# wife,gun,and chickens



## han_solo (Aug 31, 2014)

My wife and kids are trying to talk me into get chickens. So if we do i think we need to get her a gun she will take care of them. Wondering what types to look at and get that is easier for a female to use. thanks


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I'd get a Ruger 10/22.

Many will suggest a shotgun, but you can't shoot a predator in the middle of your flock with a shotgun without putting the birds at risk too

I'd also invest in a live trap large enough for Fox and *****, since it will work 24 hours a day even if you're not around


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

WHOA , back up females can used any gun 

is what you asking is what is a simple to operate gun for a new user ?

I don't want to tell anyone not to get a gun , but you don't Need a gun to raise chickens 

that said I like removable magazine bolt action 22 rifles for most anything you should encounter with chicken predators unless you have bears that are an issue

I encourage the state hunters education , I know it isn't hunting but they cover a lot of the safety of shoot don't shoot 

then practice , regular practice

check out the local 22 market , the ammo is still hard to find around here , in that case a pump action 20ga shotgun I like the mossberg 500c because the safety on on the top and it makes right or left hand users work the same.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

the 10/22 is a great gun , also 

the 10/22 is a semi auto so every pull of the trigger is a shot , this is good 

but I see new users shoot then get excited and forget to place the safety on with a manually actuated arm like a bolt or a pump they have to do something to get the next round but it also makes them very simple to understand and maintenance , but it isn't a major thing

I may also be biased experience I love my autos but I worked with a young man who had , I don't even know what to call it , lets say if was semi auto he had to pull that trigger as fast as he could , if it had a gas pedal he had to push it all the way , yes to the point he crashed the drivers ed car a few years later and the drivers ed instructor just said he didn't have the motor skills needed to operate a car.

he could ride a bike but only because he just couldn't pedal to fast 

he could shoot , but only with manually actuated arms


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## MattB4 (Jan 3, 2016)

Yeah, I would also recommend a bolt or lever action .22. However I would get the .22Mag versus the .22LR. The .22Mag does a decent job on coyotes and the recoil is not a issue. Semi-autos are a hazard because they auto load another round after shooting and thus create a higher potential for accidental discharge.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

it isn't a major concern and once the person has some experience it becomes a non issue the other thing that can be done is start them on an auto but only load a round or two 

I started on a semi auto 22 and 20ga they are good for reduced recoil (not that 22lr has any recoil) fast follow up shots. but on the newest of shooters a little extra caution is advised.

I also like that it slows my kids down in their ammo usage they spend a little longer getting the right shot and not just taking extra shots.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

I know this is a semantics issue:
But to "take care of" chickens all you need is a good sharp knife or a hatchet.

Okay, I'm done. Carry on.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

cfuhrer said:


> I know this is a semantics issue:
> But to "take care of" chickens all you need is a good sharp knife or a hatchet.
> 
> Okay, I'm done. Carry on.



I much prefer the knife and a cone fewer broken wings and bruised meat , if you only cut the arteries and not the spine they flap a lot less , in the cone they can't flap enough to break anything


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## MattB4 (Jan 3, 2016)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> it isn't a major concern and once the person has some experience it becomes a non issue ...


I respectfully disagree. It is always a issue, a potential hazard. That many are careful to work around it does not mean that the potential is gone. 

I do not like semi-autos due to that (plus the tendency to shoot quicker without being deliberate happens) and every time I have bought one I end up getting rid of it in favor of a bolt action or a revolver in a handgun. 

But that is a preference.


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## MattB4 (Jan 3, 2016)

Ooops! I may have misunderstood what the OP was asking. You don't use a gun to slaughter the chickens. That you do with a edged instrument. My preference is a single bit axe with short handle and a old stump. Toss the chicken quickly to avoid being sprayed with blood.

Sorry if I lacked comprehension of what was being asked.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I think the op was asking about guns for flock protection , but we got the dispatch out of the way also just in case.


I don't have any issue with autos for advanced users , I will say I might let a shot go a little fast knowing I have another a squeeze away most of the time I still make it , but my deer this year took 2 shots , my cousin said that was some mighty quick shooting did you even bother to aim , I told him I aimed longer on the seconds shot than the first , I let it go 2 hole strides so I had the lead right for the second before I lost it , I did find that with 300-1000 rounds a month spent playing gun games my trigger control and target acquisition improved 

I do youth shooting instruction , I don't have any problem with the kids using semi autos , but I don't provide them because I see better marksmanship from the kids using the bolt guns 

bolts are less fussy about ammo also 

revolvers are nice , but I favor the auto for personal defense personal prefrence 

but since I took the question to be , best options a very inexperienced shooter , bolt is where I went 

but autos are fine for users who understand and are familiar with them and if the name of the game or need for situation with multiple targets they are great


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

The usual first gun is the Ruger 10/.22 like everyone else says. I cnan and do use larger guns too but find the 10/.22 to be light enough to pack around in one hand. Being a smallish female myself I appreciate the light weight. The barrel length fits me well too. Its also a really easy rifle to load and use.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Might as well go all out and buy a nice weapon to protect a few dollars worth of chickens..


