5 dead and 2 are missing I need your best replacement price

[newnanchic]

Today the neighbors dog was on the loose for the 3rd time it has killed my chickens . The first time she struck twice in 1 day killing 7 total. Well 2 months later today she killed 6 more !!! 5 hens and 1 roo , 1 more roo injured , 1 roo missing and my BIG TOM Turkey is also missing. So I called the Animal control and them came out took pictures wrote them a citation, and said he would be back with a sopenina for court when the case comes up . Then he says I will need to take them to small claims court for the price of the chickens . So I thought I would come up with a reasonable price and offer to them to pay it or pay court cost and go tocourt and I would ask for even more. I have got to get the point across about this dog !!! So here is what Is dead :

2- Rhode Island Red Hens that have been laying for about 2 months

1- Barred Rock hen that is laying about 6 months

1- Silkie mixed roo

1- White Sex link roo ( injured)

1- Polish black top hat hen just old enough to start laying

1- Male Turkey that we got in March at a day old (MISSING)

1- White Sex Link Roo ( MISSING)

and 9 girls and 1 roo and 1 turkey scared to death .

What are your thoughts ???

 

[congdon476]

Are they show birds or money making birds? You can sue for loss of money due to the kill. So, if you were selling a doz. eggs for $4.00 then figure out the avg. number of sales you would have had and multiply that by how many years a healthy bird could have laid.

If they were pets/personal layers, then you would have to charge what it costs to replace them. That would depend on what the avg. person asks for an adult bird of laying quality. Might call around or look online at some hatcheries and see what they charge for adult birds.

So sorry you have to start over. But DON'T let them get away with it! The dog will only keep coming back.

 

[katrinag]

Around here laying hens go for $15 a piece. Roo for between $5-$10.

 

[#1California Chick]

I would also charge them for the 13 chickens that you lost previously!!

 

[SunAngel]

Awww, so sorry about the loss of your chickens. I would definitely ask for at least $15 a chicken and then whatever the egg prices add up to!

 

[clarkestep]

Since I'm sure you don't want to introduce diseases to your courrent flock, here's what I think would be fair.

1. the actual cost of getting the same number of chicks/birds from a hatchery. If the hatchery only allows for a minimum order, charge them for you having to order extra birds.

2. Charge them for any extra feed you would have to purchase for any 'extra' birds your have to purchase. You'd be buying feed for your birds anyway,so I wouldn't charge them for that, just for the extra mouths to feed. I would charge them this only until the extras start laying eggs, then they'd be earning their own keep so to speak. I think I saw somewhere that chickens eat about 2lbs of feed a week, so that is a starting place to charge for extra feed.

3. Estimate how many weeks it takes for a bird to start laying and about how many eggs the killed bird would have laid during that time if she had lived. Let's say your bird would have laid 5 eggs a week and it takes a new bird about 23 weeks to start laying. You are out approx 115 eggs for that bird. Do this for every bird that was killed. You have documented that 5 hens were killed (the others weren't documented with animal control so I don't know if you can sue for these or not). This would amount to about 575 eggs lost. If you round that down to 47dozen and if you charge $3/doz then you are out $141 worth of eggs.

4. Another thing to consider is the cost to raise new chicks. Like the cost of the heat light. Those are about $5-$10. If you don't have a booder box you will have to make or buy something. That's yet another cost.

5. Yet another possible cost to have to look at. The price of a new coop to house these new birds. You can't mix the new and grown birds together until they are the same size or the bigger girls will kill them. They have to have a place to be housed, even if temporarily until you can move them. It is not your fault their dog killed your grown birds and you have to start over with chicks and having to house them, is it? This is a very valid cost to think about. Now, if you have a redneck coop, I wouldn't build a 'hilton' for the new birds, but something similar.

