Problems ...... and solutions

S
Last week we were late locking up the chooks ...... and lost 8 in one night.  With the 3 lost while we were away and a couple of other single losses, our small start to egg production has been brought to a shuddering and distressing halt.  Not that we've seen them, but it has to be foxes.

The loss of these birds hurts us financially - they cost money to buy - and we have also lost the income we were earning from the sale of eggs.  But the sense of having failed our livestock hurts worse.  It is said by farmers that where there are livestock there will be dead stock, but we still owe them the best care we can manage.  And that includes remembering to lock them up before nightfall.

On Saturday morning we took a step towards solving the problem.  We put a deposit on 2 Maremma pups.

Maremmas are a livestock guardian dog - originally from Italy.  One of our pups is 4 weeks old - and the other 6 weeks old.  This is the younger one.

We will bring them home at 8 to 10 weeks just as they are weaned.  They will then begin their training immediately.  I have found a book that describes itself as a Best Practise Manual for the Use of Guardian Dogs.  The author worked in an Australian research institute and our breeder said "She got a few things wrong, but not many."  Sounds like a recommendation.

One of our dogs will be put with the remaining 3 chooks - to bond with them.  The other will be put with a couple of the quieter ewes and their new lambs.  We have to make sure they spend time with the animals they are to bond with, but have somewhere to get away from them, and not be allowed to play with them.  Sounds like a lot for a pup, but 'the book' says 8 weeks is the best time to start.

Once we have the chook pup trained well enough - and only then - will we get another batch of hens.  This will take several months at least.