Devestation, i'm mad, heartbroken and i have given up

[cmom]

No, I re-homed a gosling that someone dropped off at the end of my driveway. I told a friend about it and he happened to have a friend who was looking for one so I gave it to them.

 

[kklowell]

If you do someday decide to try it again, I strongly suggest adding a couple of strands of electric fence to your coop. It will quickly convince a dog or other predator that that coops isn't to be messed with.

 

[Chickin Out]

I understand that it's very upsetting when something happens to your chickens. However, a pregnant or nursing mother dog desperate to feed puppies hardly deserves that sort of treatment. It's not her fault that someone abandoned her and neglected simple kindness of getting her spayed. And she is gamely trying to provide for her family with no human help. Keep in mind, if she hadn't gotten into your Coop, something else would have eventually. a coop made of two by twos is just a disaster waiting to happen in a rural area. I live in a suburb and I hand built my own coop with the help of my sister out of four x fours and two by sixes, and some two-by-fours. there's not a single piece of lumber on that coupe that's less than a 2 by 4, and all of them are anchored to another two by four. Can everyone do this, probably not. But realistically, that was never a very safe coop. I know it's frustrating when you think they're safe and aren't
Also, keep in mind you allowed your rooster to sleep outside on a table on your porch. That's not exactly good chicken keeping!
Neither is doing nothing to secure your remaining hen and then just letting her wander off with a hungry dog on the loose. I understand you're having a hard time right now, but taking out your frustrations on helpless animal like a dog, makes you a pretty pathetic and irredeemable person in my mind. And I think in the minds of pretty much everyone. You need to take a step back and take stock of yourself and your methods.
I also think it's best not to raise more chickens. The Coop you have or had is not equipped for your location.

Is everyone going to like this post? No. Is everyone going to agree with me? No. But I'm not going to sugarcoat it.

 

[susania]

Very sad. For our chicken run we used 4x4’s and 2x6’s with 1/4 inch hardware cloth. In addition we surrounded it with 2x4 welded wire. We have mountain lions, foxes, raccoons, gophers...you name it, as well as neighborhood dogs and nothing has gotten in. We also have feeding tubes that we seal every night. Hope you can rebuild and sorry for your loss.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I had a secure coop (I thought) 1/2 inch hardware cloth all around coop and run. Tuesday, my partner (he's 84) fell, bruised elbow cracked ribs on right side. We limped along till Friday, he is unable to get into/out of bed without help, pain meds-dizzy so I have to help him up/down to bathroom etc...
Friday, I left the birds in runb did not let them free range. 5:30 or so I help partner bathroom, change clothes, back to bed, stayed with him for about an hour til he is resting easy.
Go out to collect eggs, birds iwere fine @ 4 when I checked, now 7:15 and utter carnage. 6 girls and a cockerel. Run is destroyed, 2x2 chewed until it broke, hcView attachment 2322439View attachment 2322440 ripped out of screws. 1 dead 3 missing, 1 game pullet and rooster loose. No idea what got em. Almost dark, secure coop with pullet, rooster won't go near coop, he slept on table on back porch. Yesterday, plywood run holes. 5 p.m. I see dog with pink collar chasing rooster across yard. By time I get gun, dog is happily carrying rooster home (next door). Neighbors called, their out of town(also family) state they don't have a dog with pink collar-there's a stray that showed up and had puppies on their porch. Long rant, 1 chicken left and I give up. I won't try to have anything alive here. That dog WILL DIE- I'll shoot it, trap it poison it-whatever it takes. Neighbors stated shoot it I have permission. Don't dump your problem on someone else.

 

[kodster]

Hey, that’s not true. Everything dies. I’ll die, you’ll die, our pets will all die, it’s just how it works. If you don’t care about something, it’ll still die, you just might not be upset about it. You caring about something doesn’t mean it’ll automatically die, it’ll die anyways, you will just care about it’s death. Dealing with the death of a loved one happens to the best of us. There isn’t a way to magically prevent it. But, there is no point getting worked up about it either. I mean, yes you can cry about their death, but don’t blame yourself for one second. Unless you killed them with your own two hands, it wasn’t your fault. I’ve personally lost more people in my life then I’d like to admit, and I feel your pain. Just keep them in your heart and continue on.

The future may not be brighter in the present’s eyes, but the past knows it will be.
~ someone.

Exactly. The Book says that we are ALL destined to die the 1st death. Some of us will never die, and some of us will die a 2nd death. So, it's a part of the Tree of Life cycle that started when the Tree of Knowledge was eaten from, in disobeyance by Eve and then Adam. We have to deal with the pain of such knowledge and loss. That's what being human is all about.

 

[bcorps]

Sorry, but that dog would already be dead with me....right or wrong.

Probably too soon for constructive advice, but anyway. The trick with hardware cloth is not letting them get to the edges. Staple it to the wood, and then nail more wood over the edges. It takes MUCH more force to pull staples out sideways than it does straight out.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I understand that it's very upsetting when something happens to your chickens. However, a pregnant or nursing mother dog desperate to feed puppies hardly deserves that sort of treatment. It's not her fault that someone abandoned her and neglected simple kindness of getting her spayed. And she is gamely trying to provide for her family with no human help. Keep in mind, if she hadn't gotten into your Coop, something else would have eventually. Also, keep in mind you allowed your rooster to sleep outside on a table on your porch. That's not exactly good chicken keeping. I understand you're having a hard time right now, but taking out your frustrations on helpless animal like a dog, makes you a pretty pathetic and irredeemable person in my mind. And I think in the minds of pretty much everyone. You need to take a step back and take stock of yourself and your methods.

Is everyone going to like this post? No. Is everyone going to agree with me? No. But I'm not going to sugarcoat it.

That’s awful. I’ve been through it and most (every) chicken owner has, so we sympathize with you. It’s so hard. However, do not kill the dog. Take it to a dog rescue. There are many good dogs that also kill chickens. I have one and have spent a lot of money to keep them safe. Yet, he got two, one today, that I will nurse back to health. It’s so traumatic. Loose dogs are the fault of the owners, not the dogs. My heart goes out to you. I am so sorry.

 

[VioletsMom73]

I had a secure coop (I thought) 1/2 inch hardware cloth all around coop and run. Tuesday, my partner (he's 84) fell, bruised elbow cracked ribs on right side. We limped along till Friday, he is unable to get into/out of bed without help, pain meds-dizzy so I have to help him up/down to bathroom etc...
Friday, I left the birds in runb did not let them free range. 5:30 or so I help partner bathroom, change clothes, back to bed, stayed with him for about an hour til he is resting easy.
Go out to collect eggs, birds iwere fine @ 4 when I checked, now 7:15 and utter carnage. 6 girls and a cockerel. Run is destroyed, 2x2 chewed until it broke, hcView attachment 2322439View attachment 2322440 ripped out of screws. 1 dead 3 missing, 1 game pullet and rooster loose. No idea what got em. Almost dark, secure coop with pullet, rooster won't go near coop, he slept on table on back porch. Yesterday, plywood run holes. 5 p.m. I see dog with pink collar chasing rooster across yard. By time I get gun, dog is happily carrying rooster home (next door). Neighbors called, their out of town(also family) state they don't have a dog with pink collar-there's a stray that showed up and had puppies on their porch. Long rant, 1 chicken left and I give up. I won't try to have anything alive here. That dog WILL DIE- I'll shoot it, trap it poison it-whatever it takes. Neighbors stated shoot it I have permission. Don't dump your problem on someone else.

So very sorry for your loss. I can’t even imagine. I do hope you try again though.

 

[Chickin Out]

The dog is human friendly and being raised by her family across the way and you think it should be shot? I've never been more disgusted that you guys think the solution to lost chickens is killing a pet.

Thank you for speaking up! I agree!
It is sadly almost always the animals who pay for the irresponsible neglect of humans.