I am sooo sad. I raised these guys up from chicks! I was actually anxiously awaiting my first eggs and the roosters had started to crow. Here is the story: We built our chicken run inside the dogs fence in our .5 acre backyard. This way the dogs would keep out any coyotes, raccoon's or possums that might try to break into out chicken coop. Well little dig we know the dogs would be the ones we should worry about. So after the first incident we ran electric fencing around the outside edge. In the beginning I tested the wire every day. But as time went by I slowly forgot about it. Apparently the fencing shorted out and the dogs broke through again. This time I was not home so I didn't know it happened. When I discovered the catastrophe there was not a chicken left of my flock! There are feathers in a few spots but I just have a hard time believing that they ate all 15 chickens. I am hoping that some flew over the fence but I have heard no crowing or scratching in the last couple of days nor have I seen any. I am so angry, livid I think is a more fitting word! I am at such a loss of what to do. I want to raise my own chickens for meat and eggs but it seems that I can't have chickens and dogs too. Im not sure if there is any way to break these dogs of killing chickens. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any suggestions? I am not in a financial position to rebuild our coop somewhere else or split the back yard. Even if we did split the yard I still think they would dig through. Uggghhh.... I am so glad I have this forum to post in... no one else seems to really care about my loss! I am hoping there are some here that will understand! Thanks!
if you can afford to redo the run in hardware cloth and maybe double it and stretch it tight and secure with no possible openings that can be made bigger you may be ok. I saw a coop plan where the bottom of the run was also hardware cloth to keep the run area from being dug under by predators. sorry for your loss dogs are full of adventure when they get the whim.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I think it's even more harder when it's your own animals that are the culprits. I take it your coop/chicken run doesn't have an apron? This is where you basically bury chicken wire or hardware cloth like a skirt around your run. It greatly discourages digging animals. Also, how tall is your run? You may want to consider putting a wire top on it as well to prevent flying, jumping, and climbing predators.
Sorry for your loss. I have lost chickens to my dogs too. Unfortunately I do not think there is a way of "breaking" dogs of killing chickens so tighter security seems to be the most surefire way of preventing this from happening again
You'll have to forgive me if I misunderstood the problem with the dog as I'm trying to pay attention to 4 other kids right now but it sounds like the dogs dug out under the fence. If thats the case try putting some concrete blocks in the ground so when they dig they hit the blocks and can't go any further. My dog killed 3 out of 5 of mine and I have started chaining him up when I let the girls out. I'm sure thats probably not feasible with multiple dogs but for me it seems to help.
I'm so very sorry! I don't think I could imagine if all our chickens were taken at once... Well, maybe if at some point in the future you do decide to rebuild, you know to take ultra-precautions. I agree with akcountrygrl-"aprons" (where the wiring plays out on all sides of the run to deter digging) are really useful.
Quote:I hate that for you. It is a bummer when it's your dogs. Please don't get discouraged and stop you from having chickens. Do put some sort of ground barrier like mikensara suggested around the base of your run.
That is awful. And to have it all in the family so to speak makes it so much worse. Some dogs are worse than others. If you have a terrier I just don't know, but the bird dog breeds should fairly easy to train. I'm just lucky I guess. Morgan is a mutt herd dog and just follows mine around. Then lays down and watches. That's it. Really sorry for problem.
I am so sorry for your loss. Also surprised your dogs kept checking the fence, mine hit it twice and would go the long way around through the barn how strong is the zap?
I have dogs out with my chickens all day as well. I skirted 1 inch wire mesh out 1 foot around the entire run area - and around the coop to prevent them from accessing the run from under the coop. It has kept out my dogs AND predators. The chickens and set up have been up for almost 2 years now without incident. Depending how diligent your dogs are you may want to go down farther. That and some long metal stakes placed deep every foot or so may do the trick. I am so sorry for your loss.
