Dog got in the pen

[mamato3]

Well my dog decided to go chicken casing this afternoon 1 dead around 20 terrified and painting hoping they will cool down and not have a heat stroke i just froze a watermelon rind last night so i threw that in there. And at least 10 missing. So what the chances they will come back and how far would have they went? Ive looked in the fields around there pen but they all have good patches of high weeds and thorny bushes so i had to give up. 1 was a hen days from laying her first egg and my kids favorite. We just got rid of Jill our other dog because we seen her kill a chicken i guess Jack decided to follow in her footsteps

 

[bobbi-j]

Oh, that's too bad! We've had dogs in the past that have gotten into the chickens. I chose to keep them and work with them and reinforce the chicken housing. I hope you can work things out so you don't have to get rid of Jack, too. My DS and DDIL are here with their golden retriever (about a year old) who just discovered the chickens. The ones I want to keep are secure in their enclosed run and coop, the free-rangers are all in hiding. Fortunately the dog didn't get any, but I'm hoping that the penned up ones didn't get over heated. They were all in the rafters when I went to check on them. The visiting dog doesn't get to be loose outside without supervision anymore.....

 

[nzpouter]

did you do any training with the 2 species prior to the incident?

 

[crazy chook]

My dog is allowed to wonder with my chickens, he knows they are pets and not food or something to chase!

It is really a dogs instinct to chase anything that moves, and chickens run squawking their heads off. Sorry for your loss and I hope all your other chickens come back.

 

[mamato3]

They all came back last night. Jack chased them i think only because he wanted to play. He is really hyper and is constantly running around playing with a stuff toy the kids left out or a stick or bone lol. He is a jack Russel, pug cross very cute and lovable. Part of the reason he got in the pen was my fault i was reworking part of the fence after Jill killed the chick that got out and i stopped to go in and cool of it humid and hot here he just jumped over the low spot. He seen an opportunity to get out and go play with the other dogs in the area and spotted the chickens instead. He has never show any hunting instinct like Jill did she would stock the fence line trying to get close to the chickens to pounce. We will keep him for know and train him and give him a chance to stay. Unlike Jill he was not hunting them just playing.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

I have had similar problems with a neighbor's dog...he showed up (keep in mind he is a 100 lb mastiff mix) and pushed down the door to our coop. Woke up at 6am to all my chickens being chased into the woods. Finally had to call animal control on the dog because the neighbors wouldn't keep him put up and he also caused significant property damage. Dogs have a natural tendency to attack birds and as a chicken owner, it is frustrating having neighbors who don't care what their pet does because they don't see chickens as pets.

 

[tnchickenut]

It sounds like Jack didn't want to kill them or they would all be dead. I have two boxers and a new Jack Russell and the one boxer LOVES chickens... the only thing is the chickens do not like to play with dogs. Most recently, I go out to find that the boxer, Heidi, got out again and the bantam flock was having a fit, so I go to the birds first. One of the bantam cochins were in with standards (BR, Dels, and SL Wyandotte) and was getting the crud beat out of it, so I saved him. As I was walking him over to the bantams flock, my little Japanese comes around from the back... SOAKING WET... she was being washed by my boxer for God knows how long. Heidi comes out smiling and following the Japanese around like they were now best friends. GEESH!

I guess my point is, I think Jack doesn't want to kill them... maybe just played to hard with the one. So, it really doesn't matter if he sees them as your pets or his food if he still is going to play rough with them. I think you need to teach him that they are not toys. I know its hard depending on the breed and the temperment of the individual dog, but now Jack has seen how much fun they can be flying about and making all those fun noises. You just have to teach that they are not toys, just like you taught that furniture was not a toy.

Good luck... it takes time, patience, and understanding. Glad you only lost one and the rest come back. Chickens are really good at hiding.