Lost 4 chickens today. In shock.

[Snakebiteholloway]

I'm sorry but i would hold the dog owners responsible.
What if it had been toddlers playing in the yard?
I'm so sorry for your loss.
It hurts. We lost 4 last year to foxes despite our best efforts to secure against predation, so i understand.
You have a right to keep your chickens - but i bet you do not let them terrorize the neighborhood.
Shouldn't others be held to the same standards?

Sorry. Bit cynical at my age.

If you were closer I'd happily give you two lovely companions!
So sorry for your pain.

 

[silverback]

I'm sorry but i would hold the dog owners responsible.
What if it had been toddlers playing in the yard?
I'm so sorry for your loss.
It hurts. We lost 4 last year to foxes despite our best efforts to secure against predation, so i understand.
You have a right to keep your chickens - but i bet you do not let them terrorize the neighborhood.
Shouldn't others be held to the same standards?

Sorry. Bit cynical at my age.

If you were closer I'd happily give you two lovely companions!
So sorry for your pain.

I'm sorry but i would hold the dog owners responsible.
What if it had been toddlers playing in the yard?
I'm so sorry for your loss.
It hurts. We lost 4 last year to foxes despite our best efforts to secure against predation, so i understand.
You have a right to keep your chickens - but i bet you do not let them terrorize the neighborhood.
Shouldn't others be held to the same standards?

Sorry. Bit cynical at my age.

If you were closer I'd happily give you two lovely companions!
So sorry for your pain.

thank you for your caring reply. I may have to file for a “potential dangerous dog” designation. My options seem somewhat limited. The dogs have a prior record with animal control. But I really want the owners to recognize the pain they have caused by failing to properly manage their dogs.

 

[silverback]

Thank you for your caring thoughts. I may have to file for a “potential dangerous dog” designation which basically puts them on a watch list but no real punishment until 3 strikes. They already have a prior record but that won’t count. Have some new leads in reaching the owner. The main guy at the dogs residence will be at the Grammys this weekend since he is a nominee. And you are so right about the danger to toddlers. I am writing letters. The lone survivor , Pepper, remains sad and hardly eating. But she laid an egg today. Amazing hen.

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

I would push. And I'm pretty laid back. But there's simply no excuse for that - and prior complaints?!
Nope! Time somebody did something!
Best wishes to you.

 

[DrFyl]

How sad for you. I can picture your shock and disbelief. Life is unpredictable, and it is shattering to most of us to have our comfortable, familiar routines turned upside down in such a violent way. Hope you are finding your new rhythm. I know you must miss your sweet hens. I hope your lonely hen is joining up with you in a closer way or will end up with a new hen friend.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Will she eat scrambled eggs? She deserves something for laying in all of this.

 

[McChooky]

I made my Basset an inside dog after his previous owners gave up on him .They chased him down for 6 months,he was an escape artist. He was only 8 months old when I got him. I don't think he ever killed any chickens but he was a nuisance in the neighborhood(got in garbage) I wouldn't be surprised if the dogs get out again if the dogs owner travels a lot.

 

[silverback]

Thank you all for good suggestions. The dog owner actually contacted me yesterday and seemed genuinely sorry and of course surprised that his dogs would do this. He said he would understand if they had been shot. We had a long talk where I worked to impress upon him the pain this has caused - not to mention loss of eggs which are my primary source of protein. I don't eat chickens - just their eggs. He said he would pay the vet bill and fence repair and any other expenses such as the hens and loss of eggs. A lot more was said and he promised to make it right as best he could. I gave him my address. Haven't seen or heard anything since then but I will give him a couple of days. I will back off on filing for the dogs to be designated as "potentially dangerous dogs" - a formal step required here - unless he doesn't come good on his promises. He said he thought they had climbed to the roof of their doghouse and jumped an 8 foot fence. He says they have 1.5 acres - solid fencing and won't get out again. However I did find reports of them being sent to the pound twice in January for running loose. Pepper is hanging in there but no more eggs. Still not eating well. But she goes for treats like mealworms.

 

[gtaus]

Two loose Rottweilers broke through my fenced area today and killed 4 hens and severely wounded 2 others.

So sorry for your loss.

What if it had been toddlers playing in the yard?

Years ago, my cousin's little boy was attacked by some loose Doberman Pincers and they nearly ripped off his face. Lots of plastic surgery over many years. Dogs were put down, of course, but the kid could easily have died if not for the intervention of others. Evidently, there was a female dog in heat in the neighborhood and the male dogs were "not themselves" at that time. Still, dog owners should not let their dogs run free.

The dog owner actually contacted me yesterday and seemed genuinely sorry and of course surprised that his dogs would do this.

Won't say that our dogs never broke their chain or ran out of the house. I guess I can understand that part...

It's good that you are talking with the owner and I hope you can come to a fair settlement that works out for everybody. As with any attack, take some time to rethink your security setup and make changes if needed.

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

Thank you all for good suggestions. The dog owner actually contacted me yesterday and seemed genuinely sorry and of course surprised that his dogs would do this. He said he would understand if they had been shot. We had a long talk where I worked to impress upon him the pain this has caused - not to mention loss of eggs which are my primary source of protein. I don't eat chickens - just their eggs. He said he would pay the vet bill and fence repair and any other expenses such as the hens and loss of eggs. A lot more was said and he promised to make it right as best he could. I gave him my address. Haven't seen or heard anything since then but I will give him a couple of days. I will back off on filing for the dogs to be designated as "potentially dangerous dogs" - a formal step required here - unless he doesn't come good on his promises. He said he thought they had climbed to the roof of their doghouse and jumped an 8 foot fence. He says they have 1.5 acres - solid fencing and won't get out again. However I did find reports of them being sent to the pound twice in January for running loose. Pepper is hanging in there but no more eggs. Still not eating well. But she goes for treats like mealworms.

Ooh I'm so hoping he makes good on his promises.
Fingers crossed for that.
Where is pepper? Just outta it curiosity?
Funny story but i started out with two rescue hens. They were in horrible condition. I have a big place and a friend said ... "Hey, can you take two poor chickens?"
I was reluctant. I'm a road tripping freak.
But i did.
And now i have 34.
So there ya go.
The point i was getting to is, when the one hen died, i brought the other inside to hang out with me.
She had her own big old half-the-floor cage, I'm kinda neat freak, but after a few months somebody gave me another rescue. Then i bought a few.

You know, she perked right up.
I don't think they care who or what is in their flock - just as long as they have one!!

Can't hurt to try.
And i wouldn't hesitate to contact that owner again after a few days.
He's literally legally liable.

He'd be buying me some new TSC chicks, too.