Getting chickens when the neighbor has a dog

[PenelopeJune]

We live way out in the country, on three acres, but we have a neighbor just 100 yards away, and they have a 1 year old golden retriever. It runs loose, and although we just moved in 2 weeks ago, it has already stolen two pairs of gloves out of our garage, and once stole a poptart and a sippy cup right out of my 2 year old daughter's hands.

The dog is friendly enough, even though we really don't want it around. But we want to get chickens this year, and we're afraid the dog will kill them. I'd prefer them to free range, at least some of the time, but that's obviously not an option, is it?

Dh doesn't even want to get them now, because of the dog. We're trying to train it to stay out of our yard, but it's hard because the owners never do anything with their dog, and they both work during the day and the dog runs free.

Advice? Suggestions?

[Farmer'sWife]

You need a chicken tractor! It's basically a cage without a bottom that you move around your yard. Your chickens can graze to their hearts content and the dog won't eat them! This site has lot of pictures for ideas of ways you can make one.

[wombatclay]

Second the chicken tractor.

However... depending on your level of comfort... many towns/counties have rules about letting dogs roam free. You can contact the animal control office (in our county animal control is run through the SPCA, in some counties it's a seperate group) and ask them what options exist. Often a control officer will visit the owners and let them know their in violation of leash/control laws. A repeat offense and the animal might be removed from the home or the owner fined. I don't know how much you want to rock the boat, but a dog that is roaming totally free is at risk of being hit by a car, eating something hazardous, causing property damage or injury that the owner is then responsible for, etc. It's not just a "good neighbor" or "chickens" issue (especially if the dog has taken something from your child... that needs to be addressed even if the dog seemed friendly, by taking something from the child the dog is putting themselves "above" the child and that could cause problems later). Also, at least here, calls to animal control are anonymous... the control officer can just say that a person was driving by and was worried or something.

[karne]

First, you should speak to your neighbors about your concerns, even if it's just a formality. Then, you can contact the dog warden/police to see what steps they can take about keeping the dog off of your property, and let them know that you have tried to address this with the neighbors. It's not OK to have the dog on your property, and frankly, in the country, most people take a dim, and serious, view of anything that disturbs their animals.

I say this as someone with chickens and GR's. Our personal experience is that our dogs don't bother the chickens because the chickens will peck them. Ours free range, and co-exist in a mutual level of distrust of each other. Another golden (not ours) once retrieved one of our hens, and that was fairly traumatizing for the hen, but she was unhurt because the dogs essentially have the instinct to gently carry them in their mouths. Not fun if you're the chicken, though.

That said, you need to think about not only loose dogs, but many other predators for your flock, and think about how you'll protect them and act accordingly, ie chicken tractor, hen house with fenced yard, etc. Hawks can swoop down and take them....they can be very vulnerable.

[annethcz]

We've had issues with neighbor dogs. I'm not a confontational person, but I did work up the courage to talk with my neighbors about their dogs. I have the right to enjoy my property without other people's animals intruding.

I'm not sure that you want to go this route, but many states have laws regarding nuisance animals attacking livestock. In most places, you are allowed to shoot any animal that is attacking your livestock. Although I never mentioned this to my neighbors, after visiting them several times to talk about their dogs, they understood that we would not tolerate having their dogs on our property. I just didn't let the issue die. I didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with the neighbors, but I also wasn't about to let someone else's dog ruin our ability to use and enjoy our property.

We had issues with two different neighbors. One neighbor (the one whose dog I caught in the act of killing chicks) eventually got rid of the dog- I believe the dog went to live with the neighbors' adult child. The other neighbor (whose dogs would come over to our yard and harass our chickens and children) has since installed an underground electric fence and has trained his dogs VERY well to stay at home.

[wombatclay]

Oh yes, I didn't mean to not talk with the neighbor about it! Just that it may be worth knowing what the law is before doing so if it would make you more confident. Our animal control people are part of the SPCA and really wonderful in terms of wanting to help both the animal and the owner.

(our dd1 was attacked by a neighbor's dog shortly after we moved here, even with that sort of emotional energy I know it can be hard to be the "new person" talking to an "established person" about their animals. Animal control gave me ideas on how to phrase things and approach our neighbor, and they offered to follow up as needed.)

Good luck!

[Tizzy]

I'm sure this doesn't sound nice, but giving the dog a good kick in the butt and yelling at it to "GO HOME" while chasing it off your property can be more effective than you'd think
I find dogs are so much friendlier when new neighbors move in because they figure they can get away with more - OR the previous people did not discourage unwanted visitors.

If a non confrontational method like this doesn't work after a few days, I would pay a friendly visit to the dog's owners and explain your predicament - don't mention wanting chickens, just point out that it's a nuisance to have the dog coming over all the time and ask if there's some way they could help ensure that it stays on their own property.

We have a more established problem going on and my next step is to catch the dogs and take them to the municipality with the most expensive fees. I have chased their roaming large dogs (3 all close to 100lbs) off the property several times but yet they still continue to harass livestock and deer around the neighborhood. I have left notes (since they never seem to be home?) and nothing has changed.

[BeckyBird]

I don't like loose dogs. There. I said it!! Over the past 4 years, dogs have been the worst problem to our chickens. Nice dogs, mean dogs, stray dogs, pet dogs, hunting dogs, etc. They do not mix with chickens at all.

Best bet--coop the birds. Tractor, coop, pen, whatever you have to do. If it's not the neighbor's dog, it WILL be another dog. They are everywhere. If your birds are not kept safe, the odds are that some dog will find them.

