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Chicken-Killers Poll

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  • Chicken-killing Neighbor Dogs: How to best handle?

    • SSS

      Votes: 9 52.9%
    • Scare, but don't harm

      Votes: 1 5.9%
    • Work it out with the neighbors

      Votes: 4 23.5%
    • Other; add comments....

      Votes: 3 17.6%

    • Total voters
      17
    • Poll closed .

    Army 1911

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Mar 17, 2008
    6,504
    96
    Dallas Texas or so
    I had a great Dane that liked to play with the neighbors horses. He would chase them across the pasture. When they got to the end of the pasture, the horses would chase him back. Found out from the horse owner who thought it was funny.

    Same dog had a friendship with a heron that nested in a tree by our lake house. Every morning I would let the dog out on the 2nd story deck. He would bark once the heron would answer and off they would go. The dog running along the water's edge with the big bird flapping just above his head. All the way around the cove and back.. They would finish with the dog on the deck athe bird in the tree with a good bye honk and bark.
     

    Hoji

    Bowling-Pin Commando
    Rating - 100%
    36   0   0
    May 28, 2008
    17,700
    96
    Mustang Ridge
    Last week, my three dachshunds were outside in my (completely) fenced backyard. My oldest, a thirteen-year-old female got torn up by a cat roaming at large. $600.00 vet bill for surgery--she suffered several small lung punctures and needed a couple dozen stitches. No, it wasn't a bobcat, and no, it wasn't a raptor. It was a cat. A cat that I've observed quite a few times sauntering through my backyard.

    Houston and Harris County both have leash laws in full effect that do not permit dogs and cats to be allowed to roam at-large. Needless to say, a live trap has been obtained and the problem will be dealt with . . .
    Feral cats inside the fenced area of our place get dealt with one way, and if a cat inside the fence has a collar , they get dealt with in a way that strongly encourages them to stay on the outside of the fence.

    $900 vet bill for one of my dogs about 17 years ago absolutely cured me of any notions that feral cats have redeeming qualities.
     

    Coop's Dad

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 31, 2018
    323
    76
    Lorena
    We have chickens on a 20 acre parcel, they are cooped at night and free range during the day on the high fenced back 5 acres. Our neighbor's dog, a massive mixed breed that's goofy and friendly, pushed one of the gates enough to squeeze past then chased and killed three laying hens.

    I put the beast on a leash, collected the birds in a trash bag, and walked over for a visit with the neighbor. His proposed solution was that I should kill the dog next time because he can't keep it fenced; it digs under, climbs over or pushes through every fence he's tried. He only asked that I don't tell his wife or kids. He said that's the remedy for chicken killing dogs, especially out in the country.

    I can't do that because the dog is otherwise a really good dog and is very friendly. I ended up wrapping the gate frames with barbed wire and the dog hasn't been able to push past it since. If it was a feral dog or had a worse disposition, SSS would be the play of the day though.
     

    BRD@66

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 23, 2014
    10,773
    96
    Liberty Hill
    Our neighbor's pit bull killed 3 of our usually-fenced-in hens over a period of 2 years. The owner disappeared him - I didn't.
     

    Texasgordo

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    26   0   0
    May 15, 2008
    62,767
    96
    Gonzales, Texas
    About a month ago a raccoon killed 15 of my Dad's chickens over the course of a couple of nights. Some were taken and I was fortunate enough to find blood and feathers on the fence. I left a special gift for the bastard and got rid of him.

    I haven't had a problem since.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
     

    deemus

    my mama says I'm special
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Feb 1, 2010
    15,590
    96
    DFW
    There's city pets and there's country pets.

    Choose wisely.

    Yep. Dad got me a trained weimeraner when I was 15. That dog was amazing in the field. Sadly, he loved him some chicken eggs. He was gone in a week.
     

    F350-6

    TGT Addict
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    May 25, 2009
    4,237
    96
    ...His proposed solution was that I should kill the dog next time because he can't keep it fenced; it digs under, climbs over or pushes through every fence he's tried. He only asked that I don't tell his wife or kids. He said that's the remedy for chicken killing dogs, especially out in the country.

