I guess I deserve an "I told you so"

[mamabahre]

Quote:
the anti freeze is a horrible idea frankly...My own dog could die as well and I don't want to poison their dog..please don't do that to other people's dogs...


OK anyway, I won't ask for money..It isn't "worth" it..
I agree it is harder to complain because our has gotten into their yard... It hasn't happened in a while and we will make sure our dog doesn't do it again!!

As far as talking to them I guess I'll just tell them I'm upset and expect better control of their dog... I don't know what to say really.

 

[Casey3043]

It's a shame that you lost your favorite hen Don't beat yourself up--accidents happen. It's sad, but all you can do is go on from here and vow never to leave them out when you are not around to watch them. Actually, it could have happened even if you had been there. Dogs are incredibly fast chicken killers.

As far as the neighbors, most people are angry, ashamed and embarrassed when their dog (or child) causes trouble with the neighbors. I can't imagine what the "peeling out" was all about, unless they were just afraid to face you.

THEY should be at YOUR house apologizing and offering to pay for the hen that was killed. They should be promising to be much more vigilant with the dog, but dogs do get away, especially when there are kids in the house leaving doors open. The fact that they are NOT ringing your doorbell means (to me) that they don't really think it was their fault. And that's just the kind of people they are, I guess.

 

[mamabahre]

Quote:
thank you for this. I told DH if it was our dog I would have been over there immediately apologizing and offering to pay for any dead birds. I wouldn't have even thought about it you know...

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I would start with, "Remember what we talked about just the other day... your dog... my chickens?... "

Agreed, I wouldn't ask for $ for this bird BUT I would make it clear that they MUST keep their dog out of your yard AND if it does happen again you will be expecting $$ for every bird lost/injured AND you will be calling Animal Control! Make it clear that you really would rather have live, healthy birds and no $ and that you would rather have their dog stay in their yard BUT you will do what you need to do... AND THEN FOLLOW THROUGH!

 

[The Tinman]

If there is no fence to keep the dog in it own yard and your chickens are allowed to free range. Someday the chickens will wonder to your neighbors house.

 

[drumstick diva]

Since your dog also travels to their property, you kill their dog and I bet yours would have a shovel accident too. I'm sure that isn't what you want but, turnabout is usual fair play. You are just lucky they don't have livestock or the shoe might be on the other foot.

I would express how upset you are but, not try for compensation. Instead maybe you could say "we" have a problem meaning you and them. Feel them out about them going in on some type of fence with you - maybe one you guys manage to put up from recycled stuff.

You could maybe catch their dog and take it for a ride to the nearest shelter - altho they would have a pretty good idea who did it. Poison always seems to attract the wrong targets. Maybe you could set a live trap and take photos to keep as some kind of proof for the future. Or paint a target on the dog's side before you let it go. You can be as "surprised" about it as your neighbor and they will assume their dog is "visiting" other people also.

 

[mamabahre]

Quote:
no they actually stay on the other side of the house.there is tiny fence, the dog just jumped over it...It is their tiny piddly broken fence.

Also the dog has run out of the front of their house and into the road and down into our property that way because we are on a cul de sac

 

[N2Shown]

I think the idea of a couple of strands of hotwire is a very good one. It won't completely stop an animal from coming on your property but it will most definitely deter it.

Antifreeze is a HORRIBLE idea. Remember that a dog has a very strong prey drive and they are naturally going to go after things that they see as prey. Even a well trained dog will sometimes slip given the right opportunity. Antifreeze will cause a slow, painful death for an animal and would be nothing short of inhumane. With that said, more than one stray animal has met his maker through lead poisoning when they have entered my property to harass my livestock.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
no they actually stay on the other side of the house.there is tiny fence, the dog just jumped over it...It is their tiny piddly broken fence.

Also the dog has run out of the front of their house and into the road and down into our property that way because we are on a cul de sac

Time to cowgirl up and build your own fence. Doesn't seem fair, I know. But you need to take responsibility for the chickens you have chosen to raise. And responsibility for keeping your dog on your property. Then you can give the neighbor's a hard time. Until then, it's "do as I say, not what I do" and that's even more unfair.

So sorry for the loss of a favorite hen, but you do need to keep perspective.

ETA, definite NO vote on any poisoning, especially antifreeze. Horrible way to die. (I used to work in a vet clinic in TX, we saw a lot of it.)

 

[mamabahre]

talked to the neighbor. She was fairly apolgetic, AFTER I convinced that yes her dog did kill the bird. She eve offered to pay for it, which was surprising but I said it was fine..

So basically the dog out the front door ran down our driveway and into the back yard. We simply cannot afford to put a fence around the entire yard, it is a very very large yard by Cape Cod standards, so we are going to get some posts and do a double layer hotwire on the property adjoining with the neighbor's this is almost more to keep our dog out of their yard than anything else. It will also give their dog something to think about if it's through the back but we can't gate off the driveway so we are still thinking of how to handle the rest of the yard...

. I have literally read on here that people should NOT have to worry about their chickens on their OWN property. That it is not their job to make sure the neighbor's dog can't get in. I understand this isn't realistic a lot of the time but it is still a point that I believe is true. I am not going to deny my chickens their yard and quality free ranging that will make their meat/eggs better because the neighbor's dog escapes. I don't want my chickens to get killed but they aren't my pets, although the one that did get killed was my favorite. I will let them live their life to it's most "chickenness" and if they do die unfortunately it sucks but they had a great life. I will work hard to protect them and they will free range more closely under my supervision but this could have happened today even if I was outside. The yard is large and when you are on one end of it you don't have a clue what is happening on the other end. It only takes a second as someone mentioned. I called animal control about the incident so I could simply have something "on record" in case this happens again. I took detailed pictures of our dead bird/pile of feathers pointing out the puncture wounds. If this happens again I will expect compensation and there will be a much more heated discussion...

Encounter 1: Specifically spoke to owner about dog getting loose, our chickens ARE allowed to free range on their own property.

Encounter 2: Very next day dog gets out and kills chicken.

Encounter 3: If it happens again I am going to nail that dog with a shovel if it doesn't move fast. They will be hearing from me and animal control..

If my cat was in it's unfenced yard and the neighbor's dog killed it would we be saying, 'ah well, you need to put up a fence"...No, the animal has a RIGHT to be in it's unfenced yard without fear of getting murdered.

OK, I know that isn't "realistic" but still...