All my sweet birds are gone. What to do?

[danceswithronin]

I would just shoot the dogs next time I caught them on property harassing my livestock. I love dogs and dogs will do what dogs will do, but large loose stray dogs in a killing pack are dangerous, not just to livestock but also people, which is why animal control is a thing in the first place. There are enough dogs in the world that I would not feel badly about removing a few for the public safety and my own peace of mind about my animals.

If the owners cared about them, they'd be behind a fence. Just my two cents. A pack of dogs killing livestock is no different than a pack of coyotes or wolves, except worse because they have less fear of man.

 

[The Dapper Duck]

I do not find the animal cruelty provisions, but did find out it is unlawful to colorize chicks or rabbits.

Dang, guess I'll have to change the venue for the "chick and rabbit dying convention" I was planning in Indianapolis.

 

[Trish1974]

@yickenscarf23 I see you are in Indiana, which makes the flippant response by both animal control and the police even more shocking! As you see by Indiana State Law livestock have rights. Around here if you call the police regarding a trespassing dog you are told to shoot it. I agree with everyone to take it a step further (beyond the officer you dealt with). Good luck and I am so sorry you had to go through this.

 

[MROO]

I never thought of electric fence. That's a definite purchase when we begin to fix everything. It is inside of a fence that had boards buried a few inches and there's a dog sized hole dug underneath it. I've never seen domestic pets with the manic pack mentality these ones do. It just gets me so heated. The horses are going to be locked up in the barn because there really isn't a way to put electric fence around their pasture it's probably 30 acres of property. The cops out here are useless. He told me all they can do is request the dog be kept up.

Have them do that ... and document it on your calendar. If the police have to keep coming out every time the dogs are in your yard, they'll eventually get tired of it and push the irresponsible dog owners into doing something about them.

 

[Conan]

What a HUGE bummer. So sorry for the loss of your flock.
You've received a lot of good information regarding the ordinances and laws for your area. It sounds like you've got your plans laid out!
On a personal note, I've lost more birds to neighbor dogs than any other predator. I've had fencing destroyed, pens destroyed, animals killed, animals attacked. I agree with the consensus thus far, if dogs want to act like coyotes, they should get the coyote treatment.

 

[sourland]

Lol! I’d probably show up with a gun and probably get shot lol.

In NJ ? For sure - especially if it's at my doorstep.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I never thought of electric fence. That's a definite purchase when we begin to fix everything. It is inside of a fence that had boards buried a few inches and there's a dog sized hole dug underneath it. I've never seen domestic pets with the manic pack mentality these ones do. It just gets me so heated. The horses are going to be locked up in the barn because there really isn't a way to put electric fence around their pasture it's probably 30 acres of property. The cops out here are useless. He told me all they can do is request the dog be kept up.

A lot of dogs will get that pack mentality when there are two or three or more together. Individually they may be fine but If there is three or more dogs roaming together sometimes they will even kill children and large animals. Usually once dogs have killed like that in a group they will roam and kill anything they can find.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I am so sorry! What an awful thing to happen! I think you should document everything, take pics of the dug holes and dead birds, everything! I would complain in writing to the police chief, city council, county health and safety, everyone I could think of. As long as you wrote the events down with dates etc it counts as a document. You are right to worry about that pack behavior in dogs.

Yes you need an electric fence! And I would suggest fencing aproned out at the surface or just under to deter digging. They've had their fun at your place and they'll be back.

Once again I'm so sorry!

I agree, you should document everything in writing and emails. That way if anything serious happens, you or whoever is attacked will be able to take action against the city or county you are in. Hopefully it does not lead to that, but if the authorities are aware that it will, I am sure they will take action.

 

[yickenscarf23]

What a HUGE bummer. So sorry for the loss of your flock.
You've received a lot of good information regarding the ordinances and laws for your area. It sounds like you've got your plans laid out!
On a personal note, I've lost more birds to neighbor dogs than any other predator. I've had fencing destroyed, pens destroyed, animals killed, animals attacked. I agree with the consensus thus far, if dogs want to act like coyotes, they should get the coyote treatment.

Yeah when when built their coop we made a list of predators so we looked at it from every angle. I even included snakes. A pack of domestic dogs didn't really cross my mind. Plus the coop is literally against my house inside of our backyard fencing. I'm thankful my little border collie wasn't outside. He would have been no match and he loved those little birds from the time I brought them home. I bawled this morning when we went outside and he ran to the coop because he has always been my feeding buddy and knows we always let them out first thing.

We will start over. Lord I've been praying over these little eggs The coop is so torn up we are just going to put it on the burn pile. We are worried about how to reinforce the doors because the hinges were completely torn from the wood. It seems the weak spots for dogs are doors. There were 2 latches top & bottom with two extra boards that came down over the doors after they were latched and it didn't hold.

It breaks my heart. Our rooster was a tiny Cochin bantam that was just too sweet. My mind wanders to how scared he must have been and how tiny. He could not have put up a fight.

 

[danceswithronin]

It breaks my heart. Our rooster was a tiny Cochin bantam that was just too sweet. My mind wanders to how scared he must have been and how tiny. He could not have put up a fight.

I just lost a super tame silkie this way earlier this week (accidentally left the gate loose and she slipped through trying to forage some grass and my dogs got her). It breaks my heart too. Was my smallest, most gentle bantam, and I know she would have been terrified. I was crushed when I first found her dead on the back porch, then horrified because I thought the other birds had been killed too, but luckily they were smarter and ran up into the coop where the dogs couldn't reach them.

I was angry at my dogs because they're usually so smart and gentle, but more angry at myself for allowing it to happen and putting the temptation in front of them. Mine was a costly and stupid mistake. You, on the other hand, did nothing wrong - just caught a slap of bad luck. And the birds are always blameless.