Dog pulled my hen's leg off!!

[moetrout]

not to be a *****, but who would offer to shoot their own dog? what the heck is the matter with people? do i have chickens? yes. would i shoot my dog if they did this? no. thats what rescues are for. i am actively involved in animal rescue of all kinds, and i know that there are good homes out there for dogs that are prey driven. people just need to be more responsible with their dogs. i am very sorry this happened to your chicken, and i hope it can make it through. but i would also question a person willing to kill their own dog? or any dog for that matter.

A person that is very, very sorry would offer to do that so it never happens again. That person i would know was truly sorry for what happened and wanted to really make good with me. I think it was generous for him to offer that up, but I also think you were a very kind person to turn that down.

I'd cull the chicken.

 

[Hiram]

Even though I would not approve of killing the dog for this one time. I can say what the neighbor offered was honorable but horrifying. Keep those chickens at home.

 

[brahmamomma]

well good thing its 2012

It was actually a common practice in the old days. What good is a livestock dog if it is going after your livestock? Some say if the dog has had a taste of chicken that it will keep going after the chickens.

 

[brahmamomma]

i guess i just come from a totally different state of mind, my dog is my baby....he sleeps in my bed! i do not believe in killing anything, yes i know...im a bleeding heart, vegetarian, liberal from jersey!! lol i can laugh at myself, and while its unfortunate what happened, i just never think problems are solved with violence. but, to each their own...i guess things are a bit different in montana!!! yee haw

 

[mmktdox]

I agree with moetrout . . . cull. Sorry, but that's a pretty traumatic thing for anything to go through and unless you want to start nursing it in your house, it's the most humane thing to do.

 

[Mattemma]

I have a couple of pictures I saved from here of 1 legged chickens.They do make it.Up to you if it is worth the hassle.

Nice of the neighbor to offer dispatching the dog.Most won't even pay for a death or injury.Atleast you know if the dog does this again they will probably put it down themselves.

 

[Ole rooster]

To be honest, I've shot my own dog for a killing he should not have done. That was about 40 years ago. I shot one of my neighbors dogs for not abiding by our agreement to keep them home. Same time frame. Since then I've not had a circumstance to have to do such a thing. Was if fun? Did I enjoy the thrill of death? Are you kidding. That shooting bothers me to this day but I do believe in capital punishment. I just happen to have to be the judge, jury, and executioner. I don't live on the spread I did at the time, and no horses anymore. It's not something I take lightly but it still in a necessity in the country. Plus it cost me the animal he killed.

 

[Azriel]

After I finished up my morning chores I went to check on the hen, and she had died. I had decided to cull her as soon as I was done feeding the rest of the animals. I'm glad I didn't have to do it. I have culled roosters to eat, but have never had to do one of my laying hens. I've kept the rest of the chickens locked in the coop the rest of the day so I can keep an eye on them to see if any one else acts like they have any injurys.

 

[bobbi-j]

i guess i just come from a totally different state of mind, my dog is my baby....he sleeps in my bed! i do not believe in killing anything, yes i know...im a bleeding heart, vegetarian, liberal from jersey!! lol i can laugh at myself, and while its unfortunate what happened, i just never think problems are solved with violence. but, to each their own...i guess things are a bit different in montana!!! yee haw

Yes you do come from a different state of mind. Your dog is your "baby", your pampered pet. On farms and ranches, most dogs are working dogs. They are used to herd cattle, protect sheep, etc. They live outside. If they start killing the stock that they are to protect, they are no longer useful. They become a liability. Also, in farm and ranch country, you need to have good relations with your neighbors. Why? If you're in trouble, who else do you have? When our house burned to the ground, our neighbors were there offering to do anything they could to help out. They combined our corn, they helped rebuild our home, they donated items, offered us a place to stay. Same thing when another neighbor had a heart-attack. If you alienate yourself from your neighbors (and "neighbors" can live miles away. You have neighbors, and you have people who live by you - there IS a difference!) you have no one to help in an emergency. So, the neighbor rightfully offered to shoot his stock-killing dog to continue a good relationship with the stock owner. Stock owner appreciated the gesture, gave neighbor a break by giving the dog another chance. Shooting the dog may seem violent to you, but it's just another way of life. Believe me, the dog wouldn't have suffered. The owner would have made it a good, clean shot and the dog never would have known what hit it.

Azriel - I'm sorry that your chicken died. I think if it hadn't, culling would have been the right way to go. It's a hard choice, but you decided that not letting your chicken suffer unnecessarily was more important than your own feelings. Good for you!

 

[Azriel]

bobbi-j, Thanks, a lot of people don't understand the "real" ranch, or country type of living. They get a few acres a few miles out of town and think they are in the country. Out here where the closest town is an hour away, yes you need to keep good relations with your neighbors even if they are a mile or two away, they are all you have if you need help. I'm not knocking you people that live on a few acres a few miles out of town, but you do need to have an open mind about what life is like when the police or fire help is over an hour away.
My dog is my pet, my baby, my best friend, right now she is on the sofa sound asleep, but she does not chase cattle unless under command, she has a very healthy respect of the horses after going to close to one of the new born foals, and she never looks twice at the chickens, but she has been trained, and training is an ongoing thing, with punishment swift and harsh enough to fit the crime, not a one time thing and then you never work with the dog again.
The dog that got my chicken is young, had never been arround chickens, had most likley chased wild birds, and just didn't know she was doing wrong. I don't know how she got this far away from home, but I trust these neighbors to not let the dog get back here.
The rest of my chickens seem to be ok, but I got about half the eggs I normally do.