Lost 1st chicken to a dog!!!!

[jjthink]

If I had a nickel for every post about dogs hurting or killing chickens I could rule the world.

I am furious reading that the dog came back and killed again. Human irresponsibility is directly responsible for so much misery.

I am so sorry this happened. Those poor poor birds......

Tonight 2 of my neighbors were out playing with their dogs. The dogs were loose and both ran in my yard to the spot where my birds normally like to hang out when I give them some bug and plant eating free range time. By luck I had just put them back in the run. I have in the past politely asked these long term neighbors (20+ years) to be sure to keep the dogs away so the birds don't get hurt. After finding lots of dog poop in my yard I finally resorted to a "NO DOGS " sign some months ago and yet the dogs were loose again tonight. Sure, when they ran in the yard the neighbors screamed after them but if the dogs had encountered the birds it would have been too little too late.

And then I read your post. It's the exclamation point on my needing to ask them again because I can't bear the idea of the terror and pain the dogs could cause. I've adored my sweet roo for 7 years now and he would die to make sure a hen doesn't get hurt. But he should not have to.

We have to get really tough people. These birds do not deserve these grizzly deaths.

My heartfelt condolences.

JJ

Edited to say that by tough I mean get tough with the humans who are irresponsible.

 

[dacjohns]

I guess from reading my post it could be assumed that I was saying to shoot the dog. I was not. I was saying that being the nice guy didn’t work and it was time to take a tougher stance.

No one, except for maybe the first incident, was advocating shoot the dog until after ninjapoodles’ post. The original poster was ready to shoot the dog the first time but refrained from doing so.

The county the original poster lives in has a leash law. Yes, as chicken owners we have a responsibility to our livestock/pets to protect them. We should take reasonable steps to do so. What is reasonable though is not the same in all situations. One would hope that after talking to the neighbor after the first offense everything would have been taken care off. Evidently not.

I disagree with just having to fence their property. They are in violation of county laws or ordinances and the dog did this before. I feel there are a number of options. One being if the dog owner wants to keep his dog he complies with the law. Also the dog owner pays whatever fine or whatever judgment may be levied against him. The dog owner makes restitution for the loss of the chickens and whatever damages may have been incurred.




Darin, I am really sorry.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
No, sadly, it's the dogs who usually have to "suffer the consequences" of owner negligence. Kill this guy's dog, and not only have you wasted a life, he's probably just going to get another one, because he obviously considers them dispensable. Take the dog away and let him face fines from the county/city AND have to reimburse the owner for the livestock, and well...that lesson might stick. That said, I consider my perimeter fence to be my first line of defense against loose neighborhood dogs (and there are PLENTY).

And firing on a predator in the act of preying on your chickens is different than going to a neighbor's house and killing a pet *after* the fact, which is what was being discussed.

I think that the OP had some legitimate concerns, too about killing this kid's dog and then possibly facing retribution down the road. It ain't right, but I, too, have a neighbor who I would fear this kind of behavior from, enough so that it affects how I behave in regards to this particular neighbor. The guy lets his dog run loose all the time, and he drinks a lot, and flies into a rage whenever his dog "disappears," which is often. He has come down (through a 6' high chainlink gate) and pounded on our door and woken us up on a Saturday morning, accusing us of running over and killing one of his dogs, and he has also accused us of shooting another of his dogs. We didn't have anything to do with either, of course, but you better believe that I take EXTRA care to make sure none of my SIX (we own seven, but one is with a co-owner for right now) dogs wander anywhere, because I know that if he ever got the chance he would "retaliate" against them for something we didn't even do.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
I don't think they should *have* to put up a fence because of the neighbor's negligence, either, but with no fence, how do you keep the chickens *in*? I would never feel comfortable without a fence, unless I owned a hundred acres. What if a chicken wandered out into the road (as happens on my street OFTEN, with some bneighbor's chickens and ducks), and in trying to avoid hitting it, someone had a car accident and was injured?

I absolutely agree with your statements of what needs to happen. I'm sorry if I am one of the ones who misunderstood your intent. Where we live, if you can prove whose animal did the damage (and the OP certainly can), you can collect 7 times the value of any livestock animal destroyed by someone else's dog. Doesn't sound like OP would ever see that money in this case, though.

 

[dacjohns]

ninja,

The fence was for the dog owner. Another poster said "I wouldn't give them a fine if they can't afford it, but I think you should tell them they need a leash, a fence, a doghouse, or something to keep the dog from ever doing that again. The expense of telling them to get something to keep their dog on their property adds up to about the amount you would fine them for."

