There is also "neighborly relations" to consider. I, too, am from a "Defend your own at all costs" state and county. Here, the good people will kindly bring you all the evidence of your predators' misdeeds, subtilly reminding you that they will have to take unwilling control measures(with the gun) if you cannot control your predators advances upon their defenseless stock. Hope your husband is feeling a bit better by now. Really, personally, I wouldn't go to court, but I may contact that neighbor and thank her for her offer, not accept it, and explain that I had been in extreme shock last time I'd spoken to her. Maybe take her a small gift. At home, I would keep the gun loaded. If I have to shoot someone's marauding beast, so be it. but I'd not let on if I did.
I agree with neighborly relations also. I've been here 10 years and never met her. She lives further away but my hope at very least is she will keep her dogs put up now. It isn't about money or her replacing my babies because that cannot be done.
 
Your neighbors dogs have probably killed chickens before they just haven't been caught by anyone but you.My neighbors dogs killed his chickens when they were gone to work or on vacation

A FEW at a time.
 
Your neighbors dogs have probably killed chickens before they just haven't been caught by anyone but you.My neighbors dogs killed his chickens when they were gone to work or on vacation

A FEW at a time.
I spoke with her tonight and she said she totally understands and would shoot the dogs too if that happened. She intends to pay me. We will see.
 
I spoke with her tonight and she said she totally understands and would shoot the dogs too if that happened. She intends to pay me. We will see.
I had a neighbor that had a farm on one side of me that told me to shoot his dogs if they bothered my chickens. They never did. His brother had the farm on the other side of me. His daughter gave the two men's mother (her grandmother) a puppy when her grandfather died. That puppy started chasing my chickens but never caught one. I ran it off a few times, never hurt it. Then the puppy disappeared. That puppy was also chasing horses and cattle belonging to the two brothers. I think one of them took care of the problem.

They were great neighbors. The grandmother even asked me to take care of a snake in her yard when the rest were not available. We had good fences but if their horses or cattle got out I knew where to take them. They helped me out several times. Most people make good neighbors when you try.

Shooting dogs that harm livestock is an old country tradition if they can't be trained. It's different than in urban or suburban areas. You still need to know what the law is. Many farms had dogs that roamed free, no fences or constraints. Their job is to keep certain critters away. They can't do that if they are constrained. Most don't bother livestock or threaten people and survive long.
 
Good fences make good neighbours. My dog shouldn't be able to get out, so my neighbours dogs shouldn't be able to get in. But stuff happens. My chickens free range within a large electric net area. A couple of neighbourhood doga are jumpers. If a dog comes over my boundary fence, my dog intercepts it. I've caught neighbourhood dogs in my property playing with my dog. I've also seen her sending them packing in fear of their life. She seems to have good judgement on who is who and she loves us, the chickens and our cat and protects them above her desire to play. If a chicken gets out of the netting, she will come let us know. Unless the chicken makes it to the door first. 😅

Shooting dogs harassing livestock or worse is completely reasonable. Especially on a second offence. It's understood and accepted where I live, also legal to do. But it's also local courtesy to give one chance unless the livestock is particularly valuable, or the dog looks like it might be a wild dog. Financial compensation for the loss isn't asked for. It is offered generously as a matter of courtesy.

An example of where a dog would be shot on sight is if it is harassing an expensive horse in a way that it could injure or cause the horse to injure itself. No second chances. But poultry isn't in the same category. Emotional attachment has no weight in livestock terms. So a second chance is considered courtesy.

The laws where i am:
You have the necessary firearms licence and use the firearm according to state firearms laws.
You reasonably believe the dog is attacking, or is likely to attack, your livestock and is not under someone's control.
You live on land that is subject to a rural fire levy.
You comply with other laws

The key word in this is livestock. If they aren't used for commercial purposes, they probably won't be considered livestock. But commercial purposes is an easy bar to cross when it comes to poultry.

Unfortunately you've now announced that's what you will do. Imo cool heads always prevail. Inform them of what has happened. If its enough money you wont let it go, Give them an invoice for the damage if they dont offer. All very business like. If they dont pay promptly, dont pursue it unless its quite a lot. So when it happens a second time those dogs just don't come home that day. Which is the same courtesy, or lack thereof, they provided you.

Now if they go missing and they are her babies, you are going to be the first place they visit.
 
