Lost two birds today...due to one of our dogs

[ChickenMama18]

It's not her fault (the dog that is) she's a terrier. I knew she'd get them if she had the chance. When we came home from Mother's Day breakfast I let the birds out and started to work on homework. The puppy (he's scared of the birds and fine with them) needed to go out so I asked my daughter to let him out...but the terrier scooted out too and my daughter didn't know the birds were out. I could kick myself...this is totally my fault. Our birds are pets. The kids are so upset. From now on the birds go on the side yard protected when the dogs are in. I feel like a total idiot.

Sad day....

The good news is that none of our chicks got attacked and our bantam is broody so she was in the coop. One of our buffs will make it I'm pretty sure she'll just be bald around the neck for a while. Waaaaaaaaa.....I want to cry!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gryeyes]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. My elderly dachshund SO surprised me when he turned into a chicken killer. The chickens were adolescents at the time, very flappy and running around, so he chased them, they ran more, and in 3 separate occasions killed a chicken each time. The first time was my fault for not paying attention, and the second time was due to my inattention again, even though I knew he couldn't be trusted. The third time, I had carefully secured the run gate behind me and was filling feeders, when I saw a chicken happily Free Ranging OUTSIDE the run. Zorro saw her at the same time I did and, since he was outside the run, took off after her and got her before I was able to get out through the gate and save her.

I have to be EXTREMELY vigilant with him. I've had him since he was 5 wks old, and he's almost 12 years old now.

Re-homing him (or anything more serious) is not an option. It was so awful to have one pet I love kill another one I was starting to love.... and then do it twice more.

On the plus side, the chickens are full grown and much larger than he is, now. I let them Free Range in my back yard (outside of the run) and keep him inside unless I am RIGHT THERE, as I was this afternoon. The combination of BIG chickens and a BIG rooster, along with my stern "NO!" and the wave of a stick he doesn't know I wouldn't use on him has made him much more compliant. Anyway, Buffy was on the path ahead of him, and she turned, fluffed up her neck feathers and BAWK!ed at him quite severely. He slunk closer to my side, and we followed Buffy down the path.

They will never be out of that run with him in the backyard without me. Ever. Not ever.

So I know how you're hurting.

 

[ChickenMama18]

Yep...thanks for empathizing. When we first got the birds, I knew the terrier would kill them if she had the chance. She is however under excellent voice control and if I told her to "leave it" she would look away. Still, usually I would carry her to the dog run if the chickens were in the yard. I had a feeling something like this might happen so when we first got them and they were big enough I put the birds in the dog run so that if someone (kid or otherwise) let the dogs out the birds would always be safe. But...the yard has more grass then the run so eventually we comitted to being very careful and letting the birds in the yard while the dogs were in the house. No more! Either the dogs are in the run or the birds are...that is final.

What a painful lesson to learn. One bird that the dog got was so sweet. She was picked on by all the others but we seperated her, built a new coop/run just for her and got new chicks just for her so she wouldn't be alone. The dog didn't end up killing the two as I got out there in time and she ran away KNOWING she was in BIG trouble. Both their necks were torn open through to the muscle. The vet wanted $150 to put both birds down. Our neighbor is from Portugal and had chickens for food and she offered to humanely cull them. She found it a bit hard though because they are our pets and her daughter plays with them.

I'm just feeling horrible. Way harder then I thought it would be.

 

[savingdogs]

At least you were trying to give your bird a happy life and it wasn't born to a battery hen operation!

 

[ChickenMama18]

Quote:
They did have the best life ever! They got to free range in the yard and the company of both kids daily. We will miss them.

 

[Carpe DiHen]

Oh, I'm so sorry.

I have two big dogs and new chickens. They are still in the brooder and I am working on socializing them with the dogs..l.BUT I don't know how it will go if they are outside together.

It is good to hear your story to remind me that "dogs will be dogs" and I will have to be very careful.

Thank you for sharing, I know you feel awfull, but it helps us all learn to hear what happened.

 

[NellaBean]

Sorry to hear that. I have 4 dogs...2 are pretty chicken friendly, 2 are not. The non chicken friendly ones stay in the house or in the front fenced area (they are both old dogs). the other two get to come out back when I am out there........and even so, have ripped apart one of my little tractors TWICE. Luckily, they didn't try to eat the chicken or rooster either time. I think it is just more fun to rip apart the fencing. But it could have happened easily. I have free range chickens too, that they mostly ignore, but that tractor is too much fun.

 

[marinemom10]

I feel so bad for you!

I'm worried about the same thing happening here. Just got chickens this week, and I know my dogs are excited about them, but I'd prefer they ignore them. A Westie and an Australian Shepherd. When I haven't had them on the leash, or have been out of their sight, I put them on a 250 foot rope which can get them near the barns, but not close enough to do anything more than bark. I'm hoping the more they're out on the line, the more they'll ignore the chickens and move to other things.

marinemom10

 

[ChickenMama18]

I really appreciate all your comments. My daughter broke down this morning. She's conflicted...about what someone posted earlier...how to deal when an animal you love kills another that you love. She told me this morning in tears that she was really mad at Coco (the dog). I think time will help.

Well, the lesson is learned and I plan to learn from it. The dogs will be in the run, or the chickens will be. Even the "safe" puppy.

Thanks for the virtual hugs....

 

[RebekahNicole]

I'm sorry. I had the same thing happen with my little Maltipoo. He didn't mean too, he was just playing, but I felt so bad about it! My poor chicken. Praying your daughter will be okay.