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

side by side 20. 1 number 4 buckshot and 1 7 1/2 shot. The buckshot has 30 pellets and is great for predators and the birdshot is great for snakes.


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## thekibblegoddes (Jun 24, 2014)

Umm...Why don't you ask her what she would prefer? If she doesn't know, take her out to look at some guns. Let her try some out. You might be surprised.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

My wife bought a Rossi Matched Pair. Not very expensive at all.

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-list.cfm?category=3

Single shot swappable barrel.. She got hers in .22/20ga. It's also a Youth sized gun, so it's nice and compact.. Heck.. I really like using it for getting tree rats for dinner, and it's nice for shooting my hogs to butcher. I don't like getting my 10/22 out there in the mud.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Assume the gun is to ward off varmints? For that, I'd go with a .22 and something like a simple bolt action with a scope.

Having a good critter tight coop will go a long way towards preventing varmint problems in the first place.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

1/2 x 1 cage wire or 1/2 inch hardware cloth is advisable for coop building it costs a bit more but a **** can pull a chicken through poultry netting one paw full at a time also weasels and rats can get in through poultry netting , remember if your not on concrete or have a solid wood floor put hardware cloth or cage wire on the floor also to keep things form coming up through the floor , snakes are another issue and reason for a very secure coop

wood or glass eggs for snakes may work if they get in they don't get out and die


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I suggest both of you take the state Firearms Safety course. It will cover safety, types of guns, and different actions. Also eye dominance and how to aim. The classes are cheap, about $10.

Go to a gun club and/or a dealer with a range facility. Try out different guns. expect to buy a box of ammo for each type you try. 

Once you buy a gun, practice, practice, practice. Get familiar with the gun and learn how to shoot.


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## han_solo (Aug 31, 2014)

I have a Maverick shotgun but that is too long for her. She would like something not as long and seems like a shotgun would be too much for her. Would like something that the ammo is easy to get and not to expensive is a lot in a box. I looked at Walmart and they had a small rifle/shot sun not sure what it is/was that looked like would be the right size. We have a "shooting range" in the backyard/woods to practice at


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

To bad the OP has not been back to explain the real intent of the post.

While I like Ruger's I think the 10/22 is so poplar it is over priced, there are a lot of really nice semi autos out there with great reviews.
My self I am not a fan of semi auto any thing, most reloader people I know are like that, so we tend to lean towards bolt actions first and pumps second.

I would personally go with a 22 hornet or a 223 and not be held hostage by the lack of rim fire ammo. People say it isn't as bad as it was but I still am not seeing it and who knows what 2018 will bring?

I still like a nice 20ga shot gun too. Slugs for deer and coyotes and bird shot if you want to do in a chicken or snake with a gun. At one time a 410 would be nice but with the cost of ammo not any longer.

 Al


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## han_solo (Aug 31, 2014)

alleyyooper said:


> To bad the OP has not been back to explain the real intent of the post.
> 
> While I like Ruger's I think the 10/22 is so poplar it is over priced, there are a lot of really nice semi autos out there with great reviews.
> My self I am not a fan of semi auto any thing, most reloader people I know are like that, so we tend to lean towards bolt actions first and pumps second.
> ...


I made a post yesterday (2-18). May i ask what you mean by my real intent? She has said that she would rather have a hand gun instead of a rifle or shotgun, I want both a rifle and hand gun. But not sure what to get in case we get chickens. I am very close to woods and i know we have raccoons,possums and snakes and dogs. Have been told by the PO that a family of foxes are here at the house but have not seen anything,Years ago a bobcat attacked a horse close by


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## GunMonkeyIntl (May 13, 2013)

Where, about, in NC are you, Han?

Handguns are nice, for their purpose, but, for what you are describing, a handgun would probably be a poor choice. 

For someone to be at all proficient hitting, say, possum-sized varmints at anything more than about 25 feet, they are going to have to practice pretty extensively with a pistol. A light rifle, of any of the ilk described above, could be used, effectively, out to 50 or 100 feet with a lot less practice.

That's not to suggest that shooting a rifle doesn't require any practice, but getting good with a pistol requires either a lot of practice, or a blessing direct from God. It's just a different skill-set than shooting a shotgun or rifle well (enough).


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## han_solo (Aug 31, 2014)

Surry County close to Andy Griffith home town


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## GunMonkeyIntl (May 13, 2013)

Roger. I'm over an hour away from you. 
If you were close, I was going to offer to have you bring your wife over and let her try some pistols and 22 rifles to see what she thought would suit what she needs to do. 

