So we have had our 2 dogs and our chickens for a year now. Together. All day and all night... They would go into the coop, sleep in the coop and basically we have had NO issues what so ever of the dogs hurting, messing with or playing with them. In fact we had our dogs chase off a hawk who tried to get one of our chickens threw the fence and our friends dog got into the yard and started chasing them and the dogs all got into a huge fight. They totally protected them.
2 weeks ago, they killed my favorite chicken. I thought wow, that is weird, why would they do that? She had started attacking the other chickens pretty bad so I thought maybe she went after the dogs and ****** them off? I separated them just in case with a quick fence.
Last week they broke threw the little fence we made and killed 2 more. Now I'm livid. Tied the 2 dead chickens around their neck and they slept outside and were NOT allowed in the house. We made a better fence.
Today they got threw the "safetly" fence and killed one chicken. It looks like someone chewed the "safetly" fence (Lab) and squeezed thru. They couldn't get into the coop thru the bottom so somehow they or one got on top (which I believe is the lab because the pitbull has a bad rear end and doesn't move much anymore) and fell threw the top. It is chain link all around but I think the weight just gave in. I think it may have scared the chickens so they flew out. It is 5 feet tall and I have NEVER seen my dogs jump a fence but she must have because the door was latched. One is a 10 year old labrador (who by the way is a huge trash dog and has been bad since a puppy) and a 7 year old pitbull who has never hurt a fly, well actually now chickens BUT she used to sleep with them so I highly doubt she started it. She saved a chihuahua from a bobcat and 3 baby bunnies that the eyes weren't even open yet.
The only new thing that has happened is a stray cat has been sleeping near the chickens and hanging out with them for about a week before this happened. It didn't seem to care about the chickens but I would always make it go away. The lab does NOT like cats. She grew up with a cat and respected her but when she passed away, she could care less. Now could the cat decided it wanted to go after a chicken which maybe started a frenzy and kicked something in their dumb dog brains to attack them? They actually didn't kill them, just played with them... We did the deed which was so hard because they were like pets to us.
I don't understand. A lot of people actually don't understand considering they have always been around livestock and chickens. Any ideas? Has this happened to anyone before?
We are building a fence that will be hot so if they or anyone touches it, its going to hurt.
I have 1 chicken left but we have 8 babies that we were planning on introducing to the flock soon and I'm pretty upset.
2 weeks ago, they killed my favorite chicken. I thought wow, that is weird, why would they do that? She had started attacking the other chickens pretty bad so I thought maybe she went after the dogs and ****** them off? I separated them just in case with a quick fence.
Last week they broke threw the little fence we made and killed 2 more. Now I'm livid. Tied the 2 dead chickens around their neck and they slept outside and were NOT allowed in the house. We made a better fence.
Today they got threw the "safetly" fence and killed one chicken. It looks like someone chewed the "safetly" fence (Lab) and squeezed thru. They couldn't get into the coop thru the bottom so somehow they or one got on top (which I believe is the lab because the pitbull has a bad rear end and doesn't move much anymore) and fell threw the top. It is chain link all around but I think the weight just gave in. I think it may have scared the chickens so they flew out. It is 5 feet tall and I have NEVER seen my dogs jump a fence but she must have because the door was latched. One is a 10 year old labrador (who by the way is a huge trash dog and has been bad since a puppy) and a 7 year old pitbull who has never hurt a fly, well actually now chickens BUT she used to sleep with them so I highly doubt she started it. She saved a chihuahua from a bobcat and 3 baby bunnies that the eyes weren't even open yet.
The only new thing that has happened is a stray cat has been sleeping near the chickens and hanging out with them for about a week before this happened. It didn't seem to care about the chickens but I would always make it go away. The lab does NOT like cats. She grew up with a cat and respected her but when she passed away, she could care less. Now could the cat decided it wanted to go after a chicken which maybe started a frenzy and kicked something in their dumb dog brains to attack them? They actually didn't kill them, just played with them... We did the deed which was so hard because they were like pets to us.
I don't understand. A lot of people actually don't understand considering they have always been around livestock and chickens. Any ideas? Has this happened to anyone before?
We are building a fence that will be hot so if they or anyone touches it, its going to hurt.
I have 1 chicken left but we have 8 babies that we were planning on introducing to the flock soon and I'm pretty upset.