Chicken moral question

[cassie]

for me the 1st thing i would do is try to get them dogs in to my yard (bait them) then shoot them as far as the chickens once its safe for them to be free range (no pens cages excreta) let the chickens decide if they want to stay this will clear you if the lady tries to say that you stole her chickens...... this is just my opinion and what i would do and i know some will not like the shooting the dogs but you have a right to protect your livestock and the owners need to keep there muts on a leash

Look. If the woman is that much of an idiot, shooting the dogs isn't going to solve the problem. If the pen is that bad something esle is going to get them. As for the OP, don't say anything to her and keep the chickens. Afte all, they arrived on your doorstep. You don't know where they came from.

 

[aggiemae]

Alas you can't fix stupid....She will probably just go out and get more chickens and/or dogs...Keep the ones that came to you.

 

[MuadDib]

Look. If the woman is that much of an idiot, shooting the dogs isn't going to solve the problem. If the pen is that bad something esle is going to get them. As for the OP, don't say anything to her and keep the chickens. Afte all, they arrived on your doorstep. You don't know where they came from.

get rid of the dogs they can't kill the chickens and do the same to the next predictor that comes along......Part of having chickens is protecting them from all predators by any means necessary if you are not willing to do this you don't need chickens no if ands or buts about it theres more to having chickens than collecting eggs and feeding them

 

[cassie]

get rid of the dogs they can't kill the chickens and do the same to the next predictor that comes along......Part of having chickens is protecting them from all predators by any means necessary if you are not willing to do this you don't need chickens no if ands or buts about it theres more to having chickens than collecting eggs and feeding them

The problem isn't so much the dogs as it is that the woman refuses to make a decent pen to keep them and other predators out. Killing the dogs without fixing the pen isn't going to solve the problem.

 

[MuadDib]

The problem isn't so much the dogs as it is that the woman refuses to make a decent pen to keep them and other predators out. Killing the dogs without fixing the pen isn't going to solve the problem.

I do believe I basically said that my self.....
"Part of having chickens is protecting them from all predators by any means necessary if you are not willing to do this you don't need chickens no if ands or buts about it"

simply put the woman doesn't need chickens

 

[aggiemae]

Blaming the dog(s) for something that is really the responsibility of their owner. Really?

 

[MuadDib]

Blaming the dog(s) for something that is really the responsibility of their owner. Really?

so you're telling me to go and shoot the owners I don't think so the Dogs die

 

[Mac14]

Wow. That's all I can say. Wow.

 

[Cindy in PA]

This is a tough one. Based on most responses, anyone who free ranges their chickens & has them taken by predators, does not care about their chickens & should not have them. We only have heard one side of the story. I am amazed at how people here know what is best for all. Some on here go so far as to take their little chickens in the house when it's cold etc. To me this is nuts, but that's just me. What is the difference between having a pen that is not Fort Knox or having completely free ranging chickens? Give the chickens back & tell her next time they are going to animal control. If they are killed on her property, it is not your problem.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

This is a tough one. Based on most responses, anyone who free ranges their chickens & has them taken by predators, does not care about their chickens & should not have them. We only have heard one side of the story. I am amazed at how people here know what is best for all. Some on here go so far as to take their little chickens in the house when it's cold etc. To me this is nuts, but that's just me. What is the difference between having a pen that is not Fort Knox or having completely free ranging chickens? Give the chickens back & tell her next time they are going to animal control. If they are killed on her property, it is not your problem.

I agree, I saw lots of people saying that she doesn't deserve chickens because she lets them be taken by predators. How many people on BYC free-range their birds? If she has a pen, she's already offering more protection than those that free range.

My hens have a 75' x 125' pasture. No, it doesn't have a top on it--did you see those dimensions? It will keep out a normal dog but not a determined dog. It does nothing to stop hawks, although we have some structure in the pasture, multiple roosters, and two goats that do a pretty good job. But in any given year, we'll lose a few birds to predators. If the hens get out, and sometimes we'll have a hen that re-grows her flight feathers and flies over and I don't see her--those birds are almost guaranteed to be predator food if I can't catch them to put them back in at night. We've done what we can, but predators will get some. We've had a weasel in the coop that was killing 4-5 hens a night before we trapped it. A big raccoon family moved in last year and killed 10 hens before we poisoned some, trapped some, and shot some. Am I a bad chicken owner? Should I also not be allowed to have chickens, since I have birds but know I'll lose some to predation every year?

I agree, if predators get her chickens on her property, it's none of your business. If her own dogs are killing her chickens, what business is it of yours? And the person that suggested luring the dog onto your property to shoot it to protect the chickens--are you completely insane? Why do the chickens get to live but the dog has to die? Who are you to make that decision? If the dog comes onto your property and attacks your birds, yes, shoot it. But to LURE it over to its death? Seriously?!?!?