    Sounds like you have a good neighbor. He understands the situation and accepts it for what it is. Of course the polite thing to do if it comes to that is to clue him in afterwards so he doesn't waste too much time looking for the dog afterwards (other than to play dumb for the wife and kids)

    Although I'm not sure why the wife and kids can't know. I've got grandkids that were taught by their parents about how things work in the country. From some chickens they had that the dog got, to a (less than intelligent) dog that got caught up in a hay cutter and had to be put down...

    Granted it was strange to hear a 4 year old girl talk matter of factly about this stuff, but at least she won't grow up with any sense of false security about how the real world really works.
     

    Coop's Dad

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 31, 2018
    323
    76
    Lorena
    He's a decent guy and we get along pretty good. I wouldn't be able to dust a neighbor's dog even if it is a chicken killer; I'd rather keep hardening the entry points and spraying ammonia on rags tied to the gate hasps.
     

    Mohawk600

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Mar 31, 2018
    2,658
    96
    Austin
    What's SSS?

    I live out in the country. Stray dogs are a way of life. My neighbor has a ton of chickens. Must be 20-25 hens and 3 roosters. I would kill a dog if if did anything to the chickens.

    Chickens lay eggs and eat all kinds of insects. Stray dogs are usually aggressive and if they are going to disturb the peace, they are getting some buckshot

    As far as neighbor's dogs, I would keep it civil and bring it up to them. If it happens again, no holds barred
    sub sonic .22 made by Aguila
     

    F350-6

    TGT Addict
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    May 25, 2009
    4,237
    96
    He's a decent guy and we get along pretty good. I wouldn't be able to dust a neighbor's dog even if it is a chicken killer; I'd rather keep hardening the entry points and spraying ammonia on rags tied to the gate hasps.

    Sometimes you can scare them off. I got a new neighbor months ago. He's got 5 dogs I know of. One morning I look out the window after hearing something and see the 5 dogs running in a circle around my old dog who doesn't get around too well. (the same kind of circle coyotes will run around their prey). The bulldog that showed up and adopted the grandkids 3 years ago was wisely waiting outside of the circle on standby so she could jump in as needed.

    I grabbed the 20 ga. and ear protection and went outside. I yelled at the dogs and they all ran off a little ways, but not too far. So I walked over towards the shop that they were all running around (where I've got a couple of barn cats to keep the mice down). They still had that looking for trouble attitude so I got around 40 yards away and made a noise. When they paused and looked at me, I fired low and hit the ground well in front of them. The noise, the flash from the muzzle, and the blast of dirt between me and them, 4 of them took off running. 1 dove for cover behind a hay cutter. Then realized too late he was all alone and didn't know what to do until I yelled at him and he took off too.

    Maybe they were just city dogs and not ready for a greeting like that, but I haven't seen them around since. They're still running around his property when I drive by, but won't come near my place anymore.

    Sometimes a dog will associate a location with a chicken dinner. Sometimes they will associate it with a shotgun blast. The earlier you start scaring them off, the easier it is.

    A BB gun works too, just be sure to shake it before you shoot them in the back end. They'll soon associate the sound of shaking BB's with getting stuck on the back side and take off running with just the sound. (That works on more animals than just dogs)
     

    kbaxter60

    "Gig 'Em!"
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 23, 2019
    9,912
    96
    Pipe Creek
    Sometimes you can scare them off....

    Sometimes a dog will associate a location with a chicken dinner. Sometimes they will associate it with a shotgun blast. The earlier you start scaring them off, the easier it is.

    A BB gun works too, just be sure to shake it before you shoot them in the back end. They'll soon associate the sound of shaking BB's with getting stuck on the back side and take off running with just the sound. (That works on more animals than just dogs)
    You are so right. I scared them off pretty good that first time and lobbed a few BBs at them (not sure if any really connected). Anyway, they must have been pretty scared. Wife and I thought they'd be back in just a few days and we haven't seen them since. I prefer it stays that way; will be using a larger caliber the next time.
     
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