ALL my orpingtons DEAD! :(

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I come here with a heavy heart this morning.

Yesterday I left home about 4:30 pm to bring my son to the bus station so he could go back to school and got home at 5:30 to see my husband and father outside in the rain. Right away I KNEW that wasn't right. I get out of the car and right away see a chicken Massacre! My ONLY three orpingtons I had DEAD! Well, the buff was still partially alive and my husband had to dispatch her

One Brown sex link still missing. My baby polish was missing but I stayed out in the rain for hours looking for her and finally found her! It was dark and I heard her cheep and recognized it right away. When she heard and seen me she come running to me. I tucked her under my jacket and took her home. She was ok but soaked so I put the heat lamp on in the coop for them to all dry out. Oh it was SO sad to see. My splash orps I had so desperately wanted were getting so beautiful and now I have none. I asked what happened and my dad said it was the neighbors dog. UGH! Thank god my dad is outside pretty much all the time and he was able to stop him before he killed more! I love my neighbors and I loved that dog...he really is such a good dog. I'm very happy he was gone when I got there or I don't know what I would have done out of anger. I had time to sit and think and I didn't call the neighbors yesterday as I was WAY TOO angry and I don't want to loose the closeness we have with them at all so I'm calling them in a bit here now that I'm calm and had time to think it over. She is a very reasonable person and I know she will pay for the losses. She may even get rid of the dog. It was a stray they took in who was found on the road and he keeps getting off his chain when they are at work. It's nobody's fault really...they do a great job at keeping the dogs home most of the time. And I did always allow the dog in our home when he wanted to come play with out boxer..he would actually "paw" at the door for Max to come out and run with him. So it's as much my fault as theirs. And of course it's a dogs instinct to give chase to things like that. None were bleeding at all they were all internal injuries

You can be SURE that the dog will NO LONGER be allowed here!

The three chickens that died had "cliques" they hung with. The four newest ones I had just added were the splashes (the two that were killed) and the polish and the Golden Phoenix male who are both still alive and I'm just so happy they have each other but they are calling for their Lily and Lola

Poor things! And then what will Paris and Nicole do without their buff orp Britney

They were together since hatch and where you would see one the other two were always near by. I am just SOO sad today!

Sorry this got so long...just had to talk about it

 

[lurky]

I'm sorry for your loss

How was the dog able to get to them? It sounds like the dog runs loose often, so i wonder why this time was different. Maybe you should ask them to think about looking for a kennel on craigslist if they are going to keep the dog

I see them all the time @ reasonable costs. Its better/safer for the dog and chickens both.

 

[jbowyer01]

(((HUG))) I'm so sorry for your lost.

 

[hatchaholic]

I'm sorry for your loss. We have a black lab that decided one day that she wanted to "play" with two of our turkeys and a chicken. Don't know why it hit her that day. I guess it is just in some dogs' natures. Since then, Daisy is behind a very strong electric fence so that she can't get out and do more damage.

Good luck working thru things with your neighbors. As you said, it is just one of those things that happened. I really am sorry for you..

 

[Lunachick]

That's horrible. I'm so sorry.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Lurky...yes he does run free all the time and he has seen the chickens before and was fine with them when we were there we could just chase him back home. We have been both working on our dogs trying to get them to stay home without having to kennel them. We both want our dogs to be able to run and be free but IN OUR YARDS. Their is not other neighbors for several miles so it's just us who have dogs around. My dogs listen well and usually do not wander. And I hadn't seen her dogs in my yard for the past month so I thought they had either found a kennel or chained him. And my chickens actually all got out by accident. My dad went in to check for eggs and the door didn't latch all the way and so they all ran out! He feels terrible but it's not his fault either. Just really bad luck that they happened to be out and the dog happened to pick THIS day to come over to visit

Thanks all for your support and hugs

Oh lurky..forgot to add...this time was different because I'm ALWAYS out there when my chickens free range and this time they got out by accident when my dad let them out and I was gone. He just went in to use the bathroom and come right back out and in that time the dog had already killed three and my dad chased him home. I think it could have been WAY worse if he had not gone back out there.

 

[SGM]

Oh I am so sorry!!! My heart aches for you. I do hope your neighbors come through and right the situation as best as they can. I always have to watch for stray dogs or loose dogs too. I know the heartache you have. I am so sorry.

 

[joebryant]

Gee, I really feel sad for you. If that'd happened to me, I don't know what I'd do. I think you should be commended for your not blaming your good neighbor too much and your understanding of the dog situation.

 

[lurky]

I hope you find a way to work things out. Its so sad that you had to go through this. We have recently put up a fence that was not too costly. We put it up around the existing run. This way we can let them out of the first run that is barren

and into the second run that has grass. I only let them out into the grassy run for 3 hours-ish at the end of the day. This way they have fun and get to range, but are still safe. We used 4X4 posts and welded wire. I thought i would suggest it because it might help your piece of mind. After this you will probably be a wreck if you have to turn your head for a second. Again, Sorry you had to go through this :aww

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

We did talk about fencing around the run last night after what had happened. That way IF they do sneak out at least they are still confined. I have one that jumps the fence no matter what and we are going to be clipping her wings today. We didn't want to do that but I think it's for her safety. I really love my birds and I still feel just sick that this could have been prevented and I can't imagine how scared those poor babies were

I think you should be commended for your not blaming your good neighbor too much and your understanding of the dog situation.

Joebryant, thank you...I was hoping you all didn't think I was wrong by feeling this way but that's just how I am. I hate to place blame on anyone. I was feeling pretty horrible about all this.​