Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Kassaundra]

Al, that is soooo horrible on so many levels. I am sorry for the loss of your birds and all the time, money, blood, sweat and tears that went into making them. I hope your wife is well and makes a speedy recovery.

 

[wsmith]

Hang in the Al! I'm sure some of the breeders you supplied birds to will give you stock to help start the rebuild. I also have a low tolerance to vicious packs who kill indiscriminately. Hoping for a speedy recovery for your wife. Sometimes our wives are the strongest. I know.

 

[thedragonlady]

Well the news is true and it's not good at all, last week I lost 12 of my best show birds to a pack (5) of unruly uncontrollable dog's who's owners live in the next section over. I had my cornish in my new breeder conditioning complex and they were coming along very well for this fall/winter show season, and the ones who I selected to be future breeders and fill orders from, they also just happened to be previous show winners. I had my first show scheduled for yesterday and already entered several more this year. I almost never lose birds and never lose any at all to preditors, these dogs were big, mean and on a mission, I was away in town at a jobsite when my wife called and said she was headed out to there cause she saw them near the pen's. She just got out of the hospital from surgery and couldn't move very well. She tried to beat them off with a 2x4 and they left for awhile, but came back 30 minutes later and even more determined. She went out there with the shotgun and was able send 2 to hell ripping out her fresh stitches from the shotgun bless her heart, the others came back but she couldn't even leave the house at that point and watched helplessly as they killed the rest of my show flock.

I got home as fast as my truck and these country roads would let me, but I was to late. I left the birds and took her back to the hospital to get checked out and, came home called the county boy's to come out and file a report, I documented everything and now have all of my affairs in order. The owners of the dog's have already gotten the summons and court is next month, they don't have any $$ so I hope the judge will do what ever he can. My show season is obviously shot and my breeding program is in the crapper for many many years to come, I have nowhere to get replacements as most of the better cornish guy's get their show/breeder stock from me. I am seriously considering throwing in the towel, this has been a little tough so I am going to settle down and wait till I can regain my composure and see where Iam with all this.

This is the complex as I call it where I condition my show birds, and also the sight of the carnage.









Anyway there it is, I haven't posted much because I am still in shock and trying to figure out where my chicken deal will go from here if at all. enjoy your Sunday folks.

AL

Absolutely heart breaking, Al. Thank goodness those dogs did not turn on your very gutsy wife! My prayers for you both.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

Oh my gracious! Al, I can't imagaine your heartache and frustration (not to mention financial loss)! Saying prayers for you and your very brave wife this morning!

 

[ChicwannaB]

oh Al, I'm so sorry to hear this. I am praying for your wife's recovery, yours will take much much longer. If I had ANY of them type of birds I'd glad ship to you but I just have good ol' regular layers. I don't even know anybody who has those.
We had a similar problem in Bay City here recently, man had to shoot 2 pitbulls at close range who'd killed some of his chickens and were coming at him growling, or course the dog owners played the "everybody hates Pitbulls" card. The case was thrown out, chicken man won!!

 

[Mountain Momma]

Absolutely heart breaking, Al. Thank goodness those dogs did not turn on your very gutsy wife! My prayers for you both.

Yes, Your wife is definitely a hero who has your back God Love that woman. With a will like that she will be ordering the doctors around for sure. I would be shell shocked if this happened to my mutts let alone generations of care and breeding. I dont know why the dogs would behave like that unless they are starving or part pit. It sounds to me like a similar pit attack that happened out here a few years ago. Killed a woman in her own barn and trapped her husband in the truck for most of the day. Pits are illegal in Denver so everyone that had them had to get rid of them and they filled up the local animal shelters. if they were, Pits wont give in. She was in a very dangerous situation.

Try to find some kind of brighter side to this if you can. Dogs that attack a person have to be put down. If they had gone after a child on the way home from school of something....Your wife, facility and your chickens may have saved a childs life with a pack like that out and about. There has to be some greater purpose in a sad thing like this or I dont think God would have allowed it. Or maybe, like Job he just has so much confidence in you and her that he will reward you with 10x better! Hang in there. Of course thoughts and prayers. Thanks for letting us all know.

 

[Beekissed]

Oh, Al.

I never dreamed those dogs had wrecked your birds to that degree. I'm sorry, Al, and I echo the sentiments about your dear wife....my kind of woman! Give her a big hug for me...

I too will be praying for you and your family...you sure didn't need this on top of everything else. Keep us posted when you can about all things and give us a shout if you just need to talk....we sure miss you here.

 

[Kansas Prairie]

Al,
Bless your wife's heart hope she heals quickly!
Sorry for your loss! Coming home to that scene would be devastating. Very wise of
you to call the county boys and not take matters in your own hands, I'm sure that would be a natural response.

 

[stonykill]

visitor. young button buck

 

[Nomibear]

Al, I have all the respect in the world for you, and reading your story made me want to cry. I'm so sorry for the loss of those birds... I am also praying for a speedy recovery for your very brave wife! To go after a pack of 5! Dogs with a 2x4, then the gun was amazingly brave. As you can, please let us know how the both of you are doing. ~Naomi