Just wrestled our largest roo from the jaws of death

[gottsegnet]

I can't believe our worst predator issue is with our own dog. She knocked the window fan out and went through a screen to get our roo. I saw her as I was giving water to the ducks and went chasing after her. She dropped him when I shouted and pranced about her prize, looking shocked that I didn't share in her enthusiasm as she was dragged in the house to be locked in the bathroom until I could figure out a better place for her.

Went back to the roo that I thought was dead. Feathers were everywhere, some bloody and he was just lying there limp and motionless. But his eye moved when I bent over him and then I noticed he was breathing. So I scooped him up and put him in the hen house where it is cool and quiet, there's food and water and he can come out whenever he wants.

A few minutes later, he got up and crawled into an old dresser that used to be our hen's roost before they got a hen house.

He's walking around now, looking fine if a bit dazed. One minute he's mating his favorite hen, the next he's being dragged up a hill by a wing and then that crazy lady he's always trying to drive away is lifting the dog off him, holding him gently, looking him over and placing him in the coop. He must be feeling a bit dethroned at the moment, but I'm hoping that doesn't last.

I'll be happy to have a survivor, even if he was top on my list for culling. We have too many roos and he is the most aggressive toward me, though he's not actually done anything but nip my toes so far.

The dog is in the dog house and oh so lucky that she just won best in show at the county fair and is already signed up for state competition.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm glad it ended well. What kind of dog is she? The lab we have now is great with the chickens. Some of the ones we've had in the past, not so much. Can't really blame them, though. They were just doing what they were bred to do. It was my responsibility to either teach them to leave the birds alone, or keep the birds away from them. Anyway, I hope your dog can learn to live with them without wanting to play chase and catch with them.

 

[gottsegnet]

Our lab mix is great with them. In fact, he's out with them all the time because we've never lost a bird to anything (but the other dog) when he's around. Our beagle is OK. He chases them, but once they're cornered he just stands there. He doesn't bite them or anything.

Pepper's a killer. She's part German Shorthair Pointer and I think training may be pretty hopeless. She responds fine on lead, but her drive is just too strong. We just need to keep her penned or on a leash. Today was weird because the fan fell out of the window. Something else to watch for, I guess. It'll be nice when our fencing is finished. We'll have a nice large run for her and a an area out of site for the chickens. Then hopefully everyone will be happy and safe.

 

[amberroswell]

even if she is breed to hunt it does not matter i have an English short haired pointer who is great to the chickens, turkeys, and our ducks she does not mind them one bit but is a viscous hunter when out on a hunt! she knows the difference some how i hope your rooster makes it

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Best of Luck with your rooster and your dog....I have a Boxer that is the nicest thing, but a couple of times I have had to stop her from chasing the roosters down and pulling their feathers out....she killed one about a month ago before I could get to her....she thinks she is playing....well she doesn't think I am playing any more. she got the scolding of her life, she looked sad..by the end of it..I was sad..

 

[thefishery]

Have you thought about underground fencing? That is our goal with our shepherd. She's a great dog. She just likes chicken just as much as we do

 

[gottsegnet]

The chickens were free ranging. She was locked in the house but knocked a fan out of the window.

I think it would have worked out better if we had gotten her as a puppy. Our lab goes for pheasants, quail and even robins but leaves the chickens alone but then we've had them almost his whole life.

She listens well enough to drop it when I tell her to, but she is intense around them. We've been training her and she'll heel, lie down, etc. on leash around the chickens, but she still can't help herself.

He seems to be doing fine. His color is back and he's acting pretty normal though he no longer acts aggressively toward me. He's a little shy all of a sudden, is the last out of the coop when I open the door and gives me plenty of space with no attempts at biting me.

If he keeps up that last part, I'll be quite pleased!

 

[Debbi]

Ahh, don't count on those underground fencing systems to work! If the urge is strong enough, a dog will soon learn to run top speed through the zap zone to get to what they want. Then when they try to come back, they aren't coming at high speed and will get zapped for their efforts trying to come home, so they will stay outside of the fence. They especially don't work with breeds like: German Shepherds, Dobermans, Pit Bulls/Am Staffs, and Mastiffs. Used to be a rural mail carrier, so ask me how I know! In my opinion, they are a law suit waiting to happen!

 

[BettyR]

Quote:
When I saw the title of your post I was thinking gator.

We had a gator take one of our roos once...we didn't get it back.

This is my back yard....

 

[judas]

have you thought about investing in a radio collar .. IMO the best way .. if the dog fixates/intense look on the chickenz give it a audible warning if it trys to stalk or go after them give them a shock. this way you can be up stairs or in annother room and they dont associante the correction with you. they just notice when they go aafter a chicken they get a nip no interaction from you .. best to just let them out when they get use to the colar and sit in annother room or on the roof lol anywhere where you got a good view but are not noticed by the dog.. ok its like 90$ but i think after the dog is trained by the mysterious all seeing eye you can use it on other dogs probally.

and i hear gator tail is yummy .. maybe feed it to the chickenz?