Sorry, but waking up to a yard full of massacred chickens is not a good way to start the day, and I speak from experience. I've had 4 years of heartache, so all my birds live in nice safe coops now. Large, walk-in coops, and yes, I do wish I could free range them. I love watching chickens roam and pick through the yard. But dogs are pretty much their worst threat out here, even worse than wild predators. Grrrr!

These are some photos of my pens. You can have fun making neat homes for your birds!

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...s/HPIM5852.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...s/HPIM3426.jpg

[mamadelbosque]

You will need so mething to keep your chickens on your property, just as your neighbors need something to keep their dog on their property!! Whether thats a pen or a chain when their not there for the dog, and a coop or just fencing in a large portion of your yard is up to you and them. But something needs to be done.

I highly recommend portable electric netting for your chickens - its fairly cheap, portable and super easy to work with. You will also need something secure to lock your chickens up at night in - something not only dog-proof but also racoon & opossom & fox & coyote proof!!

Good luck!!

[PenelopeJune]

Thanks all!

I really like the idea of a chicken tractor, thanks! And there are coyotes nearby, I can hear them howling pretty close at night.

I'm pretty sure there are no leash laws out here in the county. We're a very rural county, and EVERYONE has dogs and everyone lets them roam free. (I'm not a big dog fan. I know, it's not a popular view, but I really don't like them as pets. )

After the dog took my daughter's cup, my husband ran after the dog to take the cup, and the woman was in her yard working. She gave Dh and awful look for chasing and yelling at her dog, and when he explained what happened she said, "Well, what do you want me to do about it," in the most rude tone of voice. I was shocked.

The other day, DH left the garage door open (while he was in the yard working) and later on found something from our trash in the neighbor's yard. It was some kind of battery thing and had battery acid all over it. We were afraid the dog would die and then our neighbors would blame us, as though we had done it on purpose.

Beckybird, I LOVE your coop! So pretty!

[Shahbazin]

If it's fairly rural & "everyone" has free roaming dogs, I'd fence a section of your property for the kids/chickens. Just T posts & turkey wire go up quickly, or if you need a moveable fence, go for electronet (http://www.premier1supplies.com/ ). The chickens will still need a secure roosting pen, & I'd put electric strands on any permanent fences (down low on the outside, & across the top, to prevent fence jumping or digging by dogs & other predators).

[StrongBeliever]

Been there, done that, burnt the t-shirt. I have had lots of trouble with my own dogs(no longer plural) and LOADS of trouble with neighbor's dogs. From killing chickens to attacking and severely wounding my sow. I highly recommend chicken tractors. That is what we are doing right now. It keeps our birds safe. And there are many more benefits to the system, one of my very favorite being that my yard isn't full of chicken dookie. As romantic and cute as wandering birdies might be, they poop A LOT. And with small children who are even cuter roaming than birds, I like the fact that my yard isn't plastered in manure any more.

As far as dogs go... Go call the local animal control and figure out the laws. Here it is legal to "dispatch" any dog found harassing or harming livestock, with no notice to the owners of said dog. I would hate to have to do it, but am in a position to do just such if a certain dog shows back up here. And I did have the talk with the neighbors, but they were understanding. And my dog(after ages of her own craziness) will now attack intruding dogs on command. I have also seen her do it of her own volition. I know you aren't a dog person, but a well trained dog is an asset to the homestead.

If you don't have the heart for the above, I'd say make it a miserable experience for the dog every time it enters your space. Bull horn? Super-soaker water gun full of vinegar or something else nasty? I know around here people do bee-bee guns, but I would never(after picking bee-bees out of my cat as a kid). And the old country adage... "Good fences make good neighbors". You'll have to double check the laws. Where I live if there is a good reason to put up a fence that doesn't already exist between property lines that you can bill the neighbors for half of the cost. Maybe the thought of having to pay for half of the fence of your choosing will encourage them to keep Fido home?

[wombatclay]

If there are a lot of loose dogs and/or wild critters then a good coop/pen is crucial!

I'm pretty sure there are no leash laws out here in the county. We're a very rural county, and EVERYONE has dogs and everyone lets them roam free.

I live in a very rural area, there are many many loose dogs roaming the forest, and yet there are leash laws. Given how rural it is and how many people let their pets roam we didn't know there were leash laws for almost two years! But they're on the books even though no one seems to follow them here. It can't hurt to ask...

[PenelopeJune]

I think we've reached some sort of solution!

First of all, we've noticed the dog hasn't been in our yard lately. He's wearing a collar, and I don't know if it's a shock collar or what. And today, the neighbor woman (who had been rude that one time) came over, with a pan of lasagna, a loaf of french bread, and a pan of brownies and appologized. It was very sweet. She said that they've been working with the dog and are trying to keep him out of our yard. We told her that we may get chickens, but that they would be kept penned.

And we've decided to build a chicken tractor. I'm excited! This is great, too, because we are just renters, so we'll be able to take it with us when we leave.

[mattemma04]

Great to read your neighbor is being responsible.Far to many dogs get harmed,because owners don't want to keep their dogs in their own yard.

We fenced our entire yard.In the winter the moisture in the soil would raise the driveway,and I was unable to close the gate.Last year a neighbors husky came into the yard and caused $400+ injury to my dog. I dug out the driveway by hand,and now always the keep the gate closed.When I am in the front yard I keep a tool and mace handy.

Enjoy your chickies! We have 3 and adore them.

[wombatclay]

Yay! Glad it worked out! Enjoy the chickens!