I'm so sad for my hen...and, so angry at my dog...

[E-Chick]

This morning, my hubby and I went out to take some treats to our flock of 14. Our 2 dogs were off running around somewhere in the distance, as usual, chasing the ball or looking for squirrels (we are on 8 acres).

We stopped by the garden and picked some lettuce, carrot greens, and cilantro to give our girls and roo. DH was drinking his coffee in the golf cart while I jumped out to give the goodies to the birds. I opened the gate to the run...and one of my dogs ran in from behind me lickity split. DH didn't even have time to tell me the dog was coming up.

The birds scattered in fear, and my dog latched on to my Black Australorp's back and neck area. I could not get him to release her! AND, to make matters worse, our rooster was now attacking me as I tried to remove my dog. I am fine, as he didn't make contact with me. He did make contact with the dog several times.

It was a disaster. I always check to see if one of the dogs is around before going in the gate or the hen house doors. He must have come up from behind the bushes and around the front of the hen house to the back where our gate is to the run. In the blink of an eye...

By the time DH made it to where I was to help me get a hold of the dog, it was too late. Too much damage had been done to the hen. The dog didn't shake her or take a bite out of her, just latched on and held her down.

The worst part of it is, knowing that she in her death throws, flopped her mangled self back into the hen house - a good 15+ feet away - up the ladder, and tried to get home, to a safe spot. I feel just terrible. It is my fault and should have been prevented. I am just so upset that she suffered. It was so pitiful.

Thanks for hearing me out...

 

[E-Chick]

Ps...

I realize that all dogs are predators. I'm still angry at him.

And at myself...

 

[4everfarmgirl]

Things can happen so fast!!! I have dog too, but thankfully he is ok with my fram animals. We did have a roaming dog in the area that killed our favorite duck and I was devastated. Don't blame yourself too much. At least now you know that you have to be extra cautious. It happens!

 

[Akane]

I don't tolerate door bolters for exactly this type of reason. Your dogs need taught not to go through gates or doorways without permission. Then you don't have to worry about looking for them or remembering to watch the door or gate. I occasionally forget to close the house door when I step outside to do something real quick. I have an akita who if allowed off leash will be gone and by gone I mean miles from home before she returns. Akitas just like to maintain large amounts of territory and are very difficult to enforce come commands on. She will not step out that door unless I say "okay let's go". I've turned around to go back in the house only to see the door standing wide open and Zami sitting there zoned in on a squirrel just waiting for me to release her to chase it. When I open the car door she charges for the door and then freezes right there waiting for me to tell her to get down. That's more than once saved her from escaping, jumping down on top of another dog which could cause a fight, jumping down in a busy parking lot with cars going by, and so on... If I open the chicken coop she stands in the doorway whining at the chickens but does not set a foot inside if I don't let her.

It really doesn't take that much effort to teach either. Just make the dogs sit and stay there until you release them every single time you open a door or gate of any type. If they blow past you once then immediately return them to the other side of the doorway/gate and make them wait an extra minute before releasing. For awhile I left a leash on Zami so I could grab or step on it whenever she tried something like that. Especially effective when she went to rush out of the vehicle because having a tall truck or suv meant when I grabbed the leash her back half would land and her front half would be held up in the air by the leash. Not comfortable. Then she'd just get ordered (or physically stuffed if she ignored me) right back into the vehicle until she waited. Doorway bolters are too dangerous when you have other animals around or travel with them. It will lead to injured or dead animals at least once.

 

[astylishgirl]

I am so sorry. I had a beloved dog attack a beloved lamb one time. I loved them both. It hurts so much and we can't help but feel empathetic. This story made me cry.

 

[EggGardener]

I am so sorry for your loss.
I was interested in Akame's post, because I also trained my dogs not to bolt out the door--more because they were barrelling past my kids when the kids opened the door and I didn't want the kids getting knocked over or hurt.
But the training also extended to our chickens, and they now coexist peacefully w/the dogs. My kids can--with the dogs on the leashes--order the dogs to lay down and then put chickens on their backs. Not something I would have believed possible, until they called me out to see their "cool new trick!!"
I still can't stop one of my dogs from bolting after wildlife, but I'm working on it...
The post gave a good description, I thought, of what a pain in the a55 it can be to train a dog. And also, how worthwhile the relentless training can be in the long run.
Again, I'm sorry for your loss. Training your dogs to coexist with chickens can be done. But it takes a long time, and its never 100% guaranteed.

 

[mrszlopez]

My dogs also arent very good with the chickens or farm animals. Weve been thru the same thing as you went thru. It is definately not easy & you shouldnt blame yourself. Things happen for a reason, whether bad or good. Dont beat yourself up about it. Hope you feel better soon

 

[AK Michelle]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I've been lucky, not accidents yet. I have the brooder in the house, it's a clear plasit tub with hardware cloth for a lid. The cats and dogs can see the chicks but cannot get to them. My Chesapeak is bored with them already (good thing) the cats think they make too much noise (and they are avid hunters) and my lab watches them like they are tv. When I hold one up to her she starts backing away like it's going to eat her (pretty funny really) but she just likes to watch. I'm hoping this will help desensitize them to the chickies so as they go outside they won't be a mystery or something of interest.

I have a very alpha Chessie, so as a matter of establishing authority she is not allowed to go through a door or gate before me. I will have to make the sit-stay as Akane describes a bigger part of that routine. I think having her behind me without a formal release might be too easy for her to forget her place.

Thanks for sharing, I think it's given alot of us some insight into our own pet's behaviors.

Michelle

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Sheesh! Im REALLY sorry. I have an appenzeler mtn dog and she is absolutey HORRIBLE (hearding dog my a**! Hunting dog is more like it)!!!. I made the mistake of putting the rabbit hutch I keep the babies in for the 1rst few weeks outside, in our yard. Well stupid dog figured out how to unlatch it and killed a few from my 1rst flock. Then she killed 8 of 13 more I had ON MY BIRTHDAY

. So now I have the hutches in my feild next to my coop. Some dogs are fine but others never learn

. For instance I have her(Yoshi), a Lab X (Chance, best dog ever. One time 2 chicks escaped the coop and Yoshi killed one

but Chance picked the other up, I screamed DROP HER!!! He looks at me, walks over and puts her down right in front of me

), 2 chihuahua daschunds (Prince and Negrita), and a longhaired chihuahua(Faux, pronounced FOX cuz he looks like one. One time Yoshi attacked one and he followed but he only acts up when she is around, pack instinct or something). Chance, Faux, and Negrita are fine (not Faux when Yoshi is around though) they just look at them and sniff them and are allowed in the coop anytime. If Chance gets pecked he mouths the chicken as a warning. He has never hurt one in anyway. I put my rats and chicks by him and he mothers them and washes them (no he is not tasting them). Its amazing. Though in a Yoshi dog case you just want to give them a swift kick right where it hurts. It just depends on the dog

Sorry this is so long but I talk WAY more in person.

 

[Montana]

Very sorry for your loss. My eyes watered reading your story. Dogs are tough. My DH's best friend stopped by last fall with his german short hair while my chickens were free ranging. All was well for about 15 minutes then the short hair suddenly attacked one of my hens and killed her. I have a lab and a vizsla. Fortunately they learned very quickly, chickens are not toys.

Now it's only stray dogs I worry about. Many dogs can be trained to leave the chickens alone. There are a few however that are hopeless.