Update with Lokum

 

I haven’t had time lately to take pictures, make any videos or write any updates about Lokum, but today it’s raining so I’m inside catching up with some things so here’s the latest. 

 

Last week was interesting, I have not yet had the time or money to create the bigger secured paddock for Lokum that I had hoped to by now (we had a financial set back with unexpected repairs on our work truck). So one day I was working outside and had Lokum in a larger fenced area adjacent to the poultry yard.  It’s fenced with various kinds of fencing, chain link, cattle fence and cattle panels and at this time still no electric.  But when I’m close by and can keep an eye on him I let Lokum have the run of it which he thoroughly enjoys.  Usually after a while he finds a place to curl up and take a nap.  Well as it went Kelli and I had a quick project to take care of a little ways off out of sight of where Lokum was and I actually forgot he was in there.  On our way back I could see him in the distance and saw that he was no longer in the area I had left him in, so I put the peddle down and raced back.  Well it was not too big a deal somehow he got himself into the poultry yard and was sniffing around in there. 

 

I stopped taking Lokum into the poultry yard a month or so ago because we have some broody female ducks and they totally freak out when he’s by them they race around quaking up a storm which is just too much to ask out of the dog not to take chase.  So with the broody birds being in there I simply keep Lokum away from them.  But there he was inside the yard with all those spastic females.  I fully expected to find a few dead birds, but to my surprise all was well.  Lokum was happy to see me as he was casually sniffing around looking for any leftover food scraps that we feed the birds. 

 

I really couldn’t tell exactly how Lokum got past the 4 foot chain link that separates the poultry, did he go under or over?  He could have easily done either. 

 

Days went by and I had taken Lokum for a good run so he and I wandered around that fenced area adjacent to the poultry I was just describing above.  I was walking around with him as kind of a cool down before I put him away.  I quickly saw for myself how he got into the chicken yard as he did it right in front of me.  He was sniffing rather intently along the fence line and he must have found his spot because in just a few seconds he scooted under the chain link and there he was inside the chicken yard again.  As I saw what he was about to do I began to call him, but he did not heed my protest and went on under anyway.  After all the work I have put into him I was a little disappointed that he did not listen to me.  He knew I was calling him, but like a naughty child just did what he wanted anyway. 

 

I learned a couple things through that, first not to trust a non-electrified fence for even a few seconds and to not put too much trust in my work with Lokum.  He came to me somewhat wild and strong willed and he still has a big streak of that even after all these months.  However I was very pleased that he did not go after the poultry even those freaky and spastic broody ducks. 

 

Lokum is actually better with the birds than he is the sheep, but that's another story that I will write about at another time.