Farewell, I'm Finished

[Chicken Delight]

Early this morning a large dog broke through our wooden fence then ate through the wooden wall of our chicken coop and killed all 11 of my girls. It happened between 1:00 am and 6:00 am. They were our pets and now they are all dead.

Thanks to everyone here for the great information and help, but this will be my last post as we are finished with chickens. I did everything right and they were all destroyed in one night. If I have any advice based on this it is to fully enclose both your coop and run with at least 6 foot tall chain link that includes a concrete base so predators can't dig in.

This has been one of the most rewarding and at the same time heartbreaking hobbies I have been involved in.

Good luck to all.

Farewell

 

[stilldeb]

What a horrible thing to happen, and I'm sure something all of us fear. So terribly sorry for your loss.

deb g
KY

 

[awesomefowl]

I'm so sorry!
Please don't give up though!

 

[annie3001]

so sorry for such a tragic loss. perhaps in time, you can try again.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I can't imagine how horrific that was for you

I am so sorry for your loss, truely heart breaking as we all have had our fair share of losses at some point. It takes time to heal after the first major loss, I know.

 

[theoldchick]

Your loss had taught me a lesson. Guarding your flock from wild animals is difficult enough but one must remember our neighbor's pets are just as dangerous. I plan to use electric wire to guard my flock.

Very sorry you had to lose your pets.

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

That is truly heartbreaking. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I know it is devastating to lose a flock, I lost 10 of my ducks to coyote a couple years back and felt like you - like I was done.
After some time I became more sad not having them, because they made me happy caring for them, watching them and living with them. You can't replace the ones you miss, but you can still be happy bringing other wonderful birds into your life. Each one is unique and needs someone like you to love them just the same.
I know you feel angry and sad, but don't let one dog ruin something that makes you so happy. See if you can improve your setup or at least have a nice house chicken you know will be safe. Unfortunately predators are just a fact of chicken life we all have to endure at some point, don't let that stop you from what you love and don't let it take you away from your friends and the wonderful people on BYC.
I know you love them and your chicken merchandise shows it (which by the way is awesome) don't give up yet, just fix your problem and understand there is always the chance these things can happen, but you made their lives worth living and they had good, happy ones in the time they had here with you.
Also is it possible to find out who the owner of the dog is? I would give them my 2 cents.

 

[TheyThinkI'mTheirMom]

Terrible. I know how much it hurts, as it happened to us, 6 girls, about 4 months old, we came home to the heartbreaking devestation.

Grieved. Started over and built a fortress for them and are back to enjoying the girls, their eggs and silly ways.

Perhaps, with time, you can try again.

So sorry.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

So very sorry for your traumatic loss and can totally understand how you feel.

But maybe you can re-think your coop and pen and try again?

It does sometimes seem to be a losing proposition - my pen and coop are, thankfully, completely secure, but we just had to activate gates on our property to keep neighborhood dogs out, and now we have a hawk circling around my girls every day.

No wonder chickens always think the sky is falling - for them, it is!

 

[Mattemma]

So sorry for your loss. Hope you can get rid of the dog and will have chickens again. I worry every am that I might go out to a shed full of dead hens.