💔broken. Only 1 left.

[CHlCKEN]

So sorry for your loss. I agree with the other posts. I have covered large pens for my birds. My pens are covered with good heavy duty netting. I also have electric wires around my coops and pens, and nothing has gotten past the hot wires. I had a fox dig under a gate and kill some birds so now I have concrete under the gates. When I first put up the netting I ran short and bought some online that turned out to be crappy and an owl went through it three times. Each time I replaced it with more crappy netting because at the time that is all I had. Since I have replaced it with some good heavy duty netting, problem solved. My DH and a friend built me some coops that were open on one side but we live in Florida. Their hearts were in the right place but not a good idea to have one side completely open. I put tarps over them. Here is the owl going through the netting.
View attachment 2500981

I had the same thing happen. My run was attached to the barn, where I had a horse stall serve as a coop. It was roomy and nice but the netting had a tiny gap in it because of the way the barn’s wall was uneven. This gap was soon discovered by two unlucky hawks. Thankfully both died, one killed by my rooster, and the other strangled in the netting, but things could have been worse.

 

[ChicNmom]

I don’t think killing the dogs is the solution. It’s not unlikely they’re someone’s pet on the loose.

So technically not what I think of with the word stray. I hate to say it because I love animals but my answer would probably be the same if it kept happening.

 

[cmom]

Shoot the dogs with paintballs and if they're someone's pets some neighbor may mention them. Electric wires are best. Once the dogs get zapped, they most likely won't be back. This also works for most predators.

 

[cmom]

Can you call animal control about the stray dogs?
What are the laws in your area? If that happened here the dogs would be shot and disposed of. We live in a rural area but the laws here support protecting your animals.

Ditto. We are rural too.

 

[KBaker71]

You need an electric fence if you want to protect from stray dogs.
Also your hen is probably in shock and needs to be kept warm and also give her some electrolytes.
You need to watch her wound for redness and swelling. My favorite is Vetericyn Plus spray for wounds. It's easier than spreading on an antibiotic salve.

Thank you!

 

[KBaker71]

Shoot the dogs with paintballs and if they're someone's pets some neighbor may mention them. Electric wires are best. Once the dogs get zapped, they most likely won't be back. This also works for most predators.

From what animal control told us, they are "frequent fliers". He said they haven't been as far south (a good mile). I'm not in favor of euthanizing animals, but oh what they did to my poor babies!

 

[ChicNmom]

From what animal control told us, they are "frequent fliers". He said they haven't been as far south (a good mile). I'm not in favor of euthanizing animals, but oh what they did to my poor babies!

If animal control is aware of them then they are problem animals with bad owners.
They are probably attacking other peoples animals in the area and who knows how long before they go after a child.

Nope. They would disappear in this area. No one would put up with that.

 

[cmom]

In most areas if any animal is killing your livestock you have a right to eliminate them. I would dig a nice big hole and SSS. I would eliminate them if they killed any of my birds.

 

[cmom]

I would have to do a search. It's been many years ago a BYC member was having problems with a dog/dogs. She went to the owner who denied it was his dogs that killed some of her livestock. The next time they came on her property she shot them with paint-balls. I don't recall what happened after that, but I would shoot them to eliminate them.

 

[MissMonty]

I don’t think killing the dogs is the solution. It’s not unlikely they’re someone’s pet on the loose.

Not to be a negative nancy but that really doesn't matter. I am someone who had a "stray" or neighbors dog loose completely destroy my flock TWO times including almost killing goats and such which caused almost $1,000 in vet bills what should the farmer do. Not shoot and let it keep happening?

I am an avid animal lover and if the day comes it comes back I can promise you I will shoot. I will be a hot mess crying my eyes out after but clearly chasing it off didn't work the first couple times....

The farmers shouldn't have to suffer over someone else not keeping their dogs contained and I live near a community that doesn't seem to give a poop about keeping their dogs contained and they would deny it and not pay if confronted. At some point the loss of my animals and seeing my kids face when we come out to find chickens slaughtered everywhere has to stop.

Its definitely the "ugly" to farm ownership but here we are. Things have gotten better since I got donkeys but about 1-2 times a year we get visits from someone's pet dog (or dogs a couple times it was multiple).