The Best Security Measures To Protect Your Homestead

I’d say that intruders on the homestead is up there in my top five worst fears. I imagine everyone has some level of fear that unwelcome guests will break into their home or cars, but I feel like when you add animals to the mix, the fear goes to the next level. What would I be scared of? Well, what if someone comes and leaves all the gates open? What if someone tries to ride my horses and gets injured? What if someone jumps the fence to hang out in our woods and my dogs attack them because they think we need protecting? What if someone thought it’d be fun to shoot one of my animals with a bb gun or worse, a real gun? All of these have happened to others before and can most certainly happen to us if trespassers decide to visit. I can’t be the only one with this fear.

Here’s how we have secured our homestead to keep our animals, our family and our home as safe as possible.

Security Cameras

A girl’s best friend. I have a camera on every entry door to our home. Those are through the cable company’s security system, so they are tied into our tv and can be seen remotely. I also have security cameras pointed at every gated access point on our property. These connect to an app on my phone. All of the cameras are motion sensored, so the moment one of the gates is opened, I get a notification there’s been movement. I also have a camera in the house itself. I can check on my inside animals throughout the work day or when we’re on vacation. If the security system ever gets triggered, I check my inside camera first because it’s in our living room pointed at the front door. (If you would like to know the exact brand of our cameras, please email me.)

Here are a few great cameras to choose from for your property:

• Arlo Pro by NETGEAR Security System with Siren – 3 Rechargeable Wire-Free HD Cameras with Audio, Indoor/Outdoor, Night Vision (VMS4330)
• Petcube Play Wi-Fi Pet Camera: HD 1080p Video, 2-Way Audio, Night Vision and Interactive Laser Toy. Video Camera to Monitor Your Dog or Cat with Sound and Motion Alerts (As seen on TODAY & Ellen)
• Canary All-in-One Indoor 1080p HD Security Camera with Built-in Siren and Climate Monitor, Motion / Person / Air Quality Alerts, Works with Alexa, Insurance Discount Eligible – Black
• Canary Flex Indoor Outdoor HD Security Camera, Weatherproof, Wire-free or Plug In, Works with Alexa, Motion / Person Alerts for Front Porch / Nursery / Backyard – Black
• Nest Security Camera, Keep An Eye On What Matters to You, From Anywhere, For Outdoor Use

Livestock/Poultry Placement

This will vary based on the layout of your property. We laid out our property in such a way that none of the animals can be seen from the road. I’ve mentioned before that we are surrounded by neighborhoods and have 27 direct neighbors. We made sure the animals are all set-up at least 10 ft from the neighbor’s fences. They can’t be touched unless someone jumps the fence which would then be picked up by my cameras.

Gates

Oh so many gates, a total of 10 on our 4 acres. We have the typical metal pipe farm gates with the grids. The chains on those suckers are loud! If a gate is opened, the chain jangles against the metal, and the ducks are the first to alert us that someone is coming. The dogs are the second. The horses are the third. They prick their ears up and look intensely in the direction of the noise. Of course gates also help with escapees. Our horses would have to get through 5 gates before they could get to the road.

Fencing

If only we could afford a privacy fence around the entire property and make ourselves a little compound. Maybe one day, but for now, we had to settle on wire horse fencing. The only good thing about having two neighborhoods flank us is that they put up their own privacy fences when they were built (not that they actually maintain them, but it’s a small price to pay). Everywhere else, we put up 4 ft or 6 ft horse fencing that you can see through. Remedy: foliage. Add native, fast growing vines to your wire fencing. Within a couple of years, they won’t be see through anymore.

[ fencing like this -> YARDGARD 308312B 48 Inch by 100 Foot Galvanized Welded Wire Fence ]

Animals Guards

Y’all. I desperately want geese and guineas. You want to talk about a security system? Good golly they are loud, and they will adequately alert you to any being, human or animal, trespassing onto your property. I sadly cannot get them quite yet because our malamute is a trained poultry assassin and will fulfill her bird-murderer calling whenever she has the opportunity. But, you better believe when she crosses the rainbow bridge one day, I’ll be annoying our neighbors even more with some geese and guineas. Geese will go one further and actually attack the intruder. Perfect.

Guns Of Our Own

We wholeheartedly believe in the saying, “This house is protected by the Good Lord and a Gun. You might meet them both if you come in unwelcome.” And, I’ll leave it at that.

I’m sure there are others security measures you could take in addition to these. Husband thinks I’m a little over the top and a bit of a loon, but when the lives of our animals could literally be at stake, I want nothing but the best security measures possible. How do you secure your homestead?