Devastated... Lost 7 of 13 chicks last night.

[bfc chicks]

I have heard many times of the "wearing the dead chicked". Interesting idea but it makes sense and everyone who has spoken of it swears it works!

I am 69 this month. Not that i liked the idea for more than 2 reasons. 1. It's gross to think about the dog wearing the bird that was one of my best hens. And 2. When its over i had to take the bag off the dog give him a bath and tell him i still loved him. However i didn't have to shoot a poultry killer. The dog became one of my best assets on the farmette, and was a really good friend after he was neutered, something that i don't truly practice but in his case he could not keep his mind on his responsibility. In the case of my aussies i have never had to be so stricked. My grandfather who passed in 1965 told me of this method to treat my dogs for their abuse. If a neighbor's dog kills my chickens and can be caught it is held by the back legs and a portion of diesel fuel is added to the posterior with the aid of a funnel and turned loose. I never saw this done but it was related to me by my uncles who have since departed this earth when i was not able to be home and a dog was the demise of several of my prize hens. Although we never saw the dog on our farm anymore we did see it in it's own yard satisfied to stay home. All dogs don't have to be shot or put down, just became they do a wrong as the present unlearned generation thinks. Sometime a hard lesson learned will help it keep its life for more productive days. Yes we believed in spare the rod and spoil the child and yes i recieved the board of education to the seat of learning and it was the lesson learned not the board of knowledge that was remembered.

 

[LittleFalcon]

I am sorry for everyones loss and i share their pain. I got 25 chicks and by the second day i had 12. I now only have 3 of those 25 but most of it was due to the fact that i couldn't have roosters and they had to be culled, but that first night was very sad for me. I had gotten 3 silver laces as well and all three of those ended up dying as well and that made me very sad for they were my favorites.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We got a 16-month old Sheltie pup last October that loves to chase balls and other moving things. I was worried he would chase the chickens as toys and end up killing one. We have a separate smaller pen next to the big chicken run, for integrating younger birds. I used that for getting Sammy used to the chickens. Every day for months I made sure he spent at least a couple of hours in that pen, next to the chickens. Finally one day I put him on a 15-foot long line when turned the chickens out to free range and walked him around among them. He showed no interest in them, even when I ran around among them to make them flap a bit. Now I trust him off leash with them while they free range. He shows no interest in them, the chickens are just lawn furniture. Training takes time, patience, effort and planning, but it can be done.

 

[TheSunflowerButterfly]

That really sucks.

Would it be easier on you to start fresh? If so, do it.

This is NOT your fault. It’s not even the dog’s fault. Accidents happen. My favorite advice is “when you know better, do better.” You can’t hold yourself accountable for surprises like that. Sending love, thoughts, and prayers.

 

[Marinefam2053]

I'm with you on the poop eating! My little Schnoodle has gotten into the chicken yard and she completely ignores the hens and goes straight for the chicken feed and the poop.. Disgusting, but I love her anyway.

I’ve got a 150+ pound rottie that sniffs at the chickens and then searches the yard for their poop. Why? I have no idea. On the other side of that... the chickens flock to him when his leg is up peeing on something .... like it’s a water fountain and they are interested in what it is, thankfully I haven’t ever seen them take a drink, that’s when things are getting a little too weird. These animals are crazy and fun all at the same time.

 

[CluckettyCluckerson]

Thinking of you.
That’s so tough.
(((hugs)))

 

[Buckeye Amy]

I hate to sound unduly harsh, but it's based on experience losing a lot of chickens over the years to dogs. Dogs and chickens do not mix. I'm not even sure I would totally trust a well-trained LGD around chickens. As others have pointed out, dogs don't kill the chickens to eat them, it is more for sport. If I come out and see a pile of feathers where a chicken used to be, it's probably a fox, but if I come out and have 10 dead, gnawed up chickens scattered around, that is a dog, guaranteed. We go through cycles out here where we get stray dogs and that is a big problem. Early on, I would chase them off the property but found out the hard way that they would just keep coming back repeatedly until they got to the chickens. I ended up being a whole lot less sympathetic after the number of dead chickens piled up and now unless I specifically recognize the dog, I usually end up shooting it if it is on our property threatening the livestock. I hate to do it, but I have found there is really no other effective way to deal with the situation. As I say, you become a whole lot less sympathetic when you lose 10-12 chickens at a time, or, even worse, when you have a chicken that is so gnawed up that you have to kill it to put it out of its misery. For the record, I don't think I have ever lost a chick to a dog, though - it is always full-grown chickens. When it is your own dog, it may actually be tougher, but you just need to keep the chickens locked down really well and don't trust the dog around the chickens no matter what.

Very well said and I completely agree. When it keeps happening, you lose tolerance quickly.

 

[Neggative]

 

[ramzroost]

It is never easy to lose chicks even when they are older. We have had issues with dogs, coyotes, raccoons, hawks, etc over the past several years of raising chicks. One loss is no easier than another. You do what you can to protect them. Sometimes things happen and we move on.

 

[bfc chicks]

I’ve got a 150+ pound rottie that sniffs at the chickens and then searches the yard for their poop. Why? I have no idea. On the other side of that... the chickens flock to him when his leg is up peeing on something .... like it’s a water fountain and they are interested in what it is, thankfully I haven’t ever seen them take a drink, that’s when things are getting a little too weird. These animals are crazy and fun all at the same time.

The body of both humans and animals gives off certain chemicals and their compounds. I have seem pigs eat chicken manure, chickens eat cow and horse manure. Dog eat and lay in all types of manure and dead things. And honey bees drawing moisture from manure pile runoff. Even butterflies will be on manure piles at times.