My husband says no dogs, donkeys, or llamas..

Cannon_Farms · #21 11/20/08, 09:58 PM

The first time our pack of coyotes got close enough like that to us, I had my husband fire off several rounds from his 9mm and havnt heard them get too close since, but the foxes here are another story. If they are in ear shot, fire off some rounds, bang a trash can lid, or sound off a air horn, play audio on bull horn of guns firing, they know what it is.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #22 11/20/08, 11:19 PM

I can't even imagine letting someone else tell me what I can and can't do. If you don't have the money for a donkey or good dog than sell a horse. Sell a goat and use that money. Your an adult he is not your parent and you NEED to have your own money. It's one thing to NEED a tractor, but you don't NEED a backhoe you rent a backhoe when you NEED to use it, then let them maintain it and rent it again the next time you NEED to use it. No way unless you are purchasing it for your own company is buying ever smarter than renting large equipment. You NEED a guardain for the farm. He WANTS a backhoe. Vicki

powderhooves · #23 11/21/08, 04:21 AM

Well......my husband goes outside and pees around the house and property regularly. We heard the smell of human urine is a deterent. My neighbor's husband collects his urine in gallon jugs. He makes scarecrows and soaks them in the urine then puts them around his property.

Give your husband a gallon jug and stick with it. Maybe he'll decide the effort isn't worth it, break down and get you a guard dog.

Bricore · #24 11/21/08, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nehimama

How important is the livestock to your DH? I'm surrounded by forest and lots of big predators, and would NEVER be without my pair of Great Pyrenees dogs! For my peace of mind, and the safety of my goats & chickens, it is worth the little extra expense to feed and care for the LGDs.

Just sayin'.

Good luck, and I hope you can get something worked out. I can truly understand how frightened you must be for your goats & other livestock.

NeHi

Sounds like you live in an area like us.

Last night I stayed up (partly because one of my kids wasn't feeling so well but the other was to listen for the coyotes last night.) I didn't hear any but of course just because I didn't hear them last night doesn't mean I wont tonight or some other night.

Pemburu · #25 11/21/08, 06:45 AM

Please be careful. A backhoe is a lot cheaper than a divorce in the long run. I'm sure if you think hard about it and do some soul searching you can take care of "this" problem before Christmas.

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/Product...&ID=21366&PG=1

Bricore · #26 11/21/08, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadie6447

Ok he said no donkeys......How bout a mule? That is what I use!!

I am not sure how true it is but I was told if I got one of those (mule or donkey) they would just take the horses in as their herd and not the goats?

Bricore · #27 11/21/08, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie

I don't advocate poison for anything. It's too indiscriminate. You don't know what's going to eat that chicken after the coyote has dragged it off somewhere and left it (or died). Or what's going to eat the poisoned coyote.

Make your presence more known to the coyotes. Enjoy evenings out by the fence with a shotgun and a flashlight and a hot cup of cocoa. Have your husband, the backhoe fan, go out and urinate all around the fenced enclosure (or do it yourself). And a LGD is never a bad idea, but you'll need several to contend with any size pack.

I moved my animals up closer to the house now, both to reduce risk from animal and human predators. I was worried about the smell initially, but it just inspires me to get out there and clean out stalls and coops like I ought to have been in the first place.

Got no advice for you regarding the husband and the backhoe. That's between you and him.

The land and house has never had anyone living on it before so they have had free range of everything here (so I guess we are living on their land now..lol) I have no problems with making a little racket now and then with a gun or a 4-wheeler if need be so I guess this would be easy enough to do too.

I am not sure about my husband peeing on things but my son would be more then happy to help out.

He is 8 and this last summer he had to "go" and we were out walking the land. Instead of walking all the way back I told him to do his thing outside. Oh, he thought that was the best!

Thanks for the advice!

Bricore · #28 11/21/08, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sungirl

Shoot some of the yotes' and leave their bodies where you don't want them. No pack will stick around if it means they might get shot. That said if they are hungery and need to eat, they won't give a hoot about it.

Patty.

Patty,
If, I do this wont the other coyotes come in to eat the ones I do shoot?

