Did my dogs kill the chickens or something else?

[danceswithronin]

Dogs don't generally eat what they kill. At least in my experience. @A_Fowl_Guy?

My dog is a chicken killer and he doesn't eat them, he just kills them, then drags them up and leaves them on the porch like a cat would leave a mouse. That's why I can't free range unfortunately. Terriers gonna terrier.

 

[cmom]

Hopefully you will get a picture of the predator.

 

[twendt]

 

[Kris5902]

I agree it doesn’t sound at all like your dogs, but have to disagree some on the dogs not eating what they kill point. My Uncles two German Shepard’s will kill and eat cats, Raccoons, Rabbits, and Squirrels (all of which have been seen being consumed by them, and no, they aren’t underfed).

I like the hasp and carabiner lock best myself, but also use sliding bolts in places. Because I use Chicken Tractors on uneaven ground the bolts are often incredibly hard to operate (even for me).

So sorry for your losses really though IMO the most important thing you can do to prevent predation is get everyone in and locked up at night, it sounds like making that change will solve most of your problems.

 

[Sorrelfur]

To me it sounds like a returning predator at night, but that does not let your dogs off the hook 100 %. If they have been running around the pens and spooking your birds it is possible that the 'playing' may have inadvertently escalated. Look your birds up at night, train the young dog, and do not allow your dogs to be with your flock unsupervised.

I'm definitely signing my younger girl Piper up to a training course that's like 9 weeks, I was already planning to do it before this. She had stopped spooking the ducks so I had thought she had calmed down. The backyard gates are now more securely locked so that they can't get opened like that again. I'm nervous about letting them free range during the day but at night they will definitely be locked up.

 

[Cryss]

View attachment 1819654

I like that. Give it the 5 year old test first.

 

[Sorrelfur]

I agree it doesn’t sound at all like your dogs, but have to disagree some on the dogs not eating what they kill point. My Uncles two German Shepard’s will kill and eat cats, Raccoons, Rabbits, and Squirrels (all of which have been seen being consumed by them, and no, they aren’t underfed).

I like the hasp and carabiner lock best myself, but also use sliding bolts in places. Because I use Chicken Tractors on uneaven ground the bolts are often incredibly hard to operate (even for me).

So sorry for your losses really though IMO the most important thing you can do to prevent predation is get everyone in and locked up at night, it sounds like making that change will solve most of your problems.

I really really hope it wasn't my dogs, but I know it could always be a possibility. So that's why piper will be getting training, the course I'm looking at teaches them how to be around an leave alone things like bunnies, guinea pigs, goats, etc so I'm hoping taking that course will help teach her to leave it.

 

[twendt]

I use this kind of latch for added security, the wind blew the door closed one night when my daughter was locking up the chickens and she got locked inside, poor thing, I was wondering why it was taking her so long, I came out to find her crying and locked in the chicken run.

 

[twendt]

I have a scottish terrier, she is NOT allowed outside if I happen to have one of my girls out of the garden in my lap. That dog kills anything that runs!! Instinct, I can't train that out her.

 

[twendt]

I'm cute, but deadly......