Can we stop misunderstanding each other?

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Probably not. But I don't mind if you don't.

Especially since we actually agree.

 

[Darin115]

I had several hours to calm down. I was at work when I found out what happened. I got home tonight around 6:00pm. It was carnage. Feathers everywhere. No dog.

I got a box and jumped on my 4-wheeler. I found 4 total dead hens. 3 are alve and well. 1 is missing but I think it is dead. I found feathers everwhere but no bird. I have 3 left. I have many more but they are at another location. I will move them to my house tomorrow so the 3 remaining hens will not be lonely.

My girls always stay right around the chicken house. All of the birds were in my yard. I drive down to his house and knocked on his door. His wife answers. I ask to see her husband. He comes around the house with his buddy. Hey man whats up????? I said we have a problem. Your dog killed 5 of my birds. He said not mine. I said oh yes, yours. He said how do you know. I said because my son tried to chase him off but couldn't. He said which dog?? I said the black and white one. He turned to his friend and said was Snoopy on the chain when you came this morning?? His buddy looked really funny and said she came running up when I pulled in the drive way. He said where was she?? I said she was killing my chickens. I guess he wanted him to lie for him.

He says; I am going to pay for them. I said I know you are. I then ask if the Animal Control ha been there yet. He said no. I said they are coming. He said the next time you see her in your yard, you should shoot her. I said when Animal Control gets here you should send your dog to the pound.

He said she keeps breaking her chain. I said well I can't keep losing my hens because you fail to keep your dog up. He said well how much do I owe you. I said I have 4 dead hens in that box and one is missing. If I can't find my other hen, you will owe me for 5. He said how much are they. I said I would send him a bill.

I am waiting to see when Animal Controls shows up and see what they have to say to him.

If they take the dog, he will pay me $10.00 a bird. If they don't, it is $20.00 per bird and the next time it will be $50.00 per bird.

I have tried to be a friendly neighbor but this is it. I was not Mr nice guy today. My wife told me to take the dead hens and give them to him. Let him bury them. I was afraid he would feed them to his dogs so I took them off.

I guess my girls will be stuck in the chicken house from now on. It is ashame that I can't let them out for a few hours a day or so a week to scratch and eat bugs. I would love to fence in the yard but it would cost an arm and a leg to fence in 2 acres.

Darin

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I think you handled it well.

Funny that he would advise you to shoot his own dog. (Or did I read that wrong?)

I hope Animal Control confiscates the dog. I cannot think of any dog owner that would "suggest" someone shooting their dog. That comment to me sounded like he really doesn't want the dog and it is just a burden to him.

It worked out really well for you that his friend was there. He shot himself in the foot, putting his own friend on the spot like that. LOL Kutos to the "friend" for being honest even under peer pressure.

I hope this continues to work out for you. Hopefully your remaining birds will stay safe and sound.

-Kim

 

[ninjapoodles]

Denying responsibility (it wasn't my dog), then abdicating responsibility (YOU should shoot the dog if I don't keep it home)...this guy does NOT need to own a dog, and is setting a horrible example for his daughter. Take as hard a line as you can with Animal Control, and find out if your state has a "multiple"damages value for livestock. Inform Mr. Negligence of the price of letting his dog roam, since it sounds like hitting him in the pocket is the only way he's going to feel any consequences.

It's a darn shame. For your chickens, your son, you...and then the guy's daughter and the poor dog. A darn shame all around. I'm sorry you're having to deal with it.

Can you invest in just a portable electric netting fence, for free-ranging?

 

[jjthink]

I'm so glad you confronted this guy and so terribly sorry for what happened to your birds. Get all you can from this guy given our "value system" that barely values these beings.(humans collectively, not BYCers!)

It's so sad - and wrong - when a beautiful birds life is reduced to the cost of a pizza.

I hope someday their lives are valued more by human calculus. Until then, we all must extract whatever possible from offenders so they begin to learn there is value to these thinking, feeling beings***.

I am so sorry for what you are going through and for the terror and pain you birds endured :aww
JJ




***Once, why my roo BJ was brutally attacked and extremely wounded by a dog passing by with its human - the dog was off leash and barreled into the yard at the speed of light - the owner gave me her phone number, saying something about "replacing" the bird, as if it could even be possible. In the course of racing to tend to BJ before he died of shock, then giving BJ round the clock nursing care, the enormous vet bills much time lost off work etc. I lost her number. I regret it to this day because she never learned about consequences.