Security

[gila_dog]

Here's our ranch security manager. Her name is Jessie and she's mostly Blue Heeler. Nothing comes around this place without being noticed and barked at. Her job is to let me know that something or someone is here. If it's a real problem I deal with it. Usually it's just the UPS guy or a neighbor.

[hihobaron]

Hello All
Nanno I like your Husbands ideas. I run to that attitude also, Security is a major topic with livestock as well as on some Prepper sites I frequent.
Here is the problem I know as horse person somebody that wants to steal a horse will just cut the fence and walk off with the quietest/most friendly horses in the pasture. (usually the best ones too)
A full farm acreage is kind of hard to protect unless you have deep pocket.
From what I see here most pen up you goats at night Right?
Many use Electric fence for containment?
As I do here for horses at home and on the trail and plan on using the same system for my goats here.
BTY: I use BI-POLAR from horseguardfence.com it is a web tape that carries both the Hot and Ground side from your fence charger on the same tape. My fencer puts out 7000 volts and will run 50 miles of fence off a 12 volt garden tractor battery for a month or better.
If you have electric fence now anyway just run a wire around the bottom about 12-18 inches off ground.
For you hubby Janno tell him it is tripwire to a more effective device. Make a gate were you normal go in and out
Another advantage it will help keep dogs, coyotes and kids / visitors away from the goats.
Cameras are always a good idea I use them here on foaling stalls and after that is over relocate them for property security.
One last item: You have an intruder with bolt cutters to cut a lock off what is to stop them from just cutting the main fence line in a blind spot or out in the field?
As far as no Trespassing Signs go, I prefer the on that goes "Trespassers will be shot ,Survivors will be shot again."
No shovels needed here our milking goat neighbor has a small backhoe tractor and is a Vietnam Vet that has a very strong dislike for trespassers especially around HIS goats.
OBTY: I only have ONE Computer Game the MS Mec Warriors Yes have been playing it all these years, He will know how old it is.
I wish there was something like it out NOW , Any Recommendations that will run on a PC???
Happy Trails
hihobaron

[MosesBrowning]

Great topic.  Hope you don't mind my adding to this old thread.  

"Security" is an important & fun topic to discuss because it can encompass so much of our lives.  My current location is at a ranch that I work for, & they own the house & all the other barns & shops here.  I can't build moats & traps here for that reason, but I try to secure everything to the best of my abilities under the parameters set by the owners, & while maintaining the lovely appearance of the place.   

Cameras & signs are a great & fairly cheap deterrent for a lot of thieving degenerates.  Padlocks are good too, but can be easily defeated by simple tools, & fences can be cut the same way.  Preventing someone from wanting to get into that pen is the key. 

My goats are always with at least one dog in their pen or when they're outside free-browsing, & all of them tend to bark at strangers.  If you didn't know them, you wouldn't want to join them behind that fence to try & take their goat buddies.    My "big dog" (heeler, hanging tree cowdog mix) is usually resting on his cot watching the place when I'm gone, but he barks & growls at strangers until I tell him to knock it off, which is a great deterrent for a lot of opportunistic-criminals that might just want to take a peek in the house or take the goats because nobody human was there to stop them.  

Security on a large acreage is tough. Even though I have a neighbor come by every day to feed & check on them, I worry about the goats & horses (& chickens) if we go away for a few days, because they're all friendly & love treats, & it's hard to secure thousands of acres of pasture against thieves. In the current state of affairs, it's not likely, but what if we are in a bad economic downturn?  (Like Venezuela, for example.) If people are hungry, they will steal our pets & livestock to feed themselves, because it's easier than trudging around trying to hunt for yourself, & most people don't have that skillset anyway.  Just something to keep in the back of our minds "just in case", & have a plan B at least percolating in your mind.  

I think not advertising that you're not home & keeping people guessing, as well as a reputation of being a little bit nutty & not scared to shoot a bastard that threatens you is helpful in this aspect of life.   Friends have told me that they sometimes warn other people that are coming to visit here for the first time "she always has a gun on her hip, but don't worry...she's really nice".  I like that.


High dog/goat ratio.  
   

[hihobaron]

Hello MB
Security here is more on the out of site out of mind kind.
Read through the goat boys keeping the Local Sheriff in his car and that was a "Friendly" visit
With some of my "Experience" and terrain here I can close off access fast if SHTF.
A chain saw and then some other items I know about will control who comes in.
I  as well as my SO both carry or have a weapon close to hand all the time.
The close in neighbors know I am a crazy gun nut.
Sheriff mentioned response time to here would be 20-30 minutes.
My answer "Fine" You will be in time to take care of the paper work. He smiled.
I learned a long time ago take no prisoners.
My preferred pistol to carry on my belt is a Ruger  4.5 inch in 45 LC and I have been keeping it handy because I have seen in daylight a scabby looking coyote or fox in the horse pasture.
JIC , thinking Rabies, my critters are vaccinated but still shoot first same for dogs I don't know.
Happy Trails
Good Looking Critters you have
hihobaron and the Troops in SC

[DownUnder Gal]

Hello Moses, that's good advice you've given. Security is something I've been thinking a lot about lately.

Small acreage like ours is easier to secure than thousands of acres and fortunately it is very quiet around here. There's not much trouble. The neighbours are far enough away to enable a good level of privacy but close enough and friendly enough to advise us of any suspect activity at ours (and vice versa). That's one of the most important reasons why we make it our business to get on with our neighbours and act in kind. You never know when you're going to need them and fortunately they happen to be very nice people.

Strangers are not a (current) threat here, it's marauding dogs. So good electric fencing and livestock guardians are key for the security of our goats. The guinea fowl are the first to alert us of any issue, followed by the alpaca and/or our Australian Shepherd. Even if we did have thieves, using a firearm would not be a legal option.

The other biggest security issue for us is the annual threat of bushfire; but that's probably a discussion I should start up in a separate thread.