Guardian Animals

Forum rules
As per Ferrier1987: You are supposed to post pictures when you post about your baby goats. Its a rule here. I just made it up as a rule, but its now part of the forum rules I have decided.
Post Reply
User avatar
scottishpet
Fuzzy Dinosaur Stage
Posts: 76
Joined: Thu May 11, 2017 2:11 pm
Location: Prince Edward County
x 104
Contact:

Guardian Animals

Post by scottishpet » Fri Feb 09, 2018 2:37 pm

For those who have sheep or goats, do you have a preference between guardian animals? Which seems most effective in keeping predictors at bay? Donkey? Llama? Guardian Dog?
0

User avatar
ross
Teenaged Cockerel
Posts: 4957
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:54 am
Answers: 2
Location: Parkhill /Thedford SW Ont
x 8486

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by ross » Fri Feb 09, 2018 2:39 pm

All 3 work but a good free range guardian dog sets its own free of predators area .
0
ENJOY YOUR HUNTING / FISHING HERITAGE & the GREATNESS of CANADA

User avatar
Brebis
Chatty Hen
Posts: 739
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:38 am
Location: Kingston
x 1286

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by Brebis » Fri Feb 09, 2018 4:48 pm

We had a flock of sheep in an area that had many coyotes and used Great Pyrenees LGDs. We had 2 neutered males we got as pups from a local large flock and they were excellent but we did lose a couple due to running the flock in an area that was hilly and overgrown (management flaw not the dogs fault!). You still need good fences and preferably a secure paddock/ barn to lock them in at night we found to complement them.

The relationship between the dogs and sheep is amazing to watch.
2
Former dairy shepherd and owner of a menagerie of chickens and Pencilled Turkeys, now owned by three cats and a border collie x Australian shepherd pup.

User avatar
Epona
Starting to Crow
Posts: 338
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:08 pm
Location: Alnwick / Haldimand Twp
x 438

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by Epona » Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:15 pm

Friends of ours runs a couple donkeys with the sheep flock. Works well with an individual coyote or two. When a pack hits they still have loss. And they lock up into a secure barn at night. They believe that these day attacks are not carried out by pure coyotes, but rather coyote - dog / wolf crosses. They've been running sheep for 2 generations on that farm. The donkeys were 100% effective until about 10 years ago. They really believe the predator has changed. Which they link to the loss of their farming neighbours who have been replaced by urban folks buying into the whole hobby farm concept. With fields not being kept in production and occupants not so keen on shoting these predators, the predator population is doing well.
2

User avatar
ross
Teenaged Cockerel
Posts: 4957
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:54 am
Answers: 2
Location: Parkhill /Thedford SW Ont
x 8486

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by ross » Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:36 pm

Yep ...many won't let dogs chase coyotes cross their property so I & many have switched to predator calls . Works well at times .
0
ENJOY YOUR HUNTING / FISHING HERITAGE & the GREATNESS of CANADA

User avatar
WLLady
Stringy Old Soup Pot Hen of a Moderator
Posts: 5613
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:55 pm
Answers: 5
Location: Rural near West Lorne and Glencoe
x 8527

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by WLLady » Sun Feb 11, 2018 12:43 pm

i have friends with sheep that have a donkey. everything was good the first 2 years with keeping the coyotes away but they figured out that if one coyote goes after the donkey it will run into the middle of the sheep for safety, and then the others can pick off the sheep.....so. not much help really. now our yotes out here are actually wild dog/yote mixes that we have the issues with so i shouldn't really call them yotes.....
still, haven't seen our regular yote hunters around this year, i hope they do push soon because we had them up in our field again last night.
0
:giraffe: Pet quality wheaten/blue wheaten ameraucanas, welsummers, barred rocks, light brown leghorns; Projects on the go: rhodebars, welbars

User avatar
Brebis
Chatty Hen
Posts: 739
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:38 am
Location: Kingston
x 1286

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by Brebis » Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:42 pm

I have friends with donkeys and llamas too that have had problems after a while. That’s why several dogs work best, one stays with the sheep the other patrols. The sheep also keep an eye on what the dogs are doing and will go to the dog if there is trouble. Also donkeys and llamas stay in the vicinity of the sheep and mainly use sight to see predators which coyotes utilize to get prey on the fringes and in valleys and tall grass. Dogs use many strategies incuding marking, patrolling and barking as well as sight and sound to deter predators. They have been used for centuries to protect flocks and are now being used in Europe again as they introduce more wolves into many areas where they had been exterminated to encourage a more diverse ecology in those areas.
2
Former dairy shepherd and owner of a menagerie of chickens and Pencilled Turkeys, now owned by three cats and a border collie x Australian shepherd pup.

User avatar
Farrier1987
Stringy Old Chicken
Posts: 1537
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:46 pm
Answers: 1
Location: Chatham-Kent
x 3533

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by Farrier1987 » Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:05 am

I don't have a big flock aqnd good chain link fencing, very close to the house, and a couple dogs that make a ruckus at things, so no real problems.

Neighbor a few miles away has two Great Pyrenese. They do a wonderful job. If I had to pick, I would pick them. Their mission in life is to circle the flock and watch over them. Almost never bark. He hasnt lost anything with about a hundred sheep and goats since he got them. Highly recommended by me.
2
Farrier1987. South of Chatham on Lake Erie. Chickens, goats, horse, garden, dog, cat. Worked all over the world. Know a little bit about a lot of things. No incubator, broody hens.

User avatar
Brebis
Chatty Hen
Posts: 739
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:38 am
Location: Kingston
x 1286

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by Brebis » Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:27 am

The dogs had some funny quirks though...chasing planes and flocks of geese overhead across the field!

We chose the Pyrenees because of their size and general good nature towards people as we always had lots of visitors and worried about aggression and they were the sweetest dogs to those they knew. They would challenge a stranger if they went into their territory but as soon as they were introduced they were your best friend!

Here are a couple of pics of the 2 boys...

Frodo
Frodo & Eve2.jpg
Sam
Sam & Twiggy2.jpg
6
Former dairy shepherd and owner of a menagerie of chickens and Pencilled Turkeys, now owned by three cats and a border collie x Australian shepherd pup.

User avatar
going quackers
Newly Hatched Chick
Posts: 32
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:29 am
x 18

Re: Guardian Animals

Post by going quackers » Wed Feb 21, 2018 4:29 pm

Brebis wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:27 am
The dogs had some funny quirks though...chasing planes and flocks of geese overhead across the field!

We chose the Pyrenees because of their size and general good nature towards people as we always had lots of visitors and worried about aggression and they were the sweetest dogs to those they knew. They would challenge a stranger if they went into their territory but as soon as they were introduced they were your best friend!

Here are a couple of pics of the 2 boys...

Frodo
Frodo & Eve2.jpg

Sam
Sam & Twiggy2.jpg
Oh they are so sweet! The bond between them is so clear.
0

Post Reply

Return to “Goats and Sheep and Other Small Hooved Critters”