Missing hen--dog attack part 2

[Animalfisherwoman]

This morning, my SO let the chickens out. Fifteen seconds later, there was a commotion. My neighbor's pit bull husky mix had again breached the fence and was chasing the chickens. There were down feathers all over from our head hen who remains missing. From past experience, such chickens have shown up, sometimes uninjured and sometimes very injured. I have not seen Esme yet, nor did my SO see the dog carry her back over the fence. The other hens ran back into their coop except Pearlie, the one who nearly died of illness back in September. Pearlie came running to me at the porch door.

So the first part of my two part question is how do we find Esme? Are there tricks to getting her to come out earlier, if she is still with us?

The second is more of a rant. We went through this in July when this same dog leaped the fence entirely, killed one of my chickens and injured one to the point it required vet surgery and a $1,000 bill. Animal Control came out and got the body. If I had pursued, the dog would have been euthanized by county law, and if they'd appealed, at best they would have been obligated to erect new 8-foot fences on all sides of their property at their expense, plus county-required signs, plus muzzle their dog whenever it went out on walks. And that's IF they'd won after spending thousands of dollars going to court.

They paid the $1,000 and I wrote animal control that I didn't want to pursue the matter. They're my neighbors after all, and I have to live with them. While things were cordial, they were definitely tense and only recently warmed up.

But this dog? Now this dog terrifies ME after what I saw from it today. OK, "all dawgies" have a prey drive. This is one that leaped the fence once and got THROUGH the fence a second time. I went to talk to them, and there's this kid trying to restrain the dog. It was pulling HIM all over the place. This kid plays youth football and is already stronger than me. Again came the reassurances that they'd stick him on his tether or again put him in the house. That's like saying I'd make all my 10 chickens house chickens. It simply won't happen.

The July incident along with others made me uncomfortable around dogs. Our family has dogs, and while respectful, I kept my distance from them when going to their house for family gatherings. I basically am a dog-free person now, and that is my right. I simply want to be a person having the pets I want on my side of the fence without