all my chickens have to be locked up

My 3 dogs live quite peaceably with my chickens and turkeys and still chase off coyotes and hunt and eat rabbits and gophers.  They just know not to mess with the fowl.  I used to bring them into the coops/yards with me at feeding times and also made them a part of the hand-raising process (let them sniff and be close to the babies).  I feed them raw chicken too.  Somehow it's all worked out!

Excellent. I thought it would work. Thanks.

njoy

Leah Sattler wrote:
diabolical....evil......and an excellent idea!!! ....to have on the back burner at least......I was a bit confused as to how the firecrackers were being used too  got it now!

an old wivestale way of breaking dogs of chicken killing is to tie a dead chicken around their neck and make them carry it around for awhile.......maybe I should send the pooches home with  a dead chicken on purpose

I don't neccesarily think it would work but it might send a message

I had a dog who killed one of my chickens.  I tried to tie the dead bird around her neck, but wasn't able to get it to where she couldn't reach to chew on it, which was very counterproductive.  Since this was my own dog, I then took her on a walk through the chicken pen and if she so much as looked at one of them, I belted her with the dead bird -- hard.  She never again so much as looked at a chicken, even if they walked right up to her.  That wouldn't work with all dogs; in Belle's case, it seemed to make her understand that those were MY chickens and she wasn't to touch them.  When I had to re-home her later, after my marriage broke up, at her new home she started killing things again (in spite of the fact that I'd had a talk with the people and explained that they would have to teach her to leave THEIR critters alone -- they had a farm.  They didn't have much understanding of dog think, I guess.).  I don't know if you could try this with a neighbor's dog or not, might depend on the dog. 

Kathleen

Wow, you have quite the situation to deal with. I wont even try to tell you your best option but I can comment on "chickens being locked up."

I live in a rural area. There are loose dogs, bobcats, coyote, raccoons and weasels all interested in my chickens. I used to "free-range" but it wasn't working since at least once a month something would get a hen. Also, since I garden year-round, I was really annoyed with them eating my seedlings. My solution is to have more than one place for them.

We have a winter house and yard which is protected from the North, has a lot of cover for rain and is a bit closer to the house. (This makes winter care a bit more convenient) I do let them out on nice winter days since most of my crops are in hoop-houses and such. We also have what we call the summer house which also has a yard. They stay there from from spring through early fall. We also have a tractor that they roam in and portable electric fencing that I put out once the weather is nice. This gives us the option of letting them out with protection from predators.

I don't much like having to "lock-up" my chickens but they are safer than before.

I know this is an old thread, but I have the potential for dog issues (Which seem to keep the other predators at bay). I guess I will start with some back ground:

A couple years ago (when my Grandmother lived here), she had a little pomeranian.  The neighbor's great dane would jump the fence with no effort.  One time she saw the Dane with her dog in her mouth and she freaked out.  She told the neighbor to keep the dog off of her property, and told me many times how the dog was aggressive.  Her and the neighbor were not on good terms, and the sheriff had been involved, etc.

My Grandmother ended up having a stroke, and I came out to help with my two small boys (at the time 3 and 5). It was the fall, so they were playing in the yard and the dog jumped the fence. I got the boys inside, and left it alone, but he kept using the yard as his yard. I got a video of him jumping the fence, and contacted the sheriff, and sent them the video- I didn't bother talking to her since my Grandmother had issues with her for a while, and I was concerned about my boys, and my G.

I left the property, and was visiting my in-laws in a nearby town when the deputy went to her property to advise her that she needed to keep the dog on her property.  She got belligerent with him and the dog ended up lunging at the deputy.  He ended up writing her a vicious dog ticket, and she didn't have the money to pay the fine, so she got thrown in jail for 2 days. (Oops!)

My grandmother passed away, and we now live on the property.  I have seen him in our yard a couple times, but he is actually a pretty tame dog.  He listens when I tell him to go home, and I just make sure to tell the boys to come inside if he is out and I am not out there. He has seen the chickens, and has been curious, but thankfully she got him off the property (the section that isn't fenced).  He has been within feet of them and hasn't shown aggression. 

I have not spoken with her since we moved, and in fact, I didn't even know about the jail deal until my husband talked to her while I was out.  He talked to her about the chickens and how it will be her responsibility if he kills any of them.  She tried to tell him how my grandmother and her were on good terms, but he told her that the past is the past and that now we need to move forward.  She hates my guts.  (I really didn't try to get her thrown in jail, but to keep her dog on her property! But, hindsight is 20/20, right?)

With all this being said, I am pretty sure she understands that I am not afraid to call the Sheriff (which I am sure they don't want them snooping around, due to other possible illegal activity), so it gives me an upper hand, but she specifically asked not to get the law involved.  My husband also told her that he would contact her first so we can get things resolved.  I prefer this way as well.

