All dead this morning.

[corancher]

So very sorry for your loss. It's heartbreaking.

 

[Badhbh]

Thanks everyone. We got them all buried in a mass grave. The duck that was injured has since died. She's buried next to the others.
We didn't catch the dogs. We found them, but didn't catch them. The sheriff called animal control, and he's out looking for them now. I don't think he'll find them.
The remaining birds are shaken up.. they're silent. One of the girls won't stop sounding the alarm, and the rest aren't making a sound.
DuDa's chicks are all accounted for, and in the coop with everyone else. The geese and pekin ducks are all home, and they'll be closed up in the barn tonight with the chickens. They hate it, but i'm not chancing it until the dogs are caught or shot.
All of them had their necks broken. Every one. Ghandi has a large wound on his back, and he's shocky. I don't want to traumatize him any worse getting him cleaned up, so i'm letting him rest for a while.
SO final count 18 birds dead. All survivors accounted for. Some showed up home a couple hours later. A friend came and helped us get all the feathers cleaned up out of the yard. The kids are upset, but not as upset as they'd been if they saw it first hand. I'm the most upset about Stubs and Mr. Worthington, and DuDa. Duda was mean, but she was a good mama. Mr. Worthington was a tiny little porcelain D'uccle, about the size of a pigeon. He was a fantastic personality though. Stubs went through hell in an abusive situation, survived, taught many chicks how to be chickens, and then came to me. He survived so much, and in the end a stupid dog thought he'd make a great chew toy. I'm heartbroken over all of them.. they were all hand raised and spoiled rotten.

 

[zchickens]

So sorry for your loss.

Not a day goes by yet for me, without me remembering the 17 chickens I lost to my neighbor's dogs back on August 6th (still waiting for the neighbor to pay for my losses

may end up going to court soon..). At least one positive..... The blue cooper marans rooster that had half its skin torn off the back of its neck (exposing the back of the skull, you could see the tendons move when it opened its beak...ugh). is holding its own, and the wound is now completly scabbed over and healing (no infections so far

). I have put up some additional fencing and limited my more valuable birds to a smaller fenced in run (the campines still have the run of the acreage, though) with the free ranging to only when someone is home. So far no more losses, at least the neighbor has kept his dogs off my property up to this point. Still, it is disappointing to be collecting only 1-2 eggs a day instead of the 6+ I was collecting before this happened. I used to have a group of five hens (Buff Orgingtons & Silver penciled rocks) that would go to my mulberry tree and eat up the berrys that fell from it each day (would invaribly come back with purple stained beaks

). To cheer myself up I ordered a mated pair of wellsumers and faverolles from Duane Urch (I will pick up at the New Ulm show in Minnesota in October ...can't wait

). Hope everything works out for you!

Z

 

[Cetawin]

That is so sad...but that sounds very dog-like. It is all play and about the chase for them not the eating. ****Hugs****

 

[AngieChick]

I am so sorry for your loss, I am sure it was heartbreaking to see happen to your birds.

 

[cyrixlord]

will it be impractical to set up fencing in the yard where they occupy? Perhaps you could also have a dog that can protect your chickens or at least let you know if there is something going on? Fight fire with fire I say.

my 2 chickens are so well protected by my dogs that they think they're dogs as well

Sorry to hear about your loss, I'm sure your love for your birdies wont get you down for too long. you still have so many alive!

 

[Badhbh]

Z- i'm so sorry to hear that

I had to get back on the wagon and place another order, as the hatcheries are about to stop for the year. It's now or next spring, and I think babies may cheer me up a little. I ordered 5 Ameraucanas, 3 dark brahmas, and several assorted cochins. ChickenCop has graciously offered some white silkies that he has. He's a sweet man. I may try my hand at incubating as well.. i've asked for a bator for christmas, but the Man is the type who would get it for be before christmas just so see me happy.

No word from animal control about the dogs, so we don't know if they've been caught or not.

Cyrix- my dogs are chicken chasers, so no good there. I've been trying to think of how i can let them have some freedom, but safer. The township that I live in will reimburse me for the birds I lost, and I think i'll take that money and just enlarge the run. Then I can keep the geese and ducks out there too. And i'm buying a rifle.

 

[momofdrew]

Thank goodness your kids didn't see the carnage...I am sorry for your loss...all your serviving birds must be tramatized...how are the injered one doing?

 

[1Speckled Hen w/Chicks]

Soooo sorry for your loss--
I know how hard it is to lose your babies---
Been through it before and have recently lost one precious chicken to a snake---
Lost our dear cat to 2 stray dogs while she was sitting on our steps.....but never found the two stray beastly dogs to put them down.(still on the look out though...and ready!)

Our hope is that the animal control will find the dogs that did this, and that they will put them down--or that you can find them faster!!!

Our prayers are sent for you & Good luck with your next order of chicks!!

 

[horsejody]

I'm sorry this happened to you. Rest assured, the dogs will be back. Be ready for them. If you can't catch them or shoot them, shoot them with a camera. Somebody will know who they belong to. Drive through the area too, maybe you will spot one or both of them in a yard. If you live in a small community, go to the local vet and ask him or her if knows who has a dog or dogs fitting the description.