Neighbor's dogs killed all but one of my chickens!!

[kodster]

Legally you're owed the replacement cost of the birds - so what it would cost for you to purchase a bird of same breed, gender and age, plus most likely any costs you'd incur to repair damage done to any structures (i.e. the dog tore through and damaged a fence). The neighbors may be willing to chip in a little more to say sorry.

I agree... it may seem high to you, @fjjohnson4818, but consider that maybe they'll think twice about letting their dogs run the neighborhood free again, when they get the bill that they've promised to honor.

I, too, lost half my flock, including my only roo, due to a dog (or dogs) tearing through the hardware cloth it yanked off my chicken wire run to get into my girls' run. We were away from the house at the time it happened, and I came home to find many birds in the run, their backs torn out, dead. Roo and several other birds inside the chicken coop itself, but also mauled, the chicken coop ransacked. EVERYONE was in shock if they weren't physically harmed. Within 48 hours, I lost several more birds from their injuries, and some from just shock. This was six weeks ago. The remainder (15 birds, 8 layers, 7 meat... Freedom Rangers) have just now started laying again, after I secured the run, but they're too afraid to go out into the run for too long, so they stay inside now. I feel so sorry for them, but grateful that they are feeling better, not so stressed out, that they're laying again.

 

[Frank Hengels]

Sorry to hear about your Chickens (children). I do not what state you live in some states are what are called (fence out) states. In those states you are responsible to fence animals out. one of those states is Texas. That makes no difference to your loss. If they offered to pay find out what it would cost to replace them and give them that price and fence cost. If I were you I would get chicks and not hens, because you will form the same attachment to chicks. Best of luck to you.

 

[Folly's place]

Motivated dogs can do enormous damage in a short time, and it's awful. I'm so sorry for your flock too, and am glad that your survivors are doing better.
My run and coop are on a concrete foundation, and the run walls are pretty tough, for just this reason.

Hardware cloth to the roof, stapled to the framing with fence staples. 2"x 4" woven wire stapled over the hardware cloth up four ft., and then boards screwed into the framing over both.
I don't think dogs could get through it. Bears, yes, but none here.
Our losses to our own dog were while free ranging the flock. Also awful!
Mary

 

[tc4]

I have had that happen to me 3 times and it is devastating. I billed the dog owners the cost of buying laying hens which here is $40 per hen then I added in the amount of egg sales I lost @$5 per dozen and it took 4 weeks to get back to normal laying pattern after purchasing new hens. (I have a regular customer who buys 5-6 dozen a week) that is a loss of income. You can never charge enough to cover the devastation you feel but you have to send a message that they must take care of their dogs and stop them getting out and running rampant and killing other people's farm animals, pets or whatever. Dogs kill for fun not for food.

 

[Green myrtle]

My neighbor's dogs broke into my fence and destroyed all but one hen in my perfect little flock that has taken me almost 3 years to develop. They are willing to compensate me financially but I don't know how much to ask. Sure, they were inexpensive when I bought them as chicks but they would certainly cost more as mature birds. We all know how much time and expense goes into raising healthy happy chickens. And I am devastated! It was really traumatic. Any advice?

Answer: $100/chicken is fair and reasonable Reason: We lost just 1, with one other injured (bloody torn back) to a Great Pyrenees this summer. I asked this forum, and replacement cost like $20-25 came up, but we felt this was insufficient.

Then someone pointed out that it is fair to replace your adult layers with some from a quality breeder who would not introduce any mites or disease to your flock (vs buying from another local farm that you can’t guarantee), and with shipping that is easily 100-120

So I priced up birds close to mine in breed and with shipping. For example 2x buff Orpington starter pullets @$26 cost $159 once I add shipping to my home from herehttps://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/buff_orpington_started_pullets.html
(1x was about $130 with shipping)

If your birds are organic; find an online organic breeder. The price will be higher.