With all this being said, there are other dogs in the neighborhood that like to get out and about.  I was wondering if a paintball gun would work?  OR, if things get bad, could I set a live trap?  Maybe a "laced" steak that the chickens couldn't reach? I am pretty sure everyone would hear a .22.  Pellet gun maybe?

Pepper spray??? Skunk scent in a bottle???

I won't tell the story behind this but... if a dog gets sprayed and goes back home, he takes the spray back to the owner.  Really puts the pressure on the owner to keep their dog at home.....

and no, it wasn't one of my dogs who got sprayed.

OK I've read through all the posts and attendant offshoots and side stories and I guess it's my turn to get on a soapbox of sorts.
I've been in chickens for close to 40 years and have encountered every conceivable problem including neighbors who let dogs range freely. My best advice document , document , document. Get video of them chasing and as painful as it will be dispatching one of your girls. It sounds like you've got a decent dialog going with the local police so make copies of all the documentation including the video hand it over to the police and give them two weeks to deal with the troublesome neighbor before you hand it off for legal remediation. I would not confront the pistol packing neighbor as it seems or at least he is making it seem like he is not one to be trifled with.
It boils down to being a responsible animal owner on everyones part. You've done your due diligence you've turned so many cheeks by this point that you're at wits end this I understand fully. Losing any kind of farm animal whether chicken or goat or pony is painful. All the work you poured into the rearing and care of that animal is gone due to the negligence of an external factor beyond your control.
I grew up in far western washington county in Oregon and it was an understood by everyone that if your dog got loose and even so much as chased any kind of livestock you lost that dog simple as that.  This made for some rather contentious situations but it also made for dog owners who trained and raised their dogs to be courteous of property lines and other peoples livestock. While I am not an advocate of SSS this is remedy that works and does give a certain peace of soul to know you have protected the animals that give you so much while asking nothing in return.
I've had one neighbor that well let's just say not everyone is cut out to be anything more than an apartment dweller much less a land owner. I've tried to be cordial to this guy and his family but it's hard indeed when I go out and his chickens are happily tearing my garden apart while my well behaved girls are properly housed and maintained. I caught all the culprits returned them and said quite clearly if it happens again your chickens will be added to my flock. As the weeks went by I added to my flock by 5 and they have 3 left. They've not said anything about it and I know that their kids were pretty torqued cause they were pets for them but they've learned a lesson. This next spring (coming on fast now) they plan on adding to their flock and will this time heed my advice as to the clipping of wings to prevent future encroachments.
In a nutshell there's no easy way out of your situation other than just be cool and clear headed about your rights and exercise them.

Id trap the dog and release if far away.

Feral wrote:
Pepper spray??? Skunk scent in a bottle???

I was a cop for a few years, and they always warned us that Pepper Spray, if it gets on their nose or into their airways will shut it up really fast. Pepper Spray was always considered last resort for us when dealing with dogs.

On the issue with the man with the Pistol, This is America, and he is on his property. I regularly go out with my shotgun, or if I'm going out to the woods I bring my .357. I personally see nothing wrong with carrying a firearm. From my time as a soldier to my time as a cop, I never once got scared when I saw a fellow citizen with a firearm. I assume the best intentions in people when I know they carry firearms. You know how the saying goes, Liars think everyone around them are liars too, same thing with saints.

You can easily build a trap (non-lethal) for those dogs. Id do that, bring back the dogs to the neighbors, or if you 'have to', to the sheriff/animal control officer. Once you settle things out, you have an animal trap for use on pesky critters.

Mr. Wright wrote:
I was a cop for a few years, and they always warned us that Pepper Spray, if it gets on their nose or into their airways will shut it up really fast. Pepper Spray was always considered last resort for us when dealing with dogs.

On the issue with the man with the Pistol, This is America, and he is on his property. I regularly go out with my shotgun, or if I'm going out to the woods I bring my .357. I personally see nothing wrong with carrying a firearm. From my time as a soldier to my time as a cop, I never once got scared when I saw a fellow citizen with a firearm. I assume the best intentions in people when I know they carry firearms. You know how the saying goes, Liars think everyone around them are liars too, same thing with saints.

You can easily build a trap (non-lethal) for those dogs. Id do that, bring back the dogs to the neighbors, or if you 'have to', to the sheriff/animal control officer. Once you settle things out, you have an animal trap for use on pesky critters.

People regularly carry pistols and shotguns when working on their properties because of all the rattlesnakes around here.  Considered normal practice.

There *used to be* dog-sized traps on e-bay for less than $100 that you make with a 55-gallon barrel.  I have the smaller one for squirrels to cats to possoms and racoons of any size--with a 5-gallon bucket.  I'm sure you could find one somewhere--they don't use wire cages that make the animals freak out and hurt themselves.  Just trap the dog with some peanut butter bait and take it to the pound, or like someone suggested--release far far away.  No confrontation, and you could use it again and again as needed.

