Im so ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ranchhand]

Okay, I am playing devil's advocate here, and I don't mean to be offensive.

One issue is of course, the irresponsible neighbor letting the dog run loose. They need to be taught that it is NOT acceptable, ever. I like the certified letter idea, so your documentation is clear.

But this is the third attack, and you don't have the chickens fenced in, protected from predators somehow? After my second attack I told my chickens sorry, no more free ranging until the electric fence goes up.

Good luck, this is the kind of thing that starts ugly feuds, I hope it can be resolved!

 

[RevaVirginia]

3rd time is a charm here in Virginia. Law states that animal control is compelled by law to shoot the dog.

 

[19Dawn76]

Quote:
Even if she plucked her chickens, tied rosemary on their backs and dipped them in lemon juice, as long as they are on her property NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO ALLOW THEIR DOGS TO GO ON HER PROPERTY AND EAT HER CHICKENS.

I am having the same problem. I have a cattle prod and today I am going to buy batteries for it.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Even if she plucked her chickens, tied rosemary on their backs and dipped them in lemon juice, as long as they are on her property NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO ALLOW THEIR DOGS TO GO ON HER PROPERTY AND EAT HER CHICKENS.

I am having the same problem. I have a cattle prod and today I am going to buy batteries for it.

I agree 100% and you don't need to shout. The neighbor's dog is the primary issue. But until that is taken care of, I would think the flock would be kept protected.

 

[19Dawn76]

I do apologize. This whole dog thing is getting out of control. I just wish people would keep their animals on their own property.

 

[Sillystunt]

Animals get loose! It happens even to well kept dogs. We need to keep our chickens safe by protecting where they roam. You can't expect a dog NOT to roll up on your property. It's a dog not a human being?? There is a different brain and comprehension aspect between the both.
I still do believe you have the right to re-coop your loss and shoot and kill the dog next time!

 

[citrusdreams]

Quote:
Respectfully speaking, yes I do expect a dog NOT to roll up on my property. To say I expect it is not sufficient for how strongly I feel about it. If I can contain my four large dogs, so can my neighbors. And the dog owners can expect their roaming dog to get shot if they don't do so. It's not a matter of keeping our chickens safe because there are different perspectives of "safe" and aspects of it. Those of us who free range are protecting our flock from other things besides dogs illegally running at large. I reserve the right to manage my flock the way I see fit on my own property. By claiming that we need to keep our chickens contained, the "blame" is the burden of the chicken owner, which is not fair, and absolutely not true. What is fair is that we keep our own animals contained on our own property, and manage them as we see best while containing them on our property. I fully expect my chickens and guineas to enjoy the benefits of free ranging on my property without the threat of the neighbors dogs that CAN and SHOULD be contained. I don't expect it because I don't think dogs shouldn't have the tendency to roam. I expect it because the burden of responsibility falls on the dog owner.

To the OP, just be glad nothing happened that day and that the owers are actually showing an interest in retrieving their dog. If you had your gun on you and they saw it, and believed in your intention to shoot, they might be motivated to do a better job containing their animals.

I know my neighbors will let their dog roam if they don't think I'm going to shoot it. When they see that I am serious, they do a better job. It's unfortunate that being on speaking terms with them seems to relax them a bit, but the real misfortune is that their dog won't come home one day because "being friends" is a card they can't play with me anymore.

 

[Sillystunt]

Quote:
Respectfully speaking, yes I do expect a dog NOT to roll up on my property. To say I expect it is not sufficient for how strongly I feel about it. If I can contain my four large dogs, so can my neighbors. And the dog owners can expect their roaming dog to get shot if they don't do so. It's not a matter of keeping our chickens safe because there are different perspectives of "safe" and aspects of it. Those of us who free range are protecting our flock from other things besides dogs illegally running at large. I reserve the right to manage my flock the way I see fit on my own property. By claiming that we need to keep our chickens contained, the "blame" is the burden of the chicken owner, which is not fair, and absolutely not true. What is fair is that we keep our own animals contained on our own property, and manage them as we see best while containing them on our property. I fully expect my chickens and guineas to enjoy the benefits of free ranging on my property without the threat of the neighbors dogs that CAN and SHOULD be contained. I don't expect it because I don't think dogs shouldn't have the tendency to roam. I expect it because the burden of responsibility falls on the dog owner.

To the OP, just be glad nothing happened that day and that the owers are actually showing an interest in retrieving their dog. If you had your gun on you and they saw it, and believed in your intention to shoot, they might be motivated to do a better job containing their animals.

I know my neighbors will let their dog roam if they don't think I'm going to shoot it. When they see that I am serious, they do a better job. It's unfortunate that being on speaking terms with them seems to relax them a bit, but the real misfortune is that their dog won't come home one day because "being friends" is a card they can't play with me anymore.

Trust me, my dog stays in his yard! Locked behind a fence but the point i was making is many people just DONT care. They don't care about leash laws, chicken owners, animal control etc.

And sorry but if it isn't a dog it will be a fox or racoon. Yes, it in the end is the dog owners responsiblity but that isn't gonna protect your chickens. You actually think every dog owner thinks like you? They don't! I see stays running all over and it burns me up! BUT they don't get my chickens cause I put in measure safety precautions to prevent that. Always waiting for the other guy to do something only leads to disappointment.

I wasn't trying to be rude, just truthful! OP, i really am sorry for your loss and if it was my dog it wouldn't have happened. They do need to be held responsible just don't be surprised if it happens agian cause people are ignorant!

 

[twentynine]

Got to agree with sillystunt. If it ain't your neighbor's dog, it will be something else.

Feral dog, coyote, fox, bobcat, coon whatever. Manage your flock as you wish, however if you expect animals to respect your property line, well I ---

Sure I would love to free range on my 14 acres but I know my chickens taste like chicken and everything likes chicken.

I imagine that areas in this country still exist where their is no leash law. Shucks I can remember not having a stock law. I'd rather protect what I own than provide chicken dinners to whatever comes down the road.

 

[thegreypony]

NO ROAMING DOGS - PERIOD!! We lost 5 chickens this week when one of the local canines tore the fencing off our hen yard. Yes, tore it off, popped FENCING STAPLES out of the post.

We are all sort of expecting the day when a coon or possum, weasel or bird of prey snatches someone up...but the negligence in letting your dog run in violation of leash laws...just pure T sorryness as my momma used to say.

I was home when this attack happened and it happened in a 30 minute window of time. Heard nothing - hard to hear everything when you're trying to do other stuff that makes noise. Then again, I don't think I should have to sit in the yard with a rifle and watch my girls in their 7 ft. fenced enclosure. For that matter the chickens are at our house (not on the farmland) which is on an acre in a neighborhood for crying out loud.

I would have shot the dog if the shotgun had been loaded and by the door but I decided to high tail it to the hen house and prevent any further deaths.

Our daughter's 4-H birds - all raised from chicks and named by our 8 year old - are dead now because some #$*&(*&% refused to keep their dog confined.

NO MERCY to the owners. Dogs will just be dogs...you can't unwire centuries of instinct. Our own dog enjoys Bojangles and KFC; however he's a down stay around the hen house and doesn't run loose.

Send the letter - it's the nice thing to do. But we're keeping the shotgun loaded by the door and a pistol full of shot at hand as well. The pistol full of rat shot to be used on the errant & irresponsible owners...some fannies need shooting.

Sorry to hijack and rant but we're now living in the chicken infirmary and it just pains me to see our birds suffer.