I'm just sick, the dog ate my 2 chicks.

[U_Stormcrow]

My first batch, my hatchling ducks (age about 10 days) crushed one of my hatchling chickens in the rush to the feed bowl.

We are humans. We learn - when we learn - largely by making mistakes. Its an error you won't repeat.

Better fortune as you continue your chicken keeping journey.

 

[spiceholler]

I am so lucky that my dog has zero prey drive. I knew this from when he was a puppy and I introduced him to some chickens and he just nudged his nose towards them smelling them. My chickens know who he is, and when another dog visits, they all warn each other of the uncertain intruder.

My dog has shown interest in the huge developing bunny population, but I've been able to correct him and tell him to stop whenever he heads their direction. Ordinarily, I might be ok with him hunting the occasional rabbit (to keep the population under control), but I don't want him getting carried away and following them across the road if they take that direction. Now, he just takes a few steps in their direction. I honestly think he just wants to say hello

A lot of is is teaching and vigilance. I taught him to be scared of snakes as well and now if one appears, he just watches it.

I guess I am lucky and I definitely would not recommend this direction without a lot of training and trust building. There is a benefit to having a dog around my free rangers as he will protect his chicken buddies.

 

[HollyBerrie]

Wait, you SHOT THE PUPPY? That breaks my heart. That puppy was just being a puppy, doing what God made it do to survive. It needed to be trained how else to act, not shot! When I first got the chicks, my puppy hated them to. She would have killed one the second she got a chance. After a couple months of training and showing her a different way to react, she is now super polite and I 100% trust her around the chickens. It is their instincts to chase and kill the chicks, they know no other way to act, and it’s horrible to kill it without even trying to train it. And just to save yourself from “heartbreak”. Doesn’t it break your heart to kill that baby dog? Please help me to understand, cause right now I am truly so saddened. I wish I could have given that puppy a home where it could have gotten proper training and love.

Also I just read most of your other comments and ALL of them say something about killing some animal. I don’t understand people like you- people who don’t think twice about taking the life of something else. It’s terrible and breaks my heart.

All other options should be Exercise throughly before we resort to killing anything. That’s not the case with you, your first thought is just to kill it! No big deal. It’s easy and quick. You don’t seem to understand that that is another life, another beautiful creature. Who has the right to live and be loved.

These dogs cost $950.00-$2000.00. Is this poster bragging about killing such a valuable puppy? Truly a sick mind.

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

These dogs cost $950.00-$2000.00. Is this poster bragging about killing such a valuable puppy? Truly a sick mind.

It’s so sad. it was valuable financially, and invaluable as a friend and companion.

 

[HollyBerrie]

It’s so sad. it was valuable financially, and invaluable as a friend and companion.

I wonder if this poster is a troll. Because who really would shoot a puppy for doing what is natural, whether it's an expensive puppy or not, and obviously not keeping the chick in a secure enclosure from harm.

 

[Carmen Smith]

Sorry to hear and understand how you feel. I had lost all six of my silkies in February and I was devastated as it was my fault for not closing the coop door. I have since started a new flock of Buff Brahmas. I fenced in a large area where they can range but have them locked in their coop by 8 every night. Good luck.

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

I wonder if this poster is a troll. Because who really would shoot a puppy for doing what is natural, whether it's an expensive puppy or not, and obviously not keeping the chick in a secure enclosure from harm.

I really wish it was, but I honestly don’t think so. If you read @macaw1us past comments, they are all about killing something. If you have a problem, than his advice is to instantly kill the animal. It is heartbreaking. I think that Poster is just a person with very little compassion for life, a Person who sees a animals need to be Trained and cared for as a inconvenience.

 

[DuVey]

I had my 20 3 day old ducklings in a massive deep plastic box with a mesh on top. One of my cats managed to get his paw in and swipe one during the day and killed it within minutes when my back was turned. My dog tried to stop him.
i was devastated.
Needless to say, I changed the type of mesh I used so he couldn’t get his paw in to get the others. Bad cat.

 

[HollyBerrie]

I really wish it was, but I honestly don’t think so. If you read @macaw1us past comments, they are all about killing something. If you have a problem, than his advice is to instantly kill the animal. It is heartbreaking. I think that Poster is just a person with very little compassion for life, a Person who sees a animals need to be Trained and cared for as a inconvenience.

Yes, I saw that.

 

[Dee26]

Well I came home from work to find nothing in the brooder. The border collie Got in the house, my grandson left the door open on accident. I guess I didn't deserve them, so much for being a chicken mom. I've got 22 in the incubator, it won't happen twice. I'm58, I should know better than To leave them unguarded in a cardboard box hoping To leave them unguarded in a cardboard box hoping a door would keep them safe.

So sorry about your baby chicks. Everyone who's responded to your post knows what you're going through, and knows what it's like to lose a chicken or two because we didn't listen to that inner voice! I'm guilty as well! It only took one time to get my attention. I'm so sorry for you. It's okay to have a tender heart.