Wow interesting thread!

In full disclosure, it is very common for me to be armed with a pistol, depending upon circumstances it is either openly carried or concealed, however I choose.

I find the fear mongering quite disturbing and wonder how it came to be, my guess is social engineering by media.

I can not speak to the number, but a great many feral dogs and coyotes were a constant problem and rabies hazard. It was bad enough to have multiple trap lines set on the property as they are a real hazard to cattle and other livestock.

I am not sure which is more stereotypical, the assumptions about the neighbor or the unhealthy fears at the mere sight of a weapon properly holstered.

Since he is carrying it openly, it is very unlikely he got it illegally and if he got it lawfully then the FBI checked his back ground through form 4473, if the FBI says he can be trusted, why do you automatically assume the worst of him?

I try to be nice ? but tieng the chicken around a dogs neck works well.
if it doesnt the electric chicken will get his attenction, bair wires and a dead chicken zap training.
then theres sniper sub sonics .22 real quite out of a long barrel. SSS

I had some half feral farm dogs after my chickens one day. 3 of them, trying to break into the coup and dig under it. I ended up installing an electric fence (3 wire at first, then going to a 5) maybe 3 feet tall at most.

I lost a couple errant hens to my own dog, but once the fence was set up he wouldn't go into the garden anymore! It really works. I popped myself several times, and am confident it is a humane solution (really doesn't hurt bad). Animals don't have any understanding of electricity, so when an electric fence pops them, the sound and weird feeling is enough to make them wary. It's really not a pain thing, it's a surprise thing. A good electric fence is a great and inexpensive solution!

And besides, it would be difficult for me to shoot a dog. I ran out when those dogs were at my chickens, and stared down the sights of a rifle at them, and just couldn't do it. I have shot coyotes, possums, and raccoons that were prowling around the chicken yard at night, but a dog would be hard for me to do.

The frequency range of a dog whistle is largely out of the range of human hearing. Typically, a dog whistle is within the range of 16 to 22 kHz with only the frequencies below 20 kHz audible to the human ear. Some dog whistles have adjustable sliders for active control of the frequency produced.

maybe you can put one on a motion detector 

Ditto on the hot wire. 

We had a chicken tractor at our future home site before we moved in. My husband saw dog tracks circling the tractor and saw the dogs slinking across the road.  He put a single hot wire around the pen - at about 6 inches from the ground - they NEVER bothered coming back.  We left it up for maybe a month.  Our property was not fenced yet.

Years later a neighbors couple year old yellow lab started coming on the property through the front driveway - the property is now fence everywhere except the driveway - and this was prior to the gate.  She was not attacking anything yet - but crapping all over my entrance and causing my dog to do the same, and causing me concern over my dog following the scent across the road. I'd assumed the dog was a male {funny story - I found out much later they assumed my border collie/aussie had bred her based on the puppy coloring - sorry - she's a girl too}.  So I strung two hot wires - ankle high and dog chest high across the front, barely 6 feet off the road. I'd hook it up every night - disconnect/remove every morning.  It was really a pretty flimsy set-up - but it worked, I think I did that for a maybe a week. 

Now I have a gate - so that I can have animals graze the yard - but had to add a buggy cord style hot wire across the bottom  -- since the free range/free yard chickens and turkeys would go under and wonder out onto the road - especially as Spring happens. Also helps the new younger dog and cats understand their property limits.

Strap on a bigger gun and go chat with him?

This is a two edged sword.  When we take animals, we assume responsibilities.
Your neighbor failed his responsibility by not containing his dogs.
You failed your stewardship by not enclosing your birds.
If either one of you had fulfilled your duty, this incident would never had happened.

It is not just neighbor's dogs you need to be concerned with.  Depending on where you live, you may have any combo of coyotes, fox, coons, possums, etc.  A single wire hot fence @ 4-6" off of the ground will keep almost all non-raptor predators away.  They will all investigate it (once) the same way...with their noses!

you may be pleasently surprised that most gun packing individuals in the country are very decent people.  only way to find out. is go talk to him.  nothing wrong with talkin. and odds are, he wont shoot you dead just for talkin decent to him. 

letting something kill or destroy your property, no matter how 'cheap' it is. is ridiculous.  give something an inch it will eventually take a mile.

if the ol boy aint decent.  just wish him well and go to the house.  there are other ways to deal with the problem if communication breaks down.

one tip for breaking your own dogs of killing chickens is hang a dead one from a hot wire.  he wont touch it more than twice.  do this a few times.  he''ll learn.  perhaps this method could train other folks  dogs.

by the way if you ever get a LGD.  you dont want to ever beat him with a dead chicken, hang a dead one around his neck or shock him with a chicken.