Building a Hobby Farm- from woods to eggs

[barneyrb]

Did you shoot it while it was attacking? If so you have far more confidence in your aim than I do in mine.

I was thinking a tranq gun. If it is the dog you can tranq it and then show your neighbor. I look forward to finding out what you learn. I am guessing you are still sleeping since you were up all night with the shotgun watching the chicken tractor.

no, 3-4 days later digging in my trash

 

[Taylortractornut]

Toney I hac a local man that built cages build one then the other was a big crate made out of 2 by 8s from a glass dealer. They both were 2.5 feet wide 2.5 tall and about 4 feel lond with a stick latch and a slideing drop door. then You put in a chicken in the bait cage.

 

[tony123]

Taylor, that sounds like an interesting idea...but I'm not picturing it. Can you explain it a little more thoroughly?

My last two girls are still here. They spend every night in a small box in the garage still. It's been about two weeks. One of them has made a full recovery. The other seems recovered from any pain, but her mobility has been greatly hampered. She moves about the yard , but couldn't run from anything if she had to. She's also lost about 30% body weight.

I can only stand them in the garage for so long...they'll have to take their chances soon. Of course, I'll fix up the latches better and I'm coing to put a wire mesh floor to it as well.

The hayride at the church fall fest is tonight!!!! I've really been looking forward to it. I've got the tractor and trailer loaded up on a neighbors trailer. It's a sweet trailer. I'm sure I'll have a few photos to post tomorrow.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Tony its a box with prefferably screened sides. Ith has a slise made from 2by 4's that a gate slides up and down in. you put bait i nthe rear of the boxs and lide the gate in theres board ontop thats verticle that has a notch cut in it to hold a 1x1 that holds the gate up on the ther end is a rope that has a wooden stake that fits into a notch towards the end of the trap. The notch is faced towards the front of the trap when the animal is in going for the bait he bumps the notch and it drops the gate. try doing a google for homemade live traps. I use these as I think a snare is inhumane Ive rescued many a pet dog from and dear from illega deer hunters using this method.

 

[tony123]

Thanks Taylor, I'm getting the picture now. I'll do some google searching for more info.

Ya'll are are going to kick my butt for this one..... I stepped outside yesterday and caught the culprit redhanded going after my chickens. In fact, it was two culprits! But, I decided not to shoot! Can you believe!

There they were, two Pitt Bulls tearing away at the wire with their teeth! They were tearing right at the spots that have been worked on before. I've got to believe these are the guys that got all the chickens.

So why didn't I shoot? well, they were puppies. One was about 20 pounds and the other about 15. Couldn't have been more than a few months old. And at first, they appeared to be lab puppies. I was just thrown off my guard by that. How could I shoot puppies? what would my wife think when I told her I killed the puppies?

So I scared them off and they scurried out into the woods in the direction of the very "redneck" trailer about 800' behind us (so I've got a feeling who they belong too). Then I went inside to tell my wife. What did she say? "Why didn't you shoot those little basdards, they'll grow up into big chicken eating dogs"! So now I'm walking around in shame as the big guy with a soft heart, and beating myself up for not shooting. Next time we see them, I will.

 

[scgargoyle]

That's a really tough call, but your wife has a good point. Now that they've tasted a kill, they'll never stop. I'm surprised it was puppies, though. I would suspect they learned it from an older dog- maybe Momma wasn't with them when you caught them, but I suspect they aren't the only two. What will you do with them if you shoot them? SSS (Shoot, shovel, and shut up)? From what I hear, dogs are the number one problem with trying to keep animals. Some rural people think it's fine for their dogs to run all over, and don't think their dogs could ever cause trouble. Now you know why I'm so keen on fencing at least part of my place.

 

[tony123]

Shoot, drag out in the woods, and shut up. I figure varmin will eat up the kill before morning.

For a second, my wife was suggesting we talk to the owners.....I halted that right there. They don't need to know that we even know their dogs exist. That makes the "shut up" part of the equation go much smoother.

You're right, likely momma was with them at some point. We had a pair of mangey older Pitts come through the yard 6 months ago, and now these two. I really should take a shoot first think about it second attitude.

 

[oldhippy]

Tony I would rid myself of these cute pups as you have small children. I had two dobermans try to attack my son ( he's 37) many years ago. I placed my self between him and dogs. I went and told the people that the dogs needed to leave and if they got out again they would be shot (the dogs). I lived in the city but one has to do what one has to do to protect his family. They got rid of dogs, I can be kind of scary even though I look like Santa. big dan

 

[Ridgewalker]

You should have shot those pit pulls. I wouldn't feel bad about it for a second,
I hate the dang things and will always put one down if given a chance.

 

[Unregistered2013]

i have a pit bull rescue and we have placed thousands of pit bulls in to great homes --

-- visit us at spbr --

understanding and compassion goes a lot further than simply destroying the dogs.

we have a forum, too, at pb-smiles - Powered by vBulletin -- please join and we can help you catch the pups and get them to rescue, for responsible placement.

eric