Grief

[ethomas89]

I’m not entirely sure what I’m asking here. Maybe how to cut down on my chickens getting attacked by neighbors dogs? And also how to move on from a traumatic mauling? I can’t get it out of my mind. The smell; the sight, my sweet “Big Guy” rooster was cruelly left alive by a dog that mauled him his back was missing his neck muscles had been cut through and yet my precious strong guy was still alive. It happened Monday and it’s now Friday and I’m still crying off and on all day. I’ve never seen something like a walking horror show in my life like this. My heart HURTS that I did not know my rooster was on the side of my house just sitting there suffering in the heat I could not find him I looked everywhere and he was just suffering without me knowing all day long. The flies were merciless eating him when he was still alive. I threw up from the site of him. I shook. I cried. I lifted the water up to his beak but he had not enough neck muscles up to bend and drink but he tried. He tried and couldn’t rehydrate before dying. This KILLS me. I took a syringe and squirted water in his sweet little mouth. That helped. But he was literally hamburger with eyes. How do I move on from this trauma? He was my favorite and of course my favorite was the one that got caught. I feel like my family doesn’t understand those who don’t have chickens that it feels like when a cat or dog dies it’s traumatic but to them it’s just a chicken no, it’s not it’s the same as when you lose a dog or cat. It KILLS me. I feel like I’ll be sad forever. I wish that stupid dog would have gone all the day instead of left him to stay alive and suffer horrifically. It’s so much worse then finishing him off.

 

[Chickstarrs]

So sorry to hear about your rooster. What a terrible thing for him to go through and you have to witness. Especially with a beloved pet, be it a chicken, a dog or a cat. All I can say is that time is the best healer after something you went through.

Are your chickens free run? Is that how the dog was able to get him? You will need to remove the access of the dog to your chickens because he will be back. Either keep the chickens in a large dog-proof run or create a fence around your yard that will keep the chickens in and the dog out. There are a lot of threads on the forum that describe how to make a predator proof run. That's what that dog is...a predator.

Hope your other chickens are safe!

 

[GingerAndHerChicks]

I’m not entirely sure what I’m asking here. Maybe how to cut down on my chickens getting attacked by neighbors dogs? And also how to move on from a traumatic mauling? I can’t get it out of my mind. The smell; the sight, my sweet “Big Guy” rooster was cruelly left alive by a dog that mauled him his back was missing his neck muscles had been cut through and yet my precious strong guy was still alive. It happened Monday and it’s now Friday and I’m still crying off and on all day. I’ve never seen something like a walking horror show in my life like this. My heart HURTS that I did not know my rooster was on the side of my house just sitting there suffering in the heat I could not find him I looked everywhere and he was just suffering without me knowing all day long. The flies were merciless eating him when he was still alive. I threw up from the site of him. I shook. I cried. I lifted the water up to his beak but he had not enough neck muscles up to bend and drink but he tried. He tried and couldn’t rehydrate before dying. This KILLS me. I took a syringe and squirted water in his sweet little mouth. That helped. But he was literally hamburger with eyes. How do I move on from this trauma? He was my favorite and of course my favorite was the one that got caught. I feel like my family doesn’t understand those who don’t have chickens that it feels like when a cat or dog dies it’s traumatic but to them it’s just a chicken no, it’s not it’s the same as when you lose a dog or cat. It KILLS me. I feel like I’ll be sad forever. I wish that stupid dog would have gone all the day instead of left him to stay alive and suffer horrifically. It’s so much worse then finishing him off.

That is terrible. How was the dog able to get to the Roo? I have dogs on both sides, one neighbor has 2 german shepherds and another one has 3 dogs, and cats so I need to prevent them from coming into our yard. I lost a buff polish baby chick only after having her for 11 days 2 weeks ago and I still tear up seeing pictures of her. I think as time goes on it'll get a little easier but the sight will always be in the back of your mind. I'd say to possibly let them free range only if you're watching them otherwise have them in their run to prevent the dog from coming back or even other predators.

 

[gladraffe]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's so hard to see. Just breathe and accept all the emotions to go through. I hope the rest of your chickens are ok. Are they traumatized?

 

[Brooks_]

I’m not entirely sure what I’m asking here. Maybe how to cut down on my chickens getting attacked by neighbors dogs? And also how to move on from a traumatic mauling? I can’t get it out of my mind. The smell; the sight, my sweet “Big Guy” rooster was cruelly left alive by a dog that mauled him his back was missing his neck muscles had been cut through and yet my precious strong guy was still alive. It happened Monday and it’s now Friday and I’m still crying off and on all day. I’ve never seen something like a walking horror show in my life like this. My heart HURTS that I did not know my rooster was on the side of my house just sitting there suffering in the heat I could not find him I looked everywhere and he was just suffering without me knowing all day long. The flies were merciless eating him when he was still alive. I threw up from the site of him. I shook. I cried. I lifted the water up to his beak but he had not enough neck muscles up to bend and drink but he tried. He tried and couldn’t rehydrate before dying. This KILLS me. I took a syringe and squirted water in his sweet little mouth. That helped. But he was literally hamburger with eyes. How do I move on from this trauma? He was my favorite and of course my favorite was the one that got caught. I feel like my family doesn’t understand those who don’t have chickens that it feels like when a cat or dog dies it’s traumatic but to them it’s just a chicken no, it’s not it’s the same as when you lose a dog or cat. It KILLS me. I feel like I’ll be sad forever. I wish that stupid dog would have gone all the day instead of left him to stay alive and suffer horrifically. It’s so much worse then finishing him off.

I empathize with your pain. To find him dead is hard. To find him suffering will take much more to come to terms with. Hopefully, shock eased it for him. I also pray that the neighbor will contain the dog going forward.

 

[Goosebaby]

I’m so so sorry! This is awful beyond words. Time won’t get rid of the pain of losing loved ones but it softens it. I had geese killed by a coyote and it was gut wrenching, though at least I think they died quickly.
I also have family that aren’t understanding or supportive when it comes to losing a Feather child. Unfortunately from my own expierience you can’t change them, but I want you to know that what you’re going through is just as real and valid as it would be for any animal, people aren’t always very sensitive to the fact that birds are just as loving as any dog, cat, horse, or whatever and so they treat people that grieve for their bird like they’re weird but it’s unhealthy, you have to grieve, if you bottle it up it the pain turns toxic. Just remember that what you’re expieriencing, this pain, loss, a traumatic expierience lije this, it is normal, it’s expected, there’s nothing strange about it and it takes each of us our own time to process it in our own ways, those that don’t understand that and who’ll treat you weird are the weird ones, there’s something wrong with them, not you.
And remember that you are not alone, there is a whole world of bird moms and dads who feel just as deeply about their feather babies as you do and it hits us hard when tragedy occurs just as much.

I want you to try to remember your sweet boy as he was, not as he was last, you can’t forget what happened but don’t let your memory of his final moments be the main thing you think about when you think of him, and remember as horrible as it was what happened to him the last thing he saw in this life was you and that brought him peace, it was someone he loved that he saw last.

 

[ethomas89]

Thank you for the support and kind words

 

[addctd2plnts]

As a duck owner and a person who has dogs obsessed with the neighbors chickens, this is really hard from both sides. I offered to buy the neighbor electric netting fencing. It would be a great gift idea for you throw out there. If you're half as ugly when you cry as I am, they'll buy it right away LMBO Look at this: It also comes in 50 ft, less expensive rolls. Very few dogs can jump a 48" fence without touching it. I have Irish Wolfhounds and they don't even try to jump my 4 ft regular fences. But my neighbor's Irish Wolfhound is like a deer. She cleared 54"!

What does everyone think? It still won't protect against hawks but would stop the dog, I hope You would still need a fence charger. https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/poultrynet-plus-12-48-3-electric-netting

 

[ethomas89]

As a duck owner and a person who has dogs obsessed with the neighbors chickens, this is really hard from both sides. I offered to buy the neighbor electric netting fencing. It would be a great gift idea for you throw out there. If you're half as ugly when you cry as I am, they'll buy it right away LMBO Look at this: It also comes in 50 ft, less expensive rolls. Very few dogs can jump a 48" fence without touching it. I have Irish Wolfhounds and they don't even try to jump my 4 ft regular fences. But my neighbor's Irish Wolfhound is like a deer. She cleared 54"!

What does everyone think? It still won't protect against hawks but would stop the dog, I hope You would still need a fence charger. https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/poultrynet-plus-12-48-3-electric-netting

Thank you so much

 

[sassychickens76]

I'm sorry for your loss. I dread the day my precious Little Big Shot, pic on my profile, dies. The lone chick that I hatched died from a head injury. No one understood how deeply it affected me. For months I didn't want to hatch anymore chicks as a fear they would also die. The sorrow will pass. Hug up on your other chickens. I know it may sound weird, but it helps me to talk to the chickens. Yell at them to vent your anger at the dog. They will still look at you as thy person who brings the food. I pray for you, God bless.