Gee, I know I sound picky but these are all valid costs to look at. I've thought this over many many times when I've found my neighbor's dog in my yard or running in the neighborhood loose. Everything adds up. And I didn't even mention the extra time it takes to raise chicks.... If your grown hens were very tame, you had to spend a lot of time with them while they were little. Time is money. If you get paid minimum wage at a job, you could even add that amt into playing with your chicks.

Anyway, these are my thoughts on the matter. Sorry your neighbors are so lame.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

DH just sold some of his hens He got $10.00 each for the Australopes hen and roo they had just started laying I sold a polish roo for $12.00 A friend of mine has buff orpington hens that are laying she wants $8.00 a piece Asking to pay for new hatchery chicks is cheating yourself unless you can figure just how much feed you put into them as well as how much you are losing on eggs. And don't forget they were your pets that should count as well

 

[jjthink]

There is nothing "reasonable" about the pain and suffering and terror your birds had to endure from the dog, so a "reasonable price" is one that is as high as conceivably possible as it sounds like these folks won't learn any other way. There are lots of BYC posts about how to defensibly calculate your costs associated with each bird.

What happens to the dog as of today? If not beyond a shadow of a doubt certain that the dog will not be after your chickens again I don't think you have a humane choice but to keep them penned and indoors until you are sure there is no threat. The dog has already proven to be a repeat offender.

People who are irresponsible with their dogs get on my last nerve. I have seen the terror and suffering of chickens attacked by dogs - it is utterly cruel. After many weeks of intense effort on my part, along with hospitalization and surgery for my feathered friend, I recently nursed hen Ellie back to health after she was attacked by a neighbor's dogs when they got loose (the people were actually at work and the dogs were completely on their own). What Ellie had to endure no being should have to endure - luckily, in her case, she has lived to have her day in the sun again, but it was a very difficult and painful several weeks for her (and her human mom). Now she and her roo buddy are pretty fearful, when they had been joyful. It's just not right. And she had been right at her run door when the dog barreled into the yard, not 2 minutes after I had opened the run gate to let them stretch and eat some grass for a mere few minutes. In this case, the people apologized and paid the vet bill I sent them, but of course that doesn't take away all the suffering, worry, time lost....and that's why...

People who have dogs need to comprehend the very solemn responsibility involved in choosing to "own" a PREDATOR because cute or not, that's what dogs are. They must be in the control of their humans at all times, no exceptions - - ever. Running 'free' needs to happen in a securely fenced yard, community dog run, or area where there is absolutely no chance of encounter with vulnerable beings.

I am so sorry for your poor birds

JJ

 

[justusnak]

Oh jeesh! I am so sorry for your loss....AGAIN!! UGH! Im glad animal controll was involved, and everything is documented. If you didnt get pictures, see if you can get copies from ACO. Just in case you DO have to take them to court. Its hard to know what price to put on "pets" However, there has been some good advice already given, especially about the new hen house.

 

[newnanchic]

I did get pictures !!! The dog actually ran them back into the pen and into the coop so there are feathers everywhere !!! This is what I am thinking ... let me know what you are thinking and clarkestep thanks for the help !!!

5 Chickens ( Hens) lost at $15.00 each +$45.00

1 Roo lost at $8.00

5 Hens to replace at day old $3.00 each = $15.00

Food to feed new chicks for 23 weeks til they get to laying age
2 pounds each a week bag of chic starter is $8.00 for 25 pound bag 10 bags (250 pounds) $230.00

Egg loss ( 115 per hen until new chics get to laying age) and 5 hens so a total of 575 eggs lost = $141.00 in eggs lost

Electricity for day old chics until they get to 8 weeks old $20.00

The look on my 3 year old and 8 year old face ???? No money is enough for that !!!

That is a totla of $444.00

So I think I wil ask the neighbor For a grand total of $350.00 cash now or go to asmall claims court with me .

Does that sound like a fair price ?? I do not want more than what I am entitled to...

And good news my Tom Turkey just strutredf across the road from the other neighbors pasture where the dog ran off to... he is fine !!!