Armed with this verifiable quote I felt very confident asking $100 a bird... in fact that was giving them a break!! The owners of the dog also gave us some healing bacterial gel that was pricy (by way of apology) and the injured bird was doing ok, so I didn’t add anything for her, but it would be fair to add something for injured birds that may stop laying and need to be replaced as layers

so go to www.mcmurrayhatchery.com, or similar online - create a cart that replicates your lost (and injured) birds, and use this to demonstrate what they owe you. if verbal negotiations doesn’t work, write up your compensation request and attach a printout of your shopping cart. Point out your own pain and suffering and add a value for that too! You can always negotiate down... but not up.

ALSO CALL THE POLICE. File a complaint - this sends a message that your serious, and also that they run some risk of losing dogs if it ever happens again.

Conclusion: replacement cost does not have to mean the price of a random chicken of unknown Heath status on Craigslist!!! and You deserve more compensation than that.

 

[Green myrtle]

I would ask a minimum $25/bird. I know that’s not much in the grand scheme of things - it definitely doesn’t compensate for time, effort, feed, etc. put into raising a flock of chickens, but I think it would be hard to get much more than that out of them. I am glad that they are willing to pay for damages. Not all would do so.

I got $100 for a bird this year - which is less than the cost of purchasing a $25 bird from reputable online breeder + shipping!!

$25 would be a random bird from Craigslist without even your time or gas factored in! So way too low IMHO

 

[Green myrtle]

I had 3 Belgian D'uccles one of which was a Porcelain hen, one Frizzled Mille Fleur hen and a Mille Rooster.
One Copper Maran hen.
One Frizzled Cochin Bantam Rooster.
2 Silkies a hen and roo.
And 2 Standard Blue Cochin Hens.
The only survivor is a Splash Cochin hen and she was attacked. She will live but is very depressed and needs a friend or two ASAP.

following up on my other comment; I started too look for pullets of your specific breeds online and had a hard time, just chicks. so either do your claim using pullets of more common breeds (point this out to dog owners when you present your replacement costs with shipping; they are getting a break on price because of cheaper breeds)

(or price up hatchery chicks of your breeds plus shipping and then add on the cost of chick raising equipment (lights, bin, chick feed, feed dispenser) - though first option will be easier to price and make you look reasonable!)

so very sorry for your loss and stress.

 

[Pullet Pamperer]

My neighbor's dogs broke into my fence and destroyed all but one hen in my perfect little flock that has taken me almost 3 years to develop. They are willing to compensate me financially but I don't know how much to ask. Sure, they were inexpensive when I bought them as chicks but they would certainly cost more as mature birds. We all know how much time and expense goes into raising healthy happy chickens. And I am devastated! It was really traumatic. Any advice?

@fjjohnson4818 I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you can get some friends very soon for the hen that survived.

 

[Vickischics]

First, I want to say Welcome to our BYC forum. Unfortunately, you have you have experienced a rather common problem with Chickens vs dogs. I am sorry for that and my heart aches for you.
Our group is very knowledgeable and can empathize with your loss. The knowledge is amazing.
Again, you have come to the right place to help you through this difficult time.

 

[hayley3]

Motivated dogs can do enormous damage in a short time, and it's awful. I'm so sorry for your flock too, and am glad that your survivors are doing better.
My run and coop are on a concrete foundation, and the run walls are pretty tough, for just this reason.
View attachment 2455328
Hardware cloth to the roof, stapled to the framing with fence staples. 2"x 4" woven wire stapled over the hardware cloth up four ft., and then boards screwed into the framing over both.
I don't think dogs could get through it. Bears, yes, but none here.
Our losses to our own dog were while free ranging the flock. Also awful!
Mary

That's quite a setup Mary! That is what I call Fort Knox fencing. My run is covered in hardware cloth and the hardware cloth is sandwiched with furring strips and then the run is surrounded by Premiere Electric netting, so first they have to get past that.