So back in May we moved our chicks into their coop and we had their yard all set up with a fence to keep them from wandering near the neighbor’s house or the highway. They were so happy to be able to forage! But the second day they were out we left the house for a bit and came home to find them locked back up and feathers all over the place.
Apparently our neighbor (my hubby’s uncle) was talking with some people in the driveway (which is between our houses) with his dog…. The next thing they knew there was a ruckus and the dog was in the yard with two chicks in her mouth, she had already consumed one. He said once he pulled the chicks out of her mouth he beat the living daylights outta her and she was whimpering and scared the rest of the night, so she learned her lesson.
His only offer for ‘compensation’ was to give us some money to buy a chick or two when we get our next round… He even suggested that they be his chicks so he can get his dog used to being around chickens, but they can live in our coop... I have heard that once a dog tastes the blood or eats a chicken they won't stop, they almost crave it {is this a myth or...?}
So our chicks have been literally cooped up since then. We have had to make more vents to keep them from overheating and I hang outside with them for a few hours when it isn’t raining so they can come out into the yard and forage. The only two that don’t come outside are the Amerucanas… the sisters of the one chick we lost.
Yesterday we were preparing to muck out the coop and had built a temporary fence for them to be in (we are currently making a covered run so they can safely be outdoors) while this was going on. All but the two Amerucanas went outside, I had to catch them and put them with the rest. It took them a minute but they adjusted and were happily foraging with the rest. While we were mucking the coop out our other neighbor (rents a trailer on the same property as Hubby’s uncle) is calling down to uncle saying “fresh meat on the hill!” referring to the chicks, and uncle responds with the likes of “I already ate one, just don’t tell the nephew” and it went on for a few minutes… I am of course in the coop, unseen at this point just stewing (I DO NOT like people talking about eating my family members). So uncle was walking up to the coop during this and once he gets in front of the coop where I and the Chickens can see him the Chickens begin freaking out, squawking, and they all huddled near the edge of the fence furthest from Uncle… and his dog.
I couldn’t believe he brought her back up to the coop! That just makes a dog feel welcomed and think it is ok to come in to that area again, especially since he beat her the last time she was up there. I asked him nicely if he could please not have his dog up there. His response “She won’t do anything with me here” (I was watching her nose to the ground and ears raised looking at the ladies) I told him I still wasn’t comfortable with her being up there. He just said “Whatever, see ya later Sam [my hubby]” and walked off.
This has just been so hard because my dog won’t attack Chickens, and my mom’s dogs never did either. We had one incident when a Chicken went into the dog pen and we think they were trying to play with her because she wasn’t dead, she was just bitten and the dogs were both lying next to her, she had even laid an egg while she laid there. She unfortunately didn’t make it, but I don’t blame the dogs since they could have killed her and eaten her. My dog {Nanuq} loves the Chickens, he was very upset when he noticed one was missing… he went as far as growling while he was sniffing the crime scene. And he doesn’t like the other dog one bit {he has chased her off the property}.
I just don’t know what to do… am I over reacting? He is family… but still….
I guess I just wanted to vent to people who love their chickens as much as I do. Thanks for reading… I feel a little bit better now.
7/2/12- UPDATE: I am building a covered run for the chickens, I forgot to add this into the "vent". They are getting a 6' by 25' covered run to keep predators out. Pallets for the walls with screen and then PVC over the top creating an arch with chicken wire over it. Cloth to create shad in the summer, and tarp to help shimmy off snow in the winter. They are already in a metal storage shed converted into a coop with rocks all the way around the perimeter and a rock bottom (ground is mainly rock which is why the run is taking a little longer than it should... adapting).
A stronger fence would not have helped avoid this tragedy, a taller fence may have, but still questionable since dogs can climb fences if they are oh so inclined. A covered run will protect against flying and climbing predators... we are digging down as far as we can and placing chicken wire to prevent burrowing ones.
And as for Uncle offering to purchase more chicks to replace the one his dog ate... he also suggested that they be his chicks... just living in my coop for me to take care of... So I do not count that as a reasonable offer... Sorry my kid ate your kid... but I can get you another one... it'll be mine though you can just house and take care of it..
