Lost my first chicken

[ILoveJoe]

To my dog!

I came home from work to a learn from hubby that apparantly one of my Black Australorps named Agnes was killed by Ollie in our backyard.

Exactly how she got in there is unclear but hubby blames me for
a) not clipping their wings
b) not putting up a 6' fence in between the chickens yard and the back yard

The murderess:

The Vic:

I am too stunned to cry. But I think tomorrow I am going to pull the chicken out of the garbage and beat Ollie senseless with it.

I have had the chickens since June, I guess it was arrogant of me to think that I would have all 22 chickens for ever!

I don't want to get rid of my dog, but I am afraid that once she has the taste of chicken, she will do this again.

 

[Msbear]

Some dogs are really difficult to train....she looks like one of them.

tie a rope around the legs of the chicken and make a dead chicken necklace for Ollie to wear and repremand her every time you see her.

Don't keep your dogs away from the chickens at all times. Train them by having them near the birds and telling her NO in a very stern voice.

or beat the crap out of her with the dead bird...worked with one of my dad's dogs back on the farm.

 

[d.k]

* I'm sorry you have to deal with this--. Seems really unfair for your DH to blame you since you weren't even home at the time. I am hoping that since my dog sees me carrying my chickens in and out every day, feeding them and checking on them every so often, that she will understand that they are pets just like she is, not chew toys-- But, I am not holding my breath.

 

[beakkeeper]

Oh, that's really sad!!! That darn dog is just looking at you like "what, I didn't do it..."

 

[Southernbelle]

I'm so sorry! Agnes was such a pretty bird and I love the name!

 

[Lunachick]

Tomorrow your dog won't understand why you are hitting her with a chicken, it will be too late for her to put the two situations together. I'm sorry you lost your chicken to your other pet. That has to be hard. Maybe just keep an extra watch out for the chooks when the dog is about?

 

[coffeelady3]

I'm truly sorry for you loss, but I have to say....that pic of the dog is precious! How can you be angry at a face like that?

 

[MagsC]

Yeah, unfortunately the dog wont connect the chicken with the deed now.
I would get her used to them with supervision so she gets the idea they are off limits. You could "set her up" as well so she gets a taste of what happens when she gets aggressive with chickens.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Oh, I hate that for you.

I am in the same boat with trying to train a 4 month old puppy we got just recently. Sometimes I think leaving the chickens alone has sunk into her thick puppy skull and then she does the unexpected.

She is going to have to get along with them and leave them alone, or she won't last long here. Good luck with the training! If you figure out what works, please let me know. I'm getting tired of yelling!

 

[ILoveJoe]

Thanks for all the support.

I had acclimated Ollie to Hoss and I guess in my mind I hoped she would be okay with the rest as well.

Here are all the dogs, cats and Hoss snacking on treats. This photo was taken BC (Before Coop).

I need to work with Ollie more to accept the whole flock instead of just Hoss.

I was only half serious about beating Ollie with the dead chicken. The mad half still want to. The rational half still loves the big dumb dog.