You can probably find a gunshop/range a lot closer to do that.

But, I suppose the offer is still there. If you don't have access for her to try the different action types out before you buy something.


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

han_solo said:


> I made a post yesterday (2-18). May i ask what you mean by my real intent? She has said that she would rather have a hand gun instead of a rifle or shotgun, I want both a rifle and hand gun. But not sure what to get in case we get chickens. I am very close to woods and i know we have raccoons,possums and snakes and dogs. Have been told by the PO that a family of foxes are here at the house but have not seen anything,Years ago a bobcat attacked a horse close by


I can't speak for everyone, but I think some (me) are trying to figure out if you are asking about a gun to dispatch chickens for, vs. a general good weapon for your wife to start with.
The mention of "if we get chickens" has come up a couple times, so maybe the confusion there.

Taking the chicken dispatch out of the mix, there's some good suggestions on basic home varmit eliminators, which would be good if you have chickens or not. As some have said, a smaller, lighter shotgun is great, but would not be good for firing into a mix of chicken and raccoon/possum. There could be collateral damage.

My opinion, a 22 cal anything is a great thing to have around the home. A small revolver is handy to have in the britches, belt, or even the housecoat pocket. Good for any nocturnal encounters when out and about among the hens, chores, etc.
A 22 rifle great for grabbing on the day she spots a fox eyeballing your place from across the way.

Surry county is beautiful. Not impossible that you could encounter a bear rummaging around at night, or the want to kill some dinner deer, etc. So a heavier tool for that would be separate.

Firearms don't have to be that expensive or detailed to do most everyday jobs. Just mechanically sound and have ammo to use, and of course, make sure users are familiar and practiced.

Don't know if that helps. Hope so.


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## dademoss (May 2, 2015)

Just this morning I had occasion to go armed to the coop. Our Maine **** cat was the size of a beach ball and growling out the patio door. When I flipped on the light switch, a raccoon had pulled the lid off the feed can, and was working on getting the mealworm jar open :nono: Feed can and such are about 3 feet from the front door of the coop.

The **** heard the deadbolt for the backdoor and ran. His/Her mistake was coming back when the door didn't open. He/she started eating the mealworm snack and noticed a fat guy with a gun, so he/she ran to the end of the coop. That was when he//she got shot:whistlin: He/she disapproved, hissed, and got another round in the "white patch". He/she voiced his/her displeasure and went to the other side of the coop.

Then things went less than desirable. Click,Click,Click,Click,Click,Click, well crap.

Go back inside, get another pistol, but Elvis/Elvira has left the building.

Moral of the story, don't trust .22 ammo that was old in 1987 

The upside is a very very unhappy/deadish/probably wont be back Raccoon and no eaten chickens 

I highly recommend a .22 revolver as your companion. If you have bigger problems, carry bigger solutions. My solutions max out at 45-70.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

this my wife thinks a handgun would be a lot easier to carry discussion comes up every few months usually the husband has a shot gun or a rifle but no hand gun 

I second the go to a range and try one also try a 22 rifle 


hand guns are just that a lot easier to carry , but a fair amount harder to shoot 

handguns are short range , not because the bullet doesn't travel far but because the sight radius is short and you have less contact points with the gun to stabilize it 

when holding a handgun even 2 handed you only really have one hand gripping and one hand supporting , the other hand . with a rifle you have the shoulder the trigger hand and the support hand on the for stock 3 points to stabilize often we use a sling as a hasty sling using the sling tension against the arm to further stabilize the gun an lock it into your body 

if the shot is longer with a rifle I may take a knee for an even more stable position.

pistols distances are basically inside 50 feet , yes some can shoot farther with experience but on average most people even with a little practice are pie plate at 25 feet shooters 

where as most average shooters can easily hit a pie plate at 150 feet with a 22 rifle fairly decent off hand and an Oreo cookie if you let them rest the gun.

in one of the previous posts covering this topic a solution was found where the person took the utility vehicle from from barn to coop to house and such and they could just leave the rifle or shotgun in a scabbard or gun rack with rounds in the magazine but not in the chamber 
when they went in the house they took it in with them and hung it up 

also generally it is not like an all day every day asult on the chckens , a good tight coop and your generally good 

a co-worker of mine lives , well the city grew up around it and she has a bunch of condos that went in right behind their house what used to be just woods and her 5 acre lot is now surrounded on all sides , she keeps chickens for the eggs , they had a **** that would sit on the coop roof it caused a ruckus with the girls at first but over time with a secure coop the **** grew tired of waiting for a meal and left on his own 

I offered her a live trap and I would take it away when she caught it but her husband is a total passivist he wants to co-exist with everything , the chickens can't ever come out of the covered secure run but it works for them.