Apparently our neighbor (my hubby’s uncle) was talking with some people in the driveway (which is between our houses) with his dog…. The next thing they knew there was a ruckus and the dog was in the yard with two chicks in her mouth, she had already consumed one. He said once he pulled the chicks out of her mouth he beat the living daylights outta her and she was whimpering and scared the rest of the night, so she learned her lesson.
His only offer for ‘compensation’ was to give us some money to buy a chick or two when we get our next round… He even suggested that they be his chicks so he can get his dog used to being around chickens, but they can live in our coop... I have heard that once a dog tastes the blood or eats a chicken they won't stop, they almost crave it {is this a myth or...?}
So our chicks have been literally cooped up since then. We have had to make more vents to keep them from overheating and I hang outside with them for a few hours when it isn’t raining so they can come out into the yard and forage. The only two that don’t come outside are the Amerucanas… the sisters of the one chick we lost.
Yesterday we were preparing to muck out the coop and had built a temporary fence for them to be in (we are currently making a covered run so they can safely be outdoors) while this was going on. All but the two Amerucanas went outside, I had to catch them and put them with the rest. It took them a minute but they adjusted and were happily foraging with the rest. While we were mucking the coop out our other neighbor (rents a trailer on the same property as Hubby’s uncle) is calling down to uncle saying “fresh meat on the hill!” referring to the chicks, and uncle responds with the likes of “I already ate one, just don’t tell the nephew” and it went on for a few minutes… I am of course in the coop, unseen at this point just stewing (I DO NOT like people talking about eating my family members). So uncle was walking up to the coop during this and once he gets in front of the coop where I and the Chickens can see him the Chickens begin freaking out, squawking, and they all huddled near the edge of the fence furthest from Uncle… and his dog.
I couldn’t believe he brought her back up to the coop! That just makes a dog feel welcomed and think it is ok to come in to that area again, especially since he beat her the last time she was up there. I asked him nicely if he could please not have his dog up there. His response “She won’t do anything with me here” (I was watching her nose to the ground and ears raised looking at the ladies) I told him I still wasn’t comfortable with her being up there. He just said “Whatever, see ya later Sam [my hubby]” and walked off.
This has just been so hard because my dog won’t attack Chickens, and my mom’s dogs never did either. We had one incident when a Chicken went into the dog pen and we think they were trying to play with her because she wasn’t dead, she was just bitten and the dogs were both lying next to her, she had even laid an egg while she laid there. She unfortunately didn’t make it, but I don’t blame the dogs since they could have killed her and eaten her. My dog {Nanuq} loves the Chickens, he was very upset when he noticed one was missing… he went as far as growling while he was sniffing the crime scene. And he doesn’t like the other dog one bit {he has chased her off the property}.
I just don’t know what to do… am I over reacting? He is family… but still….
I guess I just wanted to vent to people who love their chickens as much as I do. Thanks for reading… I feel a little bit better now.
7/2/12- UPDATE: I am building a covered run for the chickens, I forgot to add this into the "vent". They are getting a 6' by 25' covered run to keep predators out. Pallets for the walls with screen and then PVC over the top creating an arch with chicken wire over it. Cloth to create shad in the summer, and tarp to help shimmy off snow in the winter. They are already in a metal storage shed converted into a coop with rocks all the way around the perimeter and a rock bottom (ground is mainly rock which is why the run is taking a little longer than it should... adapting).
A stronger fence would not have helped avoid this tragedy, a taller fence may have, but still questionable since dogs can climb fences if they are oh so inclined. A covered run will protect against flying and climbing predators... we are digging down as far as we can and placing chicken wire to prevent burrowing ones.
And as for Uncle offering to purchase more chicks to replace the one his dog ate... he also suggested that they be his chicks... just living in my coop for me to take care of... So I do not count that as a reasonable offer... Sorry my kid ate your kid... but I can get you another one... it'll be mine though you can just house and take care of it..
Last edited:
