Dogs killed all my chickens

[nnbreeder]

Check the city codes for use of an electric fence, animal control might know too.

 

[mikeksfarmer]

First I am so sorry they are like pets. There is no replacement but the new ones will in time fill some of the loss. After reading so many stories about dogs killing chickens I think its like a squeeky toy. It dosent matter the dog they are going to want to kill your chickens. Ask the neighbor to take action to prevent it from ever happening again. That is more important than paying. Real action not just saying I will do better. Neighbors dogs on one side of me killed the Neighbors chickens on the other side of me three times. What will you do to prevent your dogs from getting out and running free again? Fix the fence, put in invisible fence, secure the hole they get out of. If your neighbor does not do this you will loose your next chickens too. Electronic hugs your way from Kansas

 

[Weasleymum]

Thank you. What happened with the animal control officers is that they talked to somebody who apparently is watching the dogs but is not the owner/ homeowner. (Housesitter, maybe? I don't know.) These are neighbors I've never talked to before, since they're on the other side of a busy street, and their yard is surrounded by a 6-foot fence... even in the front yard. Not what you'd call inviting. The officer said that they would send somebody by to have a "discussion" with the actual owners.

Call me cynical, but I think my only chance is to secure my birds from the inside out; even if these paticular dogs get restrained... won't there always be others? (It's a borderline neighborhood, not "the hood" but not super nice, either.) I just feel so hopeless right now.

I'm pregnant, too, so my emotions are all over the place already, I don't know how much of this is just due to the extra helping of hormones and etc.

 

[FrChuckW]

I am sorry for your loss, especially as these were more than just chickens, they were your special pets. Unfortunately, people today do not care like they used about being responsible for their pets.

Especially in the city. The neighborhood I live in, has been a dumping ground for unwanted dogs. People just dump them in a vacant lot and take off. Then the poor animal is either run over, attacked by another dog, or hopefully picked up by animal control or someone takes them in. WIth today's economy some people are just dumping their dogs because they can no longer afford to feed them.

I have a 5 foot chain link fence around my backyard with tall shrubs on the outside of the fence that have grown together as a blockade. however I will be putting up a 6' privacy fence around the entire yard on the inside of my existing fence come spring, plus fencing in my front yard.

They only thing I can suggest is that if you get more chickens, I would make them a run to be in. In this case I would get one of those paneled dog runs and put a secure top on it to keep them in, and hopefully dogs out. Also secure the bottom so that they can't dig under it.

I would also look into the local ordinances as to what the proven owner of the dogs is responsible for. It does vary from city to city and county to county. You can also get them for stress due to your condition.

Again my sympathies for your loss

 

[vanillachicks]

This exact same thing just happened to me, friday. I feel for you.

 

[Redfeathers]

I'm so sorry to hear that.

 

[hoosier]

So sorry for your loss. That is terrible.

 

[gkeesling]

I've just started with chickens and am trying to make my coop and run critter proof. I was wondering - how did the dogs get in your pen? Did they dig under it?

 

[cthrash1]

I am soo sorry for your loss today. I just had over half of my flock killed today too by a couple of dogs from someplace down the street...It is so heartbreaking...

 

[FrChuckW]

Quote:
You might want to check out the coops and runs construction forum on here for some ideas. Depending on where you live and how big you plan to build your coop and run, you can either dig a trench around the outside of your run and bury small holed chicken wire or hardware cloth at least 18 - 24 inches deep, fill half way up with gravel and cover with dirt. This will discourage digging predators from getting into the run. Or a permanent solution is to put a concrete footing in, make sure it goes below your frostline, and bring it up to the level of the bottom of your run. Then when you install the fencing of your run cement the bottom of the wire to the top of your footing.