Dog attack

[schmism]

SO about a month ago a dog got in the neighbors chicken pen and got all but 1 chicken (5 in total i think). They called animal control but nothing much was done.

Unfortunately the dog decided to hit my free range girls today.

We started last year with 11, and we had lost one hear and there to whatever. (just didnt come home at the end of the day) to be expected with 100% free range chickens in the country. Point is we were down to 9 happy girls.

As it stands there are 2 confirmed kills, one DOA in the coupe the other carried off in the mouth of the dog as i shot at it to scare it off. 3 war torn battle scared chickens have made it back to the coupe. 2 coming from the woods behind us, 1 we rescued from under the old buss they can hide in.

one girl (who is currently in a broody mood) never left the coupe and escaped unharmed sitting in a nest box. A 5th was also in the floor of the coupe and i dont expect her to make it. I picked her up and put her in an upper nest box but i dont have high hopes for her despite no real serious external injury's.

So the best we could hope for is 7, the worst would be 4.

We were planning on getting a few more chicks this spring, it would seem we will be getting a few extra now.

I am on close coupe watch for the rest of the day. Tonight we will close them up and not let them out for a few days to let them rest some. Addtionally they are missing some feathers but i dont know if its serious enough that it would cause them warmth issues. Ive got the heat lamp on again as its supposed to get back to freezeing tonight.

 

[schmije]

Mrs. Schmism here...

We're both feeling a bit down after this ordeal. Big hug for you, Steve (((((((()))))))).

Maybe the two missing girls will come out of hiding this afternoon.

 

[nzpouter]

next time it comes back, shoot it.

 

[tabatha_westcott]

I'm so sorry. Our neighbors dog got ahold of one of our hens a while back. My husband caught the dog and we held it until animal control came. They said there was nothing they could do unless we had the dog, which we did. They came and got the mutt and we haven't seen it since. Our hen survived, but she has a limp wing now. That stupid dog ticked me off! Maybe you could talk to the owners... Hopefully they will be reasonable about it. Maybe even replace your loss. Again, I'm sorry.

 

[horsejody]

Call the sheriff and report it. Do you know who owns the dog?

 

[schmism]

Quote:
Im a good shot with my .22 and a dog is a big target when compared to my normal plinking targets or grackles at 40 yards.

If i had known how much damage it had done when i was shooting to scare it off, then i would have shot to kill. I suppose seeing it carry a bird off in its mouth should have been enough.

I told the Julie, if i see it again its not going home.

 

[schmism]

Quote:
we have a call into animal control. And we dont exactly know who owns it but can get with in a house or 2 up the street. (you dont have that many to choose from in these parts)

 

[momofdrew]

I would report it to animal control as this is not the first time it has gotten someones chickens maybe now they will do something

 

[schmism]

some good news and bad.

the RIR that was unlikely to make it didnt.

but another bared rock was found dry, and unscathed in the other barn hiding amongst the various tractors.

so thats 3 confirmed dead, 5 still with us 1 MIA

 

[schmije]

The problem with the first attack was that nobody knew where the dog came from. We're pretty sure we've nailed it down to about 3 houses just down the road, so maybe animal control will take it from there.

I've been brushing up on the local ordinance and there's nothing in it that specifically discusses a dog attack on livestock. Hoping animal control calls back this afternoon.