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

As a female, I like my 9 mm. I've shot a groundhog with a 22 from about 4 feet and it took multiple shots to get the job done. I didn't want him to suffer, so this wasn't a good scene. I feel like I can shoot anything the Hubs can--I grew up around guns and used to teach Hunter's Safety Courses to children. That being said, I would consider the type(s) of predators you have around and determine what is needed to get the job done quickly and efficiently.


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

thekibblegoddes said:


> Umm...Why don't you ask her what she would prefer? If she doesn't know, take her out to look at some guns. Let her try some out. You might be surprised.


I agree with this. Hubs was dead set on getting me a 38 special. We went to the range and I shot everything they would let me shoot. I settled on a 9 mm.


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## han_solo (Aug 31, 2014)

partndn said:


> I can't speak for everyone, but I think some (me) are trying to figure out if you are asking about a gun to dispatch chickens for, vs. a general good weapon for your wife to start with.
> The mention of "if we get chickens" has come up a couple times, so maybe the confusion there.
> 
> Taking the chicken dispatch out of the mix, there's some good suggestions on basic home varmit eliminators, which would be good if you have chickens or not. As some have said, a smaller, lighter shotgun is great, but would not be good for firing into a mix of chicken and raccoon/possum. There could be collateral damage.
> ...


To protect or try to protect the chickens not to kil them etc


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

That is what I meant by true intent, shooting chickens for dinner or shooting pest.

 Al


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## han_solo (Aug 31, 2014)

Thanks for the info. May go to Walmart tomorrow after church with the wife and look at what they have


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## GunMonkeyIntl (May 13, 2013)

Even if the trip to Walmart is just intended as a fact-finding mission, you should consider coming home with an inexpensive air rifle, if you have the cash for one right now. 

I usually don't advocate using air rifles for shooting at any living thing (with the exception of expensive, high-power ones designed specifically for small game hunting), since I believe if you are going to shoot anything, with anything, the intent should be to kill it, but an inexpensive one like the Crossman Pumpmaster (~$60 IIRC) is a great practice tool. 

An inexpensive, but reasonably accurate air rifle (and air pistol, for that matter) will let your wife practice with and compare the relative merits of the platform, for almost no money. Then, even after you get her a rifle, or pistol, or both, you've got something she can shoot for 100s of shots for the price of a single shot with the firearm. An air rifle is going to feel closer in weight, balance, and recoil to a 22 rifle, than your shotgun does now.


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## hihobaron (Oct 5, 2015)

Hello All
I don't have chickens , but goats and horses,.
I have had to cull out a stray dog/coydog in the horse pasture a couple times.
Everybody is right about both 22 LR Bolt actions and 10-22 Rugers. They do the job.
My concern is more with riding horses or Packing with the goats. 
Dogs primary on public trails. I carry (CWP permit) 
Back to best on farm rifle for pest. 22 LR Marlin Clip fed bolt, Purchased when I was 15 years old, and I am 54 years old now. It probably has over 100,000 round thru it and still is accurate and reliable. Sits right next to outside door with 5 rounds in the magazine nothing in the chamber.
Going on: One of you mentioned a Rossi single-shot Combination Break action pack gun.
I have one in 410 and 22 LR separate barrels of course.
One interesting thing about 410 it will also shoot 45 Long Colt pistol ammo accurately.
Plenty of punch close in, Better than 410 slugs.
When I pack with the goats it is part of the camp kit.
As well as it makes a excellent small game gun to pot dinner.
I always have a 45 Long Colt revolver when packing. In case something mean shows up.
Another non-lethal dog persuader is a good Air-Soft co2 pistol they fire a 20 cal plastic BB's.
They will turn a mean dog around and send them yipping.
If that dose not work the Colt comes out and I have a old Indian Recipe for dog stew.
Happy Trails
hihobaron


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## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

Hey,
lots of good advice, here I discourage handguns for a first gun but that's me with sufficient training, (please note I would put that level to four hours the first day and an hour or two every week for a year.
The same level of competence with a lever action (in my not so humble opinion) can be had with the four hour first session and half a dozen weeks of an hour. 
I also have a like of lever action 22RF for excellent first guns. a matching 38/357 lever action can move her (or other new shooter) to everything else done with larger calibers and even to 30/30 quickly enough.
If you have a older friend she trusts who is a shooter will get things moving faster family can be both overfamiliar and lazy. (ask me how I know?)
Lever actions are a little expensive compared to bolt actions. But it all depends on your (or the extended family's) armory. scopes I would discourage till basic skills are second nature.
Dutch


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## krackin (Nov 2, 2014)

A rimfire is a great round burner to have around but quite limited for serious farm work. I use a 6.8 SPC in a Ruger Ranch for most farm work now, used to use various .308's most of the time. I recommend see through mounts and a low power scope.


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

22 magnum and 22-250 will handle all farm needs. From predators to harvesting large game.


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