Last edited:
Good fences make good neighbours. My dog shouldn't be able to get out, so my neighbours dogs shouldn't be able to get in. But stuff happens. My chickens free range within a large electric net area. A couple of neighbourhood doga are jumpers. If a dog comes over my boundary fence, my dog intercepts it. I've caught neighbourhood dogs in my property playing with my dog. I've also seen her sending them packing in fear of their life. She seems to have good judgement on who is who and she loves us, the chickens and our cat and protects them above her desire to play. If a chicken gets out of the netting, she will come let us know. Unless the chicken makes it to the door first. 😅

Shooting dogs harassing livestock or worse is completely reasonable. Especially on a second offence. It's understood and accepted where I live, also legal to do. But it's also local courtesy to give one chance unless the livestock is particularly valuable, or the dog looks like it might be a wild dog. Financial compensation for the loss isn't asked for. It is offered generously as a matter of courtesy.

An example of where a dog would be shot on sight is if it is harassing an expensive horse in a way that it could injure or cause the horse to injure itself. No second chances. But poultry isn't in the same category. Emotional attachment has no weight in livestock terms. So a second chance is considered courtesy.

The laws where i am:
You have the necessary firearms licence and use the firearm according to state firearms laws.
You reasonably believe the dog is attacking, or is likely to attack, your livestock and is not under someone's control.
You live on land that is subject to a rural fire levy.
You comply with other laws

The key word in this is livestock. If they aren't used for commercial purposes, they probably won't be considered livestock. But commercial purposes is an easy bar to cross when it comes to poultry.

Unfortunately you've now announced that's what you will do. Imo cool heads always prevail. Inform them of what has happened. If its enough money you wont let it go, Give them an invoice for the damage if they dont offer. All very business like. If they dont pay promptly, dont pursue it unless its quite a lot. So when it happens a second time those dogs just don't come home that day. Which is the same courtesy, or lack thereof, they provided you.

Now if they go missing and they are her babies, you are going to be the first place they visit.
I followed up with a cool head Wednesday. She actually told me herself she would shoot the dogs as well if they messed with her chickens and totally understands. She also paid 300 of the 407.00 I requested. I did tell her she could pay a little at a time. She was very understanding and also heartbroken like I am.
 
I'm so sorry your lost your babies! I lost 7 of flock of 12 this January, Good neighbor of 10 years took in a roommate with a dog. They've been great about putting him on a chain but he was loose twice today and bee lined towards our coop with our 5 remaining chickens. 2nd time was just after dark and we literally had just shut the coop door and chicken run door 5 minutes before.

It was horrible, our chickens are our pets and they all had names. When checked out the window and saw hens on the ground I tried to run out, not so different I fell HARD, both knees and one elbow swollen and painful for a week and the bad knee was dripping blood, I feel so bad for your husband and his broken rib! I was too late, the attack. Our favorite freindly hen Rebecca was on her back with the other dead and dying ones but her little legs were still trying to kick.

Not sure of our next steps. Dog owner wants to train her dog with me. We're too far out of town for a feud or calling authorities, we rely on eachother in the long harsh winters. Heck no on using my chickens but thought I could help with basic obedience to her dog doesn't run away while she's trying to get his chain on and off.

I'm so glad your neighbor responded well. We'll see when I finally talk to the old neighbor and his new roommate.
 
I'm so sorry your lost your babies! I lost 7 of flock of 12 this January, Good neighbor of 10 years took in a roommate with a dog. They've been great about putting him on a chain but he was loose twice today and bee lined towards our coop with our 5 remaining chickens. 2nd time was just after dark and we literally had just shut the coop door and chicken run door 5 minutes before.

It was horrible, our chickens are our pets and they all had names. When checked out the window and saw hens on the ground I tried to run out, not so different I fell HARD, both knees and one elbow swollen and painful for a week and the bad knee was dripping blood, I feel so bad for your husband and his broken rib! I was too late, the attack. Our favorite freindly hen Rebecca was on her back with the other dead and dying ones but her little legs were still trying to kick.

Not sure of our next steps. Dog owner wants to train her dog with me. We're too far out of town for a feud or calling authorities, we rely on eachother in the long harsh winters. Heck no on using my chickens but thought I could help with basic obedience to her dog doesn't run away while she's trying to get his chain on and off.

I'm so glad your neighbor responded well. We'll see when I finally talk to the old neighbor and his new roommate.
Its 7:25 am so I'm not wide awake yet but sounds like you'd just locked your chickens up when the dog killed them ?
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom