Heartbroken about my chickens

[hotmessJess]

I had to euthanize two chickens today, one of them was my sweet meat rooster. My neighbors have a dog that lives to run, she's a known chicken killer, and they knew she didn't have her invisible fence collar but put her out anyway. I want to be so mad, but the dog was just doing what dogs do and the neighbors, i believe, do genuinely feel bad. I'm just so heartbroken about the meatie, and I feel terrible that I could have saved the other roo if I hasn't missed his puncture wounds. Everyone is insisting that I send them the $400 vet bill, but I think that would just make bad blood. I'm just really beside myself today.

When I was 5,I was attacked by a chicken in a petting zoo and from that point I despised them. But we decided to get a few for eggs and I just figured I'd avoid them. Little did I know I'd fall head over heals and be falling to pieces in a vet's office over a darn chicken! It killed me to have to put the CX, Wii, to sleep. I didn't have the heart to process him, and was even going to have them do the amputation surgery, until my 5 year old said "I just want them to eufatize him so he can go to sleep and not be hurt anymore". So we did the right thing, and it sucked.

We also had to take in my two Welsummer roos. I didn't even know the one was injured until maggots fell out of his hidden wound. So we had to put Gamera to sleep. Dio, our other Welsummer roo is on meds but expected to recover. He actually attacked the dog but only has a small spot on his back. This is Dio with his wing around Gamera in the vet as we said our goodnights.

It's just horrifying what happened in less than 2 minutes. Three roosters dead, one injured, and one hen MIA. What a day.

 

[N F C]

Wow, you have had a really tough day. I'm so sorry about your losses. It's easy to get attached to these birds, to fall in love with their personalities and we get so much enjoyment from them. It's very hard to lose any of them.

Again, so sorry for your losses.

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

So sorry about your losses.

It's heartbreaking whether it's the first or hundredth time losing one.

 

[cppeace]

It is the dog owners responsibility and you should make them at the minimum pay the price of replacing them. I'd say $30 or more.

 

[hotmessJess]

They did offer to replace the chickens, but I really don't think that would make me feel any better. I do think they feel bad and realize they made a bad choice putting the dog out. I just especially don't want bad neighbor relations to come of it, either, because my husband was already not so nice.

I just wish birds were not so fragile.

Thanks for the condolences. I'm really trying to pull it together, and luckily no one today has said to me "it's just a chicken".

 

[cppeace]

A pet is a pet and finally people are starting to realize that pets are not just cats and dogs and people become attached to all our pets

 

[PfeilPfamily]

I know it's just a chicken but they are your babies. It's hard to raise them from tiny chickies and something happens to them. My dogs got 4 of our Welsummers. I was a mess and I was so incredibly sad and it was the dogs that came to comfort me. Go figure!

Hope things starts looking up for your Welsummer on the mend.

 

[hotmessJess]

Other than the fact that he's upset about having to take meds by force, he's looking pretty good today, eating, drinking, talking. Unfortunately I don't think he got much sleep because I would sit up and call his name periodically throughout the night. I was so worried, but I'd call him, he'd stir and say beep beep. Then we'd go back to sleep. My husband thinks I'm crazy. Lol

I've been walking the woods searching for my missing hen, though. I wish I could find her, one way or the other.

 

[toomuch]

That has happen to me, my neighbors dog killed 1 rooster and 6 chickens.I couldn't find my buff Orpington body buy I found her head in the dogs mouth. Hope you find your chicken.

 

[N F C]

@toomuch , how awful! I'm sorry for your loss.