first off, i would suggest locking your birds up at night, no matter how good your dogs are at guarding.
And if your dogs are 14/7 outside, and chase away other things, is it possible THEY got them??
My neighbor has a new 2 year old giant husky he cant control... already went after-
Both my cats
my female dog through the fence
and has DEFINATLEY taken interest in my birds...
I keep my horses crop on my nightstand... beat something if it goes bad. Like a burgler or a stray dog.
yesterday i lost my hen, literally. we found her 4 blocks away, almost out of the neighborhood and into the woods O_O
anyway, upon looking i found a family of dead possums with holes in their neck and body...
The possoms are no longer an issue, but killed them might be..
i found them in the...
@Above, I agree
Some dogs you CANNOT trust. period. How long have you had the dogs AND the chickens?? if its been more then a few weeks (?) Then I personally wouldnt chance it. However if you free range your yard during the day, ( like i do ) Then its basically tether your dog, or do a VERY...
If you have a dog, I would build a dog house and let it stay outside for some of the day, ( but not all, i personally dont like when people do that, but whatever ) and see if it has any effect.. A good run is always a must too
Im with Blooie, as long as it has a top. My hens, Specially Stormy, ( Brahma Bantam Hen ) Always has the urge to fly from her run, over my neighbors fence, and into the next neighbors yard where they keep dogs that will pop off a rabbits head in too seconds.Their 3 year old nephew throws them...
some kid around my neighbor hood lets his dogs charge about the neigborhood and they've on more then one occasion charged and got at my cats while i was gardening or something and they were just sitting in the mulch.... she finds it fun to chase them into the road so i walk THEIR dog back up to...
My Rooster-Hen ( Since we dont have one, our EE Cheetah likes to play big boy ) Chases my cats off the property when there too close for her liking... lol. She even has the dogs running scared! She leaves the fat butterball of a cat alone, though :)
And i would like to think Cochins are good...