dog kills my chickens:'(

[countrygirl96]

ok so i have this chocolate and charpea mix dog. I was SO mad at him the first time he got ahold of one of my hens, Ethal. He didnt kill her but he chewed her up really really bad. She died later after we had found her. now i have built a new chicken coop and tried my very best to make sure that none of them could get out anywhere. Well i had a seabreeze bantum named libby, and that little chicken was the best friend i have ever had i loved her soooooo soooo much, words cant even describe how much i did. And some where she squeezed out and my stupid dog got her. i had been in the house doing my homework when all this happened and when i went out to put them all up for the night, i couldnt find my sweet little libby anywhere so i went searching for her and sure enough she was laying in the corner of the yard all mangled up. I tried so hard to save her. I wraped her up in gauze, put a heat lamp on her and just hoped for the best. but im pretty sure she had a punctured lung.. she died that night. I am desparate for any kind of ideas, or ways to keep that dumb dog away from my new batch of chicks!!! i love my dog buddy but i cant always be there to moniter his every move you know? ive tried and tried to find him a new home, but with no luck. any ideas??? or training tips??? thanks!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Sorry that your little bantam died. I have a bird recovering from an attack by my dog...but it really was my fault. I normally crate her when i have the chickens free ranging and didn't do it this time. DH put her out in the holding pen and she dug out. I understand how much you loved your chicken because I was devastated to find my hen wounded in the yard.

I'm wondering if your dog was able to pull your little one through? Make sure you have 1/2" hardware cloth all around the bottom 3 ft. of the pen.

My pen is Fort Knox so the only thing that could break into it is a bear. You need to make your pen dog proof. If you're able to, you can put an electric fence around the bottom perimeter.

I think that some dogs have more of a drive than others. You can try to train your dog. I feel that once a dog has killed it can NEVER be trusted. I've read on here where people have had dogs that have been great with their chickens
for a couple of years then one day they up and kill some birds. The chickens get to fluttering, the dog is bored...who knows. I won't let my chickens out again. I don't want to chance it.

Do you have any pictures you can post. That will help people give you ideas on how it may have happened and how it can be prevented from happening again. They may see something you don't.

I'm so sorry for your little Libby. If it's any solace to you, animals have a natural protection when they are attacked. They go into shock and they don't feel the pain. They often don't know what's going on around them. Please don't beat yourself up. Your dog was doing what many dogs do so don't be too angry with her either. We are our chicken's protectors. Work on getting that pen as predator proof as you can. If your dog can get to your chickens than so can raccoons, foxes, opossums, etc.

Welcome to BYC

 

[BeccaB00]

Sorry for your loss

Things like this happen.
As far as training goes - you should not be very hopefull of getting your dog out of this. Dogs who start bad habits like this often don't get out of them. And if they do, it's going to be A TON of work on your side. First thing I could recommend is fixing up ANY and every spot around the coop that little Libby must have sqeezed out of. Like the poster above me said - If your dog can get to them - any other predator can to. next, Is your dog in the yard with them? Or does he come inside?

 

[wsdareme]

I'd agree that training is probably pointless. Shar-Peis were originally bred for fighting, and cross that with a bird-dog and you get a dog that is probably more likely than most to be a chicken killer. Sorry, but it's going to be up to you to protect your precious babies. Either that or get rid of the dog. Not a very adoptable cross, so you know where I'm going with this.

 

[herfrds]

My experience with a dog killing chickens, they never stop.
rehomed my blue heeler who wouldn't stop killing my chickens.
We tried everything.

Keep the chickens in the run and find all the holes.

 

[texasgal]

I have two dogs (labrador and aussie) that would kill my chickens.. in a heart beat. They killed a couple of DD13s rabbits .. so we had to plan.

It's a pain in the butt, but those dogs are NEVER out unsupervised, and my chickens are NEVER out if the dogs are out unleashed ... ever... period.

I know mistakes happen, and we had a (very) near miss one day when one of them got a mouth full of feathers before I could stop him, but for the most part, in my opinion, you are going to have to manage your dog in such a way that he can't "fail" .. or rehome him.

There was no way we were going to re-home our dogs, so we take the extra effort and time to make sure the dogs and the chickens never "meet" ..

I'm so sorry for your loss .. I could feel your love for Libby in your post ..

 

[rungirl]

How about stringing some electric fence around the outside. That'll stop the dog quick. Of course, he'll always be watching for an opportunity when they are out of the fence... I'd get rid of that dog if you want chickens.

 

[geebs]

uh...sometime the simplest suggestions are the best....Tie the dog up... away from the chickens...

 

[chkn]

If you made a dog run, then if a chicken inadvertently gets out, the dog can't go after her.