Anyone here ever try a guard donkey or guard llama?

[jenniferf82]

Today my beautiful pet turkey tom was horribly mangled by my irresponsible neighbors dog. I found it not quite dead, but, very much suffering and don't want to deal with this situation again.
Unfortunately, my idiot neighbor will always be here.. While the problem dog is now gone thanks to a long drive to a far away shelter, she will just get another one that she also won't contain..
She doesn't care at all about my birds, she doesn't care about her own dogs either as they are always playing in traffic..
So, I was wondering if anyone has tried donkeys or llamas with chickens?
I'm in a fairly densely populated area and we don't have raccoons or coyotes or anything like that. My only issues are dogs, and more specifically my neighbors dogs.
I have had a guard dog in the past who turned into a chicken eater herself after 6 reliable years, so I'm hoping to find a nonpredatory instinct solution..

 

[JewellFarm]

Never had one myself, but have heard of a lot of people having guard llamas. They are supposed to make wonderful guard animals, but usually with sheep and lambs and such. I would think it would do just as well with chickens tho. Hopefully others will chime in with first hand experience.

 

[jenniferf82]

That's what I'm curious about, because I know they protect sheep and similar animals viewing them as herdmates.. I just wonder if they would view chickens and turkeys as herdmates?

 

[stethomps]

I have a mini donkey, and when he has had enough, at 36" he will chase and make my sheepdog 2nd guess what he is doing, but he typically dosent pay my chickens any mind. Except, I just built a tractor & put it at the top of his pasture. Now, all he wants to do is destroy it. The have a personality; like taking his food buckets and hiding them in the brush, eating the seat off of your 4 wheeler, grabbing your fence tool when your working on the fence and taking off, just to name a few. (& then he will laugh at you <he lifts up his top lip and shakes his head up and down at you> Its cute, but you are usually frustrated at him by this point) But now thier is a tractor introduced into his area; his new past time is kicking the tin roof, and stepping on the wire mesh. I've been thinking about llamas too...I hear they work well as a guard animals; you'll have to let me know if you go with one. Donkeys are cool; Ace is by far mine and my 5 year olds favorite, but they can be a pain too. Oh yeah, they are escape artist, and they love to eat landscaping.

 

[jenniferf82]

I have 4 foot field fencing around my property.. If I electrified, would that contain a donkey or am I looking at refencing to contain one?

 

[txchickie]

I **just had** to have a mini donkey a few years ago, and he loved to stomp chickens

He also loved to scream all day and night

which is the reason he no longer lives here.


But now I think I need a llama

it can be my chicken guard!!!!

 

[stethomps]

I have 6 runs of high tensile wire, and if he gets one loose (by pushing on it all day)...he is out. I wish I had welded wire; it would definately work better. My fence came with the house, it looks great, and I dont want to pay to replace. I had to put a solar powered hot wire on my fence, after he ate all of my wifes tulips last spring. Yep, I was in big trouble, some of the bulbs were from Holland. I only kept it charged for a few weeks, and now he pretty much stays away from the fence, but he is constantly checking the gates to see if one of my boys left it unlatched. Which happens, and he is straight on the porch pooping & turning everything over. Then off to the ornamental grasses. lol Dont get me wrong he is great, and you will enjoy one, but I dont think mine gives two hoots about the chickens.

 

[stethomps]

That is so true...they can be loud...when they get going at night, it sounds like your neighbors are screaming at each other at the top of their lungs. But when they run to the fence when you come home, and give you the big hee haw to come give them a scratch; makes up for it.

 

[Soccer Mom]

Here's my "guard team," Brody, Quincy, and Blackjack.

They don't mind the poultry at all and aren't any help with coons or hawks, but no canines get in my pen (or if they do, they don't ever come back!)

They do need toys and room. Donkeys are very smart and just like a smart dog, will cause trouble if they aren't kept busy. They are also incredibly friendly and loving. Two do better than one and can help entertain one another. They are herd animals and happiest with a herd.

 

[sundance]

people down the street moved off and left their donkey to fend for it self. they also left their dogs. and cannon co does not have a humane society, wilson warren or rutherford co will not take any more animals either. we have a number listed in the phone book for a HC but the co hasn't had the money to built it yet(can't understand why have a phone # and no building) but thats cannon co.another neighbor still lives in their trailer, expecting a new baby and is slowly letting their pitt bull starve to death. I don't understand some people, guess I never will. I love ALL my animals, and they probably eat better than I do, One thing they will never be left behind or starved. marrie