I am sad and chickenless...

[birdlover]

Silk,
I just don't know what to say. That is just horrible!!! I've lost some to foxes and I know the pain and guilt that caused...I can imagine how it must feel to lose an entire flock! I so hope you find out whose dog that is and make them pay for what their stupid dog did! Nothing will pay for your emotional loss though. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Ellen

 

[Arklady]

For those of you who have chicken wire....

Chicken wire is NOT for building runs. It is a joke. Welded wire will make a decent coop that and boards. I use slatted wood frames for grow pens and welded wire for my main Pen and I have two guard dogs that guard the chicken tractors. They have a piticular sound they get when strays come in the yard. Mostly its a growling barkish sound. My dogs are CHAINED UP by their area of protection. I do not free range it is illegal here.

Do make an effort to use WELDED wire for your run it is the best thing I have seen and stay away from ace hardware welded wire its from china and very weak. I am not saying all of my pens are of welded wire but thats why I have the dogs to warn off the other dogs but it doesn't always work.

Still to date I shoot all dogs that come in my yard. To date I have shot at several and put down one and injured another badly, it had to go to the vet for an operation to save its life. The neighbors keep their dogs home and I was going to shoot their others but I couldn't get it.

The makers of the 22 rifle also came out with scatter shot. It DOES sting their back side and takes a vet to get rid of the pellets. A paint ball rifle DOES hurt the animal and will make that impression of "this place is not friendly for me". But even that may not help some. There is a huge feral dog problem in this country and you must be on guard at all times for this.

Another idea is that you can fence in your chicken run with stronger sturdier wire about 10ft of space all around the original coop and run, so they can have a "secondary" run where the dogs have to go through to get to the actual coop and run itself. It may not work but really what have you got to lose?

Until the people of the neighborhood around this country understand that we can't keep just letting our dogs run loose till the others are brought under control. I would say there is probably over 150 million large dogs in this country. And some don't have owners preffering to buddy up with other wild dogs.

Good luck on getting new birds and don't know if the secondary fence will work but it might.

Arklady

 

[4H kids and mom]

Silkhope...I am so sorry for your severe loses.

I real dislike people that allow their dogs to roam free to do this type of damage. I hope YOU find the dog and get your revenge. Animal control may only issue the owner a 'ticket', though you will be able to sue for damages. I know its soon, but if you are near me and are looking to start again, I'd be happy to give you some chicks. I have some young ones and some tiny fancy babies, that I would be happy to share with someone in your situation.

Whatever happens, I hope you are able to find peace in this. I awake each morning to my roos crowing and cant imagine what I would do if that ended so abruptly. I am Soooo sorry. My heart aches for you.

Sending healing prayers to you from Wisconsin

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I'm really sorry.

 

[Southern28Chick]

I am sooooooooooooo sorry!!! I could not imagine what you are going through. I recently lost my baby roo to a snake and I still can't let my girls out of their house without my supervision.

Again I am sorry.

 

[chicknmania]

That is so sad. I am so sorry for you. We have been going through our own living hell here, and if there's one reason why I might not keep chickens in the future, it's because it is so heartbreaking to watch them die..most are not destined to live long. And in our case we also love the wild critters, and it can be heartbreaking and extremely stressful having to deal with them, too, when they prey on our birds. I have a story about that I'll share another time. Stray dogs are a different story, though..I don't have much sympathy for them.

 

[missusduray]

Silkhope,
I am so sorry for your loss. This is exactly the reason that I keep my dog tied up. He does get off for a run now and then and he is always watched. If he runs off we chase after. We live in the country and we have hardly any neighbors so it is not usually a big deal. I would feel terrible if my dog had done something like that. I know that my chickens could meet their maker if my dog were to get an idea to eat them. I dont trust him, he is a dog. I just wish that all dog owners had enough sense to keep contorl of their animals. Hopefully you can fill the void you now have with some new wonderful fuzzy little chickies!
Kristyne

 

[New chicken family]

Silkhope-
What was your coop/run made out of?
We are going on vacation and am alittle concerned... Although we live in the city and things are a little different....

Sorry for your loss!
We just have babies but I cant imagine losing all of them!!!!
I hope you find a little comfort in some new beautifu babies!

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

How horrible. People are just stupid. My sister's neighbor let's his Pitbull run free at all times. She runs a daycare, and there are times it is sitting on her front porch. Animal control can only do so much, and despite their visits, the dog still runs free.

Ironically, this same neighbor didn't waste any time blowing away my sister's Rooster a few years ago when it made the mistake of landing on the guys fence.

I'm not sure what can be done, as you can only protect yourself from so much stupidity around you.

-Dave

 

[silkhope]

I can't quite explain how the pen outside the coop is set up, my husband did all of that, but the posts (landscape timbers) are set in the ground with concrete then he put 2x4's in the ground and attached the chicken wire to/under that. This dog dug and dug and dug and finally got the wire free and pulled up (he had to go around a big tree root as well where he got in - determined little s**t?!)

Thanks for all the kind words. Chickenduck mama

that is such a kind offer, but I'm all the way in NC... I just saw pics of your new babies and they're beautiful! I can't make up my mind what I want to do just yet, but I know I want more and soon...

Ashley