Dog keeps killing hens

[PrincessChicky]

Insult on injury, it is *my* own dog that is doing it!

I have a 2 year old dauchshund that is responsible for killing 4 of my hens in the past 2 months. We have built a pretty good fence around the coop area to prevent more killing which resulted in my americauna getting eaten this morning. I think the problem is that the hens are getting on top of the fence and going over. I've clipped their wings and they're still going up and over.
What else can I do? Netting over the area near the fence? Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I'm sorry for your losses. Unfortunately that fence is not nearly high enough to keep birds in even with clipped wings. You'll need to raise the fence height and/or enclose the top.

 

[jvls1942]

It sounds like you have resigned yourself to having a chicken killing dog.
on my acreage that is not acceptable.
i suggest you train the dog to leave the chickens alone.
even with the most secure fence, sometimes chickens get out. and then the pooch will kill what he can.
it will take time to do the improvements on the fence.
in that much time, you could have the dog trained..

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Also, is the wire portion covered over with smaller wire such as hardware cloth? The openings in the fencing used are to large to provide security

 

[PrincessChicky]

I'm sorry for your losses. Unfortunately that fence is not nearly high enough to keep birds in even with clipped wings. You'll need to raise the fence height and/or enclose the top.

What's the best material to use to enclose the top?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Presumably you want to maintain access for people so adjust height accordingly.....if going for a netting top a tall pole in the center may work

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Our Boarder Collie had that habit. It was a nightmare. Took 2 years to teach him not to attack them. A lot of ours free range.
We would have to muzzle him and keep him Close to the hens while his jaw was clamped. Not all day of course. Just an hour here and there. Eventually he realized it was a form of punishment. Now if he misbehaves, we hold the muzzel up so he can see it and he flips the I am an Angel switch on and snaps out of the desire to misbehave.
Took for ever but we had patients because we love him. He is a smart dog. Good luck..

 

[centrarchid]

I think wings can be clipped tight enough to keep birds in that setup. Make clip bilateral and close. Properly done I can keep even my games from going over 24". If approach used, then post a picture of clip job on open wings before putting scissors down.

 

[GGBEAR]

@centrarchid what is this clipping you are talking about?
I have fencing maybe slightly higher than that and I have 1 chicken that continually jumps the fence do you have any pics?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Chickens are better climbers than they are fliers. After looking at your pen I see numerous ways that a hen can hop from place to place to get high enough to jump down over your fence and land outside. Also it does little or no good to clip both wings because the thing about a clipped wing that keeps poultry inside is the lack of directional stability that a clipped wing gives. Clipping both wings will not work. You need to cut the flight feathers back drastically on just one wing to get the effect that you're looking for. Warning, clipping wings will make your hens extremely vulnerable to attack from predators like dachshunds.