Lost our Flock

[jjthink]

Those poor birds

The one remaining hen has to be traumatized. Rescue Remedy - drop or two in her water for stress for a good few days. Poultry Vitamins/Electrolytes for a couple days. She will be very lonely - bring her in and/or spend lots of time with her, give her lots of TLC and healthy treats to distract her like sunflower seeds, eggs, bits of fresh cut off grpaes/berries/apple - whatever you know she likes. Have someone be outside and dig for her - she will hopefully show interest in any bugs that are uncovered. She really needs buddies asap but there is of course the worry of bringing in disease - ugh - never easy - maybe someone you know has 1 or 2 adult hens whose health and conditions you've known and followed for some time. Maybe they're the low end of the totem pole where they are now and would welcome the relief of a new home.

I hope you know or are able to ID the dog's people. For the sake of the fallen birds - who died horrifying deaths and also had to endure watching others of their kind be killed before their eyes - and for the sake of all birds still alive there or anywhere, it's crucial that we take legal action against/bill the dog's humans whenever possible. Only through such actions will the collective consciousness get raised (unfortunately). And until such time, dog attacks will not diminish. There are many other threads on BYC to give you assistance on how to go about this.

JJ

 

[Chicken Rustler]

So sorry to hear about your chickens. So glad to hear that you have bounced back so fast.

DO NOT back off on the dogs / owners. The owners must be held accountable and punished to the limit to help them understand how serious this is. I had a pair of labs show up the other day. They were on the road in front of my place but were looking at the chickens and gaots so I got the paintball gun. Well by the time I got back outside they were right in front of the house and one of them showed signs of aggression. I laid the pink paint to her and they left but since they have shown aggression the next time I will have the rifle and as soon as they step on my property I will kill.
I am not out to just kill someones dog but these have shown aggression and I have a dissabled wife and the neighbor has a special needs child.
Dog owners need to be responsible. We keep our dog home and that is what others need to do too.

 

[undermywings]

I have lived in the high desert for 21 years. Coyote howls are there every night and I have enjoyed the wild sound.
Something dug under our 6' chain link fence around our 3 acres and has killed our duck, our dog, and several chickens.
We have new, wild, crazy neighbors out killing the coyotes for no reason other than they are there. I was angry at the neighbors for that.
But my family was convinced that they were the culprits killing our animals. We resupported the coop and run for our animals, double fenced, and enclose all animals at night, to at least give them a better chance and to give us more time to grab a gun and get out there.
Two days ago, in broad daylight, a pack of large dogs, no less than 9 and possibly 11, trotted past the property. We went out of the gate and they headed confidently toward us in an agressive mannor. My husband shot at them.
I believe they are the culprits who have been getting our animals.
It never made sense to me that in spring, with many rabbits and other rodents running around, coyotes would bother with coming in. Usually, they are starving in winter or late fall before getting brave enough to come in where dogs attack them.
The neighborhood dog release program is now rampant out here, creating bold packs of dogs. I place full blame on these new, wild crazy people moving out here for this.
Sadly, I no longer hear a single coyote for the first time in over 2 decades. Be it the neighbors shooting them or the dog pack killing them, I still blame the residents who cannot appreciate the desert environment they live in.
I have spoken with the neighbors who let their dogs out of their fenced 2 or 3 acres to just 'run around and catch rabbits' that I shoot to kill any predators on my side of the fence. They just don't get it.
That pack was in a vicious mood and could kill a man. I live in a rural un-incorporated area where 'dog catchers' fail to respond and cops say shoot to kill.
I hope that any animal left alive will hobble home and create a big vet bill for their owner.
Should we go looking for these dogs ourselves or wait up every night for them to come in?

 

[IggiMom]

Yes, this is why my husband bought me a gun. Neighbor's dogs. I have five dogs of my own, four little bitty Italian Greyhounds (about 10 pounds) and one VERY LARGE Scottish Deerhound. We have a large fenced yard and they stay in it.

But when the dogs attacked my chickens, my husband was afraid that when I chased them away from the chickens, or should they scale the fence and go for my beloved little dogs, that perhaps they would go for me.

So now I am armed.

We do hear coyotes at night, although it is hardly a dessert. So far the coyotes have not bothered anything. I am afraid for my kitties, though, and coyotes have been known to kill Italian Greyhounds. If my Deerhound would be outside, she would run them off, no problem.

If you miss the coyote sounds, may I suggest that you get Peacocks? Their scream is sort of similar to that of a coyote, and I think it is a neat sound. Occasionally the dogs and Peafowl will get together and have a chorus!

 

[Mechanic1987]

Thanks for all the concern, the reason they killed the one dog he tried to attack and the other ran and they sat a trap for the other. I placed rabbit wire over the windows. our one hen is setting 12 eggs my neighbor gave us, 6 of the eggs are Blue Giants we are excited about those. hopefully she will hatch at least 9 of them.
Thanks

 

[joletabey]

As for going out looking for the dogs. . . that is a tough decision. I think I would wait. Wouldn't you be safer legally if the dogs came on your property? Especially if some dumb nut out there owns the one you shoot and someone sees you. You should have the right to protect your own property.
I think I would die of fright if a pack of dogs approached me or mine!

 

[Southernbelle]

Sorry about your lost birds, but glad you're giving it another go. What a roller coaster!

 

[Big dreams]

Do the dogs really belong to someone? Or are they just a bunch of stray dogs that hang out together? Just wondering. Oh, and I would wait for them, and be ready from a window, so I was inside and they be outside.

 

[undermywings]

Thanks to everyone for your input We can hear the dogs barking out there, shored up our coops, and will wait and see what happens before we go a huntin'. They seem to live out there, many owners just let their dogs loose when they move or get financially strapped these days. Out here, most folks get really big dogs cuz everyone has acreage.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

>>I placed rabbit wire over the windows.<<

I would definitely replace the chicken wire with something stronger. A racoon can snap chicken wire like it was a french fry...may as well protect them from all predators.