Neighbor's Dog

[TWCattleCo]

Our neighbor's dog killed half of our chickens. I quoted them a price for the birds which included potential sale of the extra eggs. I figured 6 years on average for our birds to live. She told me that it was only 2-3 years.
What is the average lifespan of a backyard chicken that is locked up at night and free range a bit during the day?
Also what would you charge? She was adimate at just paying a $20 a bird, but it needs to include egg Production imo. And not just buy me new chickens. They would have lived a long life with us and we wouldn't have been getting new ones anytime soon

 

[saysfaa]

$20 each seems on the high side for fair market value so reasonable for the situation (high side covering the inconvenience.) Possibly $25, to reflect higher feed costs if you figure on raising chicks to point of lay instead or buying laying hens.

Sorry, I don't think also asking for 5-6 years of potential egg sales is fair. Among the reasons:

• not many people make a profit selling eggs,
• replacing the chickens was not your plan but it is possible and is inconvenient rather than actually difficult - in most places worldwide.
• free ranging carries known risks. Assuming the dog killed them on your property, it doesn't free the dog owner of responsibility but it does strengthen the case for replacement value being appropriate.

For what it is worth - people that come the closest to making a profit (without selling rare breeding stock) nearly always have production breeds/lines which are notorious for short lives either from being replaced or from running into egg production issues that end their production if not their lives.

I know that isn't what you wanted to hear; I'm sorry. And sorry for your losses also.

Oh, your other question. My sense for what is a "usual" productive lifespan for backyard chickens is three or four years. This is based as much on what people say about their older birds as it is what people say about how long their chickens live. The older birds are often the survivors of larger numbers, presented as examples showing chickens can live longer (which could be taken as "the exception that prove the rule"), and they might lay an egg a week when they laid 5 or 6 a week when younger. Some might lay more longer but it isn't uncommon for an old hen to lay an egg weeks after the last one she laid even most productive part of the year

Edit to fix proverb

 

[cavemanrich]

You are between a stone,, and a hard spot in your circumstance. You are probably only able to recover cost of chicken fair market value. In my area chickens that are good layers go for $25 to $30 .
You are not likely to get the future egg profits,, since the dog owner agreed to pay for replacement.
Generally ,,,, chickens will produce for the first 3 or 4 years well. Then the Heritage breeds that do live longer,, will slow down. At a certain point,,, they eat more than what their eggs would bring in. This is a reality.
Production type chickens will lay for about 3 or 4 years,, and then expire. Another reality,, regardless if we like it or not.
Try to squeeze out $30 per bird lost. But settle for $20
How many chickens did you loose BTW??
I don't know where you live,, and the rules about keeping chickens,, and keeping pet dogs are. Another thing to consider,,, is keeping a good relationship with neighbors. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, and take your losses.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[McChooky]

If they pay for pullets you won't be out of birds or egg sales.Young pullets lay more eggs their first year and lay less & less every year afterwards. Hybrid & production breeds don't live as long as heritage breeds but lay more eggs in a shorter period of time.They'll also die as young as 2-3 yrs old.Most Heritage breeds will lay until they die but they lay fewer eggs per year than production breeds (commercial type egg layer).

 

[svh]

A few years ago, one of my egg customers brought her dog with her to pick up eggs. She said her dog was fine with chickens, but despite my protests, she let the animal out of the vehicle.

The dog promptly set to killing as many chickens as it could grab before her husband tackled the offending beast. I could see it in the dogs' eyes as soon as it spied my birds, and said "grab your dog !", but it was too late.

She killed 4 and wounded 1.

I told her $50 bucks apiece. She gave me $60 a bird, including the wounded one .....

The thing that got her was telling her the names of the dead birds.

She was horrified that her dog had killed my "pets" and wrote me a check for $300 on the spot. I told her to get her eggs elsewhere, and she never came back.

This may be excessive, but I don't think I was too far out of line. I told her to "keep the dog in the car", and she ignored my wishes, even though she was a guest on my property.

RIP chickens, and good riddance to an arrogant customer.