Devastated! Warning Graphical

[Marfamary]

Sorry I'm rambling on, it too quiet now, my son and I are very distraught. There has been a bird dog reported running loose, that's what I shot at in the goats area. Will they do this to chickens and ducks?

A dog will absolutely do that to a flock. I’ve had it done to mine. Two Chihuahuas got in my fenced yard and killed 25 chickens, would’ve killed them all if I hadn’t shown up. The person that owns the dog is liable for your birds.Check with your town, but if that dog did this, the owner hast to pay for it. So sorry that happened, it’s devastating. Hawks and owls do not do that kind of damage. Is generally a domesticated animal, dog or cat, but most likely a dog in this case.

 

[Marfamary]

that looks like the work of dogs. Birds of prey did not kill multiple animals. Raccoons or skunks might, but if you saw the dog it is probably the culprit. Most municipalities require the owner of the dog to pay for the damages if the dog goes on the owners property and destroys your livestock. So sorry that happened, it’s really awful.

 

[chickenchaser10]

I would highly recommend 1/4in hardware mesh and bury it atleast 6in underground. If a predator sees your chickens they test every inch of run.

 

[kodster]

Don't know what would just kill them all and leave them? One momma duck was on her nest dead. Game Warden has been called and he's trying to figure this out. Others told me it must have been an owl??

Dog. Killing for sport. I had the same thing happen last summer. Dog (or two) tore the hardware cloth off the outside of my run to get into them, killed half of them, left them all laying there, the remaining half were fatally wounded (died in the next two days) or were traumatized with PTSD, so they stopped laying. I had to lock the survivors up in the coop for several weeks for them to realize they were safe enough to start laying again.

 

[dogpatchchickens]

As mentioned I sold my pickup for enough to build this coop/run. Will this work? Have enough to build 3 more.

 

[Kglassmo]

My son and I have been raising Red Star, Delaware and Barred Rock chickens a long with Pekin, Rouen, Runner and Muscovy ducks. I'm disabled so the eggs help the grocery bill and selling the extra eggs pays their food, treats and on utilities. My son went out to feed and this is what he saw.View attachment 2801622

My son and I have been raising Red Star, Delaware and Barred Rock chickens a long with Pekin, Rouen, Runner and Muscovy ducks. I'm disabled so the eggs help the grocery bill and selling the extra eggs pays their food, treats and on utilities. My son went out to feed and this is what he saw.View attachment 2801622

Sorry I'm rambling on, it too quiet now, my son and I are very distraught. There has been a bird dog reported running loose, that's what I shot at in the goats area. Will they do this to chickens and ducks?

We had a pack of wild feral dogs, including a few neighbors dogs joining in do exactly that to our flock of 40 fowl few years ago. Devastating. I’m so very sorry. Dogs kill as a pack for fun, not food. They attack in early dawn before it’s light out. Only our Indian runner ducks, game rooster and a couple bantams that could fly survived. The dogs dug under weakest spot of fence, tiny gap was enough.

 

[HighlandRogue]

If it were me building those coops/runs with the hog panels, I would take the chicken wire down and replace it with 1/2" to 1" square galvanized welded wire cloth. The hog panel squares are large enough that most raccoons, opossums, weasels, and other chicken predators can get through those squares, and the chicken wire is just an annoyance to them; they'll chew through that pretty easily.

Here's the type of product I'm talking about, and it can be found at Lowes, Home Depot, even on Amazon. We like the 1" x 1" squares as it's a bit easier to see through but still provides the security we need in our urban area:

1/2" here:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fencer-...-Gauge-Hardware-Cloth-CA19-3X50MF12/306743896

Couldn't find the 1" squares, but they're out there...

1/2" hardware cloth because you can't put a price on those beautiful girls. It's not cheap but I'm glad I did it. Mine are still young yet but I like that arched yard protection. I think I'll give that a go... Have owls and hawks here... Not on my watch!

 

[kodster]

I lost five RIRs last December in a dog attack. It was a husky. They kill for the fun of it, unlike coyotes that kill for food. Your picture looks like a dog attack. BTW, we live in a rural no-leash area, but were informed by sheriff's deputy we can protect our livestock. The dog is no longer a threat (dead) and our neighbors are relieved.

Exactly. I'm in the same situation. State law says we can kill any predators that come on our property to protect our livestock. A couple of summers ago, a dog that belonged to someone that worked in the oilfields who was renting a house here in town got out, roaming the township limits. She pulled the door to my turkey pen open, got her snout inside, and grabbed one of my 3 turkeys, pulled it out, and then took it up to the local bar here in town, killing it. The people at the bar witnessed the dog, but said it was ME that then shot the dog, which, I didn't do, since I wasn't even aware of the situation, other than my turkey was missing, and the other two were traumatized... they went into my grow-out pen inside my chicken coop (8x12 shed). When the sheriff deputy showed up to investigate the 'shooting', he got my side of the story, and said I know where your turkey is... it's up in the dumpster at the Hilltop Bar. Turns out the bar employee made up a story and got ME in trouble with the law over it, saying I shot the dog. Wasn't even the same dog that attacked my turkeys, because that dog that did, showed up again the next day, while my neighbor, who witnessed the dog getting into my turkey pen, and I were standing on my back porch talking. He pointed out the dog as being the same one. I got photos of the dog, and gave them to the sheriff deputy, who was able to identify who the dog belonged to. I was SUPPOSED to get $300 compensation for the bird, but never got it. Wasn't much longer, dog AND owner were not to be found in town any longer.

 

[dogpatchchickens]

As mentioned I sold my pickup for enough to build this coop/run. Will this work? Have enough to build 3 more.View attachment 2801662

I have a run like that, only it has wheels so I can move my girls around. I don't use this as a permanent run, just for day time. If you want to use it full time, you need to bury wire to prevent digging under. I have covered my runs with 1/2" hardware cloth, much more effective than regular chicken wire. I would also suggest you might want to invest in an electric fence. Between the hardware cloth(wire) and electric fence your girls should be pretty safe. I am so sorry about your girls, I can imagine how heartbroken you must be.

 

[Samie311]

Sorry I'm rambling on, it too quiet now, my son and I are very distraught. There has been a bird dog reported running loose, that's what I shot at in the goats area. Will they do this to chickens and ducks?

A dog if he got in the pen could absolutely do this. My husband's coon hound managed to get on his dog house and hopped out of his pen onto the roof of their pen and did the same too all my chickens. That was the 3rd time he managed to get loose and kill my babies. 1st time he killed my smaller ones thru the fence just by pushing the fence against them and into their coop. He probably would of killed all 45 of my chickens that day if the kittens didn't catch his attention and he chased after them and my cat loving daughter heard it and went and got him and hollered for me. I called my husband balling. Needless to say the dog is now gone. And all pens have been reinforced the best I can at the moment.

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. It truly is devastating.