Bricore · #29 11/21/08, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

Have all the critters sleep in the basement at night...see if that will help your hubby change his mind

I don't know if I could stand that myself but it's funny..

prairiedog · #30 11/21/08, 06:56 AM

you need a LGD. Night time is not the only time you can lose live stock to predators. The coyotes will take them from the pasture in the day time too. Even close to the house. I have frieds that have had them right up on their front porch after their small dogs.

By the way Vicki good points!

Bricore · #31 11/21/08, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmergirl

My DH is a wise, wise man. He has never said "No dogs, donkeys or llamas". Good thing too, since we have 2 dogs, 1 donkey and 2 llamas in residence at the farm

Seriously, though. If you are going to keep livestock where predators are abundant, you simply MUST have a guardian animal to protect them. We had a large flock of sheep for several years, but ended up getting rid of them because we were loosing so many to coyotes. The chickens stay closer to the house and horse and hog pens, so I haven't lost too many of those to coyotes. Can you run pigs with your chickens and goats? I have never seen a coyote that will bother a pen that has multiple hogs in it.

I always wanted pigs (because they also eat snakes and we have a few of those here too.) If, pigs will keep coyotes away that would be great!

Bricore · #32 11/21/08, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TennesseeMama23

We have coyotes like that here--I hear them every night, sometimes really close.

I have never had one instance of them bothering any of the goats in the past almost 4 years. Our problem has been wild dogs, which we cull when we can.

Here coyotes aren't a big deal-I don't even mind hearing them. I don't know about other places and why they don't bother anything here.

Have any of you ever had a coyote kill/go after your goats? Some people I know are terrified of them, why I don't know, unless our coyotes are weird.

My fil told of a horrid way he used to "catch" them, but I don't even want to repeat it for fear some sicko would do it.

The guy up the road says he has lost pups and some goats to them but so far we have not.

When I recorder them the other night they were out near my chicken tractor. I checked out the tractor that night and it was fine.

Bricore · #33 11/21/08, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadie6447

Idea

Buy your husband a shovel and go get you a guard animal:banana02:

Yes, that's what he is using now (shovel) to keep up with the beavers. He is out there about every two weeks or less. If, he doesn't and we get rain the creek fills up fast and runs over our drive. It's the only way down our place so he keeps it cleaned out pretty good.

We did have a guy come out and get some of the beavers BUT it seemed like as soon as he did we just had news ones move in.

prairiedog · #34 11/21/08, 07:20 AM

beaver for supper LOL

Bricore · #35 11/21/08, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cannon_Farms

The first time our pack of coyotes got close enough like that to us, I had my husband fire off several rounds from his 9mm and havnt heard them get too close since, but the foxes here are another story. If they are in ear shot, fire off some rounds, bang a trash can lid, or sound off a air horn, play audio on bull horn of guns firing, they know what it is.

We went out with the gun that night. The next night (last night) I didn't hear anything (it was REALLY cold out and windy maybe they were keeping warm some where.) I hope it'll keep them away for a little while.

Oh, about the foxes, maybe that's why they say "Smart as a fox." lol..

Now that you said something, I haven't seen any foxes around here.. Odd!

Bricore · #36 11/21/08, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians

I can't even imagine letting someone else tell me what I can and can't do. If you don't have the money for a donkey or good dog than sell a horse. Sell a goat and use that money. Your an adult he is not your parent and you NEED to have your own money. It's one thing to NEED a tractor, but you don't NEED a backhoe you rent a backhoe when you NEED to use it, then let them maintain it and rent it again the next time you NEED to use it. No way unless you are purchasing it for your own company is buying ever smarter than renting large equipment. You NEED a guardain for the farm. He WANTS a backhoe. Vicki

I wouldn't say it's money to buy an $800 or less dog but maybe the money to buy the backhoe right now.

I'd say most people could get by renting..BUT
The reason why he needs a backhoe instead of renting is because the land we own really does need it. For one we have LOTS of beavers. The beavers get our creek backed up and the water goes over our drive/road (in no time at all.)

