2 cents.

This.

It's just that simple.