“ ma ! There ’s a Canis latrans out by the chickens ! ”
My boy Jaeson ’s shout brought me running to the kitchen sliding - glass door , our main exit power point to our deck of cards and back curtilage . for certain enough , a brown dogtooth was ambling between our Orpington and Ameraucana coops , glossa lolling out . We have a local Canis latrans pack and it was n’t strange for a scout or two to trot across our property . That ordinarily happened at crepuscule , however , and it was barely preceding noon . slip my shoes on , I step outside to get a better look .
The moment it sense my presence , however , the canine turned posterior and dashed for the dimension line , its silhouette recognizable as it ran . This was no prairie wolf . This was our neighbour Dick ’s mutt , who had somehow get by to escape the confines of his own thousand , several Akko away . His good afternoon of adventure was thwarted by yours truly , waving my arm and yelling at him to get back home .
A detent may be man ’s good friend , but I know canines are n’t of necessity chum with volaille .
The High-Prey Drive Dog
Dogs are actually one of themost vulgar fowl predators , especially if they possess high prey drive . Ahigh - prey driveis an strong-growing tendency to stalk , chase , hunting , plan of attack and kill other animate being .
Some click breeds — such as Siberian Huskies , Samoyeds and Alaskan Malamutes — possess an instinctive , independent tendency to essay out target . breed such as terrier , blackguard , spaniels and retrievers were specifically bred to search .
Without close supervision , a high - prey dog can be dangerous to animals such as rabbit , squirrels , qat and other wiener . Alone amongst a flock of chicken , a high - target dog can be fateful .
Read more : Protect your poultry with these 4 predator - proofing tips .
A Dog’s Mode of Action
Amongst a panicked plenty of chickens , the search instinct of a high - prey - private road dog can complain into overdrive . With terrified prey flee everywhere , the dog will be compelled to grab and down every Bronx cheer it can get its jaws on .
Even the soft preferred dog can cause chaos around a chicken coop . It can comprehend your flock to be fluffy moving toys to play with .
When Scout ’s “ playing ” causes the flossy toy to stop affect ( … permanently ) , though , legal proceeding typically cease . Dogs willrarely eat the birds they drink down . If you discover a yard full of drained birds scattered everywhere , a heel is your likely culprit .
Bird Retrieval
Occasionally , you may find that you are escape one chicken and that the eternal sleep of your sight is in a high - stress panic . The only signs left of your missing hen are a couple of scattered feathers .
This may also betoken a slyboots or coyote . Both of these canids can easy conduct off an adult shuttle . But you might also discover that your neighbor ’s prized hunting blackguard was simply regain a chick for its master .
Read more : What can you do if a neighbor ’s dog kill your chickens ?
Dealing with the Dog Owner
While stray dogs can indeed stimulate problems for flock possessor , most predatory incidents necessitate neighboring dog . In the best - pillow slip scenario , you ’ll find a very embarrassed neighbor on your front threshold , meanly apologizing about their dog ’s behavior . They may offer you fiscal recompense for your demised bird and supply item on what they will do to ensure this kind of matter never come about again .
I like to think that most pawl owners are scrupulous and want to maintain confirming sex act with the people who live near them .
regrettably , there are also those who are n’t , as my friends Ted and Daniel light upon . At least Ted and Daniel could lay the inculpation for their numb flock on somebody . Some of us may never know whose dog turned our once - happy hens into toss away , lifeless tabloid dolls .
In cases where there are nothing but enquiry , the most we can do is secure our coops and flow to the best of our abilities .
as luck would have it for us , Dick was super abashed that his dog had made it all the style to our dimension . Apparently one of his adolescent son ’s protagonist had come over and not come together the door behind him , providing the pup with an escape cock route .
Dick learn his boy — and his son ’s friends — the riot act . We have not seen the doggy since .
Still , I always asseverate a vigilant oculus . I never know when someone else ’s dog or some stray might leap over our rill fences and wreak havoc on our flocks . I ’ve also taught Jaeson the difference between a coyote and a dog , just in typeface one of our local pack ’s scouts gets interchangeable idea .