Here you can see what happened when we had to go back to Ohio for two weeks and we couldn't be here to keep up with the beavers with our shovels..lol..
http://bricoreandfamily.blogspot.com/search?q=beaver

What you are seeing in the video is the ONLY road down. The other side has drop offs that I sure in the heck wouldn't want to try to drive on myself.

That road cost over $120,000 to have put in to go to the house. We can't afford not to keep up with the beavers. For now we do it by hand which trust me gets old fast and isn't really safe (we do have snakes in there.)

I feel a little funny sharing this..but we just opened up a company here last year and of course still have our home in Ohio that hasn't sold.. So, money for a backhoe is something we have to budget for.

I hear what your saying and understand it (and I do want more protection for my critters.)

My poor hubby is sounding like a mean old man..lol.. I should say his exact words were "Next time you think about getting another animal please just put whatever money you were going to spend on them in the bank so we could get a backhoe instead."

This is after he came up from working on the other side of the creek (bad timing on my part) and I told him that I needed a dog and asked him to move the horses from the top of the mountain to another side below (I of course help him put up fence. It's not easy here because of the way the land is. The issues with the horses being at the top near our house is the soil. It's cirt and they are sore now because of it. Great for keeping them trimmed but they haven't adjusted to it yet. It would be nice if they did but it's been a while now and they haven't.)

Oh, my I just wrote you a book.. Sorry about that.

wendle · #37 11/21/08, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bricore

Yes, that's what he is using now (shovel) to keep up with the beavers. He is out there about every two weeks or less. If, he doesn't and we get rain the creek fills up fast and runs over our drive. It's the only way down our place so he keeps it cleaned out pretty good.

We did have a guy come out and get some of the beavers BUT it seemed like as soon as he did we just had news ones move in.

Just an idea, don't know if they would be helpful in this , but a lgd might discourage the beavers too depending on how close they are and how big of a water area. My lgd's have been great for keeping out coyotes, coons, possom, stray cats, and will hunt rats as well. Might be worth a try. I have been able to let my ducks and roosters go free range 24/7 now with no troubles.

Bricore · #38 11/21/08, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pemburu

Please be careful. A backhoe is a lot cheaper than a divorce in the long run. I'm sure if you think hard about it and do some soul searching you can take care of "this" problem before Christmas.

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/Product...&ID=21366&PG=1

Oh, yes I hear you. We get along great really.
It's funny because he really doesn't care for animals. Not that he doesn't like them so much but it's all the work he has to do for them (for me..lol..)

The place we bought in Ohio. We built the barn (out of an old airplane hanger. Took us a while but we did it.) We put up all the fence. We built all the stalls (really nice heavy duty stalls.)

We bought a few old horse trailers and fixed them up and resold them so we could get a nicer one for ourselves..
Here you can see what I am talking about (its nothing grand but he did this so I could have a nice one for myself after we turned a bunch of trailers. He did this in his spare time with me.)
http://bricoreandfamily.blogspot.com...5_archive.html

Anyway, we did all the projects together but I think he is just kind of ready for a break... Then we had to move and had to start all over again (no barns, no fence and we still had all our livestock. I couldn't sell them but maybe should have..)

Anyway, we really do get along. I don't see a divorce in our future. It would just be nice with the Christmas coming here soon that MAYBE he'd see this post and come home with a dog or two...Maybe???

Bricore · #39 11/21/08, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powderhooves

Well......my husband goes outside and pees around the house and property regularly. We heard the smell of human urine is a deterent. My neighbor's husband collects his urine in gallon jugs. He makes scarecrows and soaks them in the urine then puts them around his property.

Give your husband a gallon jug and stick with it. Maybe he'll decide the effort isn't worth it, break down and get you a guard dog.

I can just see my husband now, I'll hand him a jug and say it's either this or a dog! lol....

You know what though I can understand why something like that would work. Kind of neat really..

Maybe this route would push him into getting me a dog or two more then anything else..

Thanks!

Bricore · #40 11/21/08, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prairiedog

beaver for supper LOL

lol...
I feel like we have moved to the old wild west out here. I thought they were real cute when we first moved here

but SOON learned otherwise.

I wonder what they taste like?