Lost our first chicken

[Sea Wolf]

Get a proper electric fence charger. One for livestock. Very easy to run an extension cord out to it and keep it plugged in. Not sure if the solar ones have as much voltage but make sure it is at least 5000 volts. Get enough aluminum wire to go around your run at least 4 times+. You should have a min of 4 spaced strands to ward off dogs and other predators. This is the best you can do. The dog will be back the second it gets out again.

 

[cmom]

I have 3 wires except behind the coops where I have one or two wires. I have an AC fence charger. I use poly rope wire. It works good. Shortly after I put it up I had critters test it. Now they are all wise to it.

This is the charger I have, it puts out around 9000 volts which is enough to make my heart skip a few beats. Here we have mostly coyotes.

This is a picture from one of my game cameras around 7am the other morning, a coyote behind some of the coops.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

A dog breaking a 3x3 post is pretty crazy!
Curious for learning purposes, not looking to criticize.

I didn't think you would. I have seen others jump in and criticize though, on other posts. I feel bad enough. The posts were already weakened by humidity and lots of rain. My second mistake was to not seal them as well as I should have. The dog barreled into them from a distance and it just snapped. I saw it happen. I was in rhe house and saw the dog in the front yard. He smelled the chickens apparently because I saw him flat out run from the road towards the back yard. I ran out the garage door in time to see him smash into the run and the post snap. I saw him grab the chicken, and tried to get it away, but he wouldn't let go.
I had just taken the kids pictures three days ago, and my daughter had hers taken with the chicken that died. They were going on our mantle. Those came in today, in the mail. My daughter started bawling. She's 11, so she understands death, but still.

 

[Sea Wolf]

A dog breaking a 3x3 post is pretty crazy!
Curious for learning purposes, not looking to criticize.

Actually, it isn't at all. A large dog, moving at speed, will positively hit that with enough strength to snap it .. or it's replacement. Those posts, most commonly at Home Depot type places, are for marker posts, not structural. They are a cheap, low grade wood that is full of weak areas and they rot quickly. A better post and probably about the same cost would be the heavy steel green T posts for livestock fencing. It is what I used, not the thinner, shorter U ones sold for gardens. They do have to be pounded in with a post driver tool. Sometimes, the farm places that sell these posts will also rent you the tool to pound them in for a minimal fee. Not only will you be able to string electric wire on these easily, once they are pounded in and set, I have also now attached wood posts to them for structural additions to the run. They will not rot and are beyond sturdy. Places like Rural King and Tractor Supply even deliver them. Make sure you get ones at least 6 feet long, 7 is better, to allow for the length of post that you hammer into the ground (at least 12 inches).

 

[MissChick@dee]

I didn't think you would. I have seen others jump in and criticize though, on other posts. I feel bad enough. The posts were already weakened by humidity and lots of rain. My second mistake was to not seal them as well as I should have. The dog barreled into them from a distance and it just snapped. I saw it happen. I was in rhe house and saw the dog in the front yard. He smelled the chickens apparently because I saw him flat out run from the road towards the back yard. I ran out the garage door in time to see him smash into the run and the post snap. I saw him grab the chicken, and tried to get it away, but he wouldn't let go.
I had just taken the kids pictures three days ago, and my daughter had hers taken with the chicken that died. They were going on our mantle. Those came in today, in the mail. My daughter started bawling. She's 11, so she understands death, but still.

I’m so sorry. There’re our little pets. It’s a loss that hurts your heart. Some folks keep their chickens differently for different reasons. Some folks just don’t understand the connection we have with these little personalities. Pet chickens are just different.
I can’t imagine being eleven and dealing with this. It’s hard enough as an adult. Her lil’ chicken had a blessed life. Perhaps remind her of that.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Actually, it isn't at all. A large dog, moving at speed, will positively hit that with enough strength to snap it .. or it's replacement. Those posts, most commonly at Home Depot type places, are for marker posts, not structural. They are a cheap, low grade wood that is full of weak areas and they rot quickly. A better post and probably about the same cost would be the heavy steel green T posts for livestock fencing. It is what I used, not the thinner, shorter U ones sold for gardens. They do have to be pounded in with a post driver tool. Sometimes, the farm places that sell these posts will also rent you the tool to pound them in for a minimal fee. Not only will you be able to string electric wire on these easily, once they are pounded in and set, I have also now attached wood posts to them for structural additions to the run. They will not rot and are beyond sturdy. Places like Rural King and Tractor Supply even deliver them. Make sure you get ones at least 6 feet long, 7 is better, to allow for the length of post that you hammer into the ground (at least 12 inches).

Thank you! I had never even thought of using something like this...how do you attach the hardware cloth? Or do you just use these for the electric fence around the run?

 

[LittleMissCountry]

I’m so sorry. There’re our little pets. It’s a loss that hurts your heart. Some folks keep their chickens differently for different reasons. Some folks just don’t understand the connection we have with these little personalities. Pet chickens are just different.
I can’t imagine being eleven and dealing with this. It’s hard enough as an adult. Her lil’ chicken had a blessed life. Perhaps remind her of that.

That chicken was spoiled rotten! She would carry it around and lay in the hammock with it. The chicken was so happy to just be held by her.

 

[aart]

Actually, it isn't at all. A large dog, moving at speed, will positively hit that with enough strength to snap it .. or it's replacement. Those posts, most commonly at Home Depot type places, are for marker posts, not structural. They are a cheap, low grade wood that is full of weak areas and they rot quickly.

I suppose if it was rotted, yes.
Cast Tposts are great, have driven dozens of them-enough to buy the driver, easy to clip field fencing.

 

[Sequel]

I'm so terribly sorry for you, your family and your poor chicken!
A large animal launching itself like that at your fence..even if you'd have had electric wire it wouldn't have stopped it. That was just a culmination of every possible thing in the worst possible place to happen. I hope you aren't beating yourself up because you did everything you knew how to do at the time.

There are always trolls on these forums but most people are supportive and caring. Thank you for sharing your experience to help us learn!

 

[cmom]

I'm an old lady but I can still appreciate the feelings. I do raise my birds to show at poultry shows and eggs, but I have had a special attachment to a very special bird. Her name was Gladys, she was a 3 year old cross beak I hatched. She must have been special because I gave her a name. She loved to be held and would come when called. She loved to be with us. A few months ago I wasn't paying attention and she was dust bathing in one of the garden beds the last time I saw her. A fox snuck in and grabbed my Gladys. I went looking for her and found feathers. I cried like a baby. I was so mad at myself for not putting her in her pen while I was otherwise occupied. I still feel responsible for her death, but I knew the risk of her free ranging. Just a few days prior something got a gate opened to one of the coop pens and killed 2 other birds. I'm sure it was the fox. I have game cameras and saw it near that coop. It was a bit foggy that night of course so I couldn't see the gate but the next morning when I discovered the piles of feathers, I wired the gates shut. I have concrete under my gates because several years ago I had a fox dig under a gate and kill several birds. The next morning I could tell that something had messed with the gate again but couldn't get it opened because I had wired it shut. I did put out some live traps and caught the fox. I still miss Gladys.