Dogs gone bad

[Dragron_ heart]

This event is what drove me to find and online community. There was a whole in the chicken pen fencing that I didn't know about. I let the chicks out in the morning and locked them up at night and made check-ups on the birds and the coop etc on a regular basis. I wish I had seen the hole because my normally gentle and docile boxers (2) and Golden Retriever (1) certainly noticed it. That afternoon I got a text from my brother asking if I knew I had 10 dead chickens laying around the front yard No one has them. I have emails out to every hatchery I could find.. You don't need the gory details, I was able to save one of them and have since refenced most of the pen. But is there anyway to get the dog's mind off of chicken after something like this? Only 3 of my hens will venture outside the coop, the rest cowered in a corner when I opened their door. Also, I need to replace 15 - 20 Polish, Frizzle, Silky and a few other standard type hens. These birds can be hard to get in March and in June it's like they disappeared. So if anyone has any input I would be happy to hear it.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

As a boxer owner I can say they have a high prey and play drive and will think nothing of tossing and squashing chickens. It can take some time to teach them to leave them be. All 3 of my boxers were different with my current one being a confirmed killer as a young dog. I finally resorted to a short use of a shock collar for her. My last boxer needed a shaker can.

You could always run some electric fence around the coop and run, otherwise lots of individual training for each dog.

You may need to search locally for birds this time of year as hatcheries run out. Some do suddenly have more come fall so keep checking their websites.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Oh, and your dog's didn't go bad, they were just being dogs.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hello and welcome to BYC - thanks for joining us but sorry to hear of your woes.

 

[drumstick diva]

Sorry for your loss. I think it will take electrified fencing to keep your chickens safe. I have always felt that dogs/cats and chickens should never meet. Chickens end up dead.

 

[Dragron_ heart]

As a boxer owner I can say they have a high prey and play drive and will think nothing of tossing and squashing chickens. It can take some time to teach them to leave them be. All 3 of my boxers were different with my current one being a confirmed killer as a young dog. I finally resorted to a short use of a shock collar for her. My last boxer needed a shaker can.

You could always run some electric fence around the coop and run, otherwise lots of individual training for each dog.

You may need to search locally for birds this time of year as hatcheries run out. Some do suddenly have more come fall so keep checking their websites.

Now that you mention it the birds weren't eaten. It was as if the dogs played with them until it wasn't fun and then they went on to the next bird. But talk about a sick game. I think securing the pen and hot wiring it will be my first solution.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Now that you mention it the birds weren't eaten. It was as if the dogs played with them until it wasn't fun and then they went on to the next bird. But talk about a sick game. I think securing the pen and hot wiring it will be my first solution.

My boxer would toss them in the air than stomp on them. Once they stop moving the dog will move on to one that is moving because it's more fun, and stimulating, until none are moving than they might play with the dead ones.

It's similar to how dog toys are fun until the squeaker goes, than it's on to ripping out the stuffing or guts. It's all instinct, the dog doesn't know it's not a good thing.