I, too, have seen a hen mourn. The details are still too difficult for me to get into but my lone surviving hen who watched her flock mates be massacred by two canine predators was in shock for a couple of days, called and searched for more and finally resigned to loneliness and a mirror I...
This is a great thread. Just one thing to add if not said before. The roosting perches (2X4)s should be flat side up. They appear to be installed the opposite of that. You want the hens to cover their feet when roosting - not have the toes wrapped around and below where they can suffer frost...
Met with the dog owner yesterday. Went as well as it could. Genuinely sorry. Really decent guy. Gave me flowers and a lovely sympathy card with a sincere message and more money than I had suggested would compensate for loss of hens, loss of eggs, damage to fence and vet bill. Loss, transition...
Pepper is in the large run that encloses the coops. She does not have access to the larger fenced (and covered) "pasture" area that the dogs broke into. I visit her and today she seemed a bit perkier. Gave her some bits of melon which she devoured happily. I am still thinking about when/if to...
Oh my. How horrible to hear about the attack on your cousin's little boy. What an ordeal that must have been. Two days since we talked and nothing has happened since. I sent a text today. We shall see.
Thank you all for good suggestions. The dog owner actually contacted me yesterday and seemed genuinely sorry and of course surprised that his dogs would do this. He said he would understand if they had been shot. We had a long talk where I worked to impress upon him the pain this has caused -...
Thank you for your caring thoughts. I may have to file for a “potential dangerous dog” designation which basically puts them on a watch list but no real punishment until 3 strikes. They already have a prior record but that won’t count. Have some new leads in reaching the owner. The main guy at...
Yes, it is unbelievable how irresponsible some dog owners can be. I am still trying to contact the owner. Went to Animal Control again today and they were helpful but this is very difficult. Thank you everyone who has responded to this. Poor Pepper is hardly eating - but she laid an egg today!
By the way, the house the dogs were traced to is owned by a Grammy nominated musician. He is not the person who the report states is dog owner/responsible but hard to tell. I am trying to make contact before hiring a lawyer. North Carlolina law definitely holds owners of chicken killing dogs...
The two survivors are now dead. One was euthanized and the other had surgery but died shortly after I brought her home. So now there is only one hen left of the flock - Pepper - who is desperately lonely. I am not ready to think about more hens right now. Any advise for Pepper's well being all...
Two loose Rottweilers broke through my fenced area today and killed 4 hens and severely wounded 2 others. I think one will die tonight but the other might make it. Put hydrogen peroxide on the open wounds. I am very upset. I saw the last part of the massacre as they lashed into my dear hens...
I love these lists but I never see anyone mention tofu. My birds absolutely love it. Raw, plain tofu. They fight for it and a couple of times when I had a sick hen the only things she would eat were tofu and watermelon. In both cases they recovered.