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

[PhoenixinNevada]

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.

Try hot wire (electric fence) whats the saying? Tall fences make good neighbors. I understand how you feel though, been there with neighbors dogs and coyotes. Lost over 20 chickens being ripped apart.
Shot 1 coyote, huge thing bigger than most, big as a shepard or bigger, was with 4 others. I put up a strong high voltage wire along my fence top and bottom. Zaps with 12,000 volts. Havent had dog or coyote come in since. My own collies got hit with it when i first put it up, they screamed or yelped but they dont go near it. Got the solar pack 6 by Parmack cost 250.00 at Horse.com. supposed to last about 15 years.

 

[Rise722]

It isn't the dog's fault, but it isn't yours either....we trap or kill anything that doesn't behave. In the country, there is no Animal Control person to call - you're on your own...so...we take care of things. Too bad for the dogs, though.

 

[Chickin Out]

I hope you are not considering yourself one of the good people! After ripping into the OP, telling her it's her fault, she's an irresponsible chicken owner in her time of grief??!!!!!!! Shame on you! Your feelings are your own, you're entitled to them, but you shouldn't feel entitled to hurt someone else in such a way! Find a nicer way to share your sentiments!

You bet I am. I just told her the honest truth that she may need to hear. Seems like you need to hear some honest truth as well. I don't feel any shame about what I said. I think you should feel shame about attacking me for correcting what was wrong with her coop. She needs to know. Especially with everyone encouraging her to get more chickens but not telling her what went wrong. Someone had to say it. I just had the guts. If the coop isn't adequate protection, it will only lead to more tragedy.

so let me ask you this, I'm not entitled to share my opinion, but it's okay for her to feel entitled to murder a dog with puppies? And for all of you to egg her on. That's nuts. You are the ones who perhaps feel entitled. Entitled to treat animals badly for the sake of your "feelings."
She was warned after the initial attack. She took no action to protect the surviving chickens. That says all that I need to say. Is her life hard? Probably. Is she allowed to feel badly? Sure. Am I sorry this happened to her? Yes. But I draw the line when you're out there shooting animals that it's your responsibility to keep out with a proper coop, and to move once the coop is destroyed. She has all she can do right now, perhaps, and that's understandable. But can't be blamed completely on the dog. If I were nearby, I would try to help. I regularly volunteer to help sort out problems with animals.

Guess what? I have problems, too. Is my life hard often? Yes. I don't take it out on animals. Better to grow up and make a better choice.

 

[Chickin Out]

That’s because up until that point, people were being compassionate about all the loss and hurt that OP has been suffering. Then people started criticizing and being mean. Like this next quote. Oh wait. That’s you.
That’s a strong comment to call her evil.
So you automatically label people who do not have the same opinion you do as “bad”? When there is a difference of opinion, I wonder who gets to decide which is the good side and which is the bad? Maybe it’s not “good” people vs “bad” people. Maybe it’s just regular people with different opinions.

Strong people tend to make strong comments. Actually, that comment was made by someone else but I don't have a problem with him/her stating her opinion.

A difference of opinion is one thing. taking a life to get revenge because something bad happened to you is not a difference of opinion. It's a difference of morals. What I said about the coop, I said because it's not kind to withhold information from someone that would help them. It wasn't about criticism of the coop, or the person, it was about letting them know what is effective, and what is not.

 

[Chickin Out]

That’s because up until that point, people were being compassionate about all the loss and hurt that OP has been suffering. Then people started criticizing and being mean. Like this next quote. Oh wait. That’s you.
That’s a strong comment to call her evil.
So you automatically label people who do not have the same opinion you do as “bad”? When there is a difference of opinion, I wonder who gets to decide which is the good side and which is the bad? Maybe it’s not “good” people vs “bad” people. Maybe it’s just regular people with different opinions.

Nope. Not labeling her as a bad person for having a difference of opinion. It's not opinion that counts here, it's actions. Anyone who would shoot a dog that has puppies and was abandoned can be counted as a bad person in my opinion.

 

[Chickin Out]

We have chickens and dogs and neighborhood dogs that roam. We have secure coops and a secure 6 foot fence around our chicken area inside of our fenced yard. I would be frustrated if a dog killed my chickens, that is understandable. However dogs will chase and kill chickens. If I just had my secure coop in the yard with no outer fences, etc. and didn’t watch, my dogs would dig under eventually. Saying that a dog that needs to be killed for that is ridiculous. Dogs do that. Talk to your neighbors and animal control. Fence your yards. Be proactive not reactive against an animal for negligence by humans. Stray dogs having puppies? Why is a pregnant dog a stray? Help take care of that. Posting on here about killing dogs is not the point of this page. It is disgusting to be that so many people are saying to kill the dog. In our state you would get in trouble for that. Talk to your neighbors and fence your yards!

Bravo!

 

[AntiqueB]

I'm so sorry that all these difficult, sad things happened at once. Illness, accidents, and death are so hard individually; having several at one time makes it hard to bear. You will, however, bear it, and better times will come. Now that your partner is sleeping better, you will, too, and your mind will begin to recover from the trauma of it all. Then you can mlre clearly think about what course of action you want to (or need to) take. I will keep you in my thoughts.

 

[Chickin Out]

Thank you for the reply and your opinion.

Thanks for replying. Just wanted you to know I'm sorry for what happened. No one could blame you for feeling overwhelmed right now. Hope you can have a chance to just focus on you and your partner for awhile.

 

[Matejka]

Nope. Not labeling her as a bad person for having a difference of opinion. It's not opinion that counts here, it's actions. Anyone who would shoot a dog that has puppies and was abandoned can be counted as a bad person in my opinion.

Can we shoot the coyote that prowl our property. We gotta keep our baby calves safe. What if it's a mama coyote? Is that o.k.? Some coyote are mixed with domestic stray dogs-are those shootable? Or considered a "pet"?
I have encountered coyote, raccoon, fox, skunk, rats, hawks and Cara cara while keeping my chickens safe, only to have them destroyed by a dog.
I accept the label of being BAD for protecting my property.
We heard a loud ruckus coming from pasture across the road last night.
Coyote pack was fighting-with what I don't know. They weren't on a hunt, they were fighting.
Haven't seen a dog today.

 

[Chickin Out]

Can we shoot the coyote that prowl our property. We gotta keep our baby calves safe. What if it's a mama coyote? Is that o.k.? Some coyote are mixed with domestic stray dogs-are those shootable? Or considered a "pet"?
I have encountered coyote, raccoon, fox, skunk, rats, hawks and Cara cara while keeping my chickens safe, only to have them destroyed by a dog.

I understand it's difficult to maintain livestock in a wildlife area. This is true even where I live, a semi-suburban area.
I guess part of my point is that if one dog can do it, so can another. So the best offense is always a good defense, an impenetrable, or close to impenetrable coop. I do think there are some non-lethal ways of deterring dogs and coyotes. To be honest with you, I would not shoot a coyote that had babies to care for. I would simply do everything in my power to protect my animals through non-lethal means. With calves, I would guess that would mean penning them in something the coyotes couldn't get into. Like I said, I understand it's frustrating. But poison is especially cruel and I can't advocate shooting the dog either, especially for the sake of the puppies.
Let me ask you this, do you think the dog has any guard dog characteristics? Could it be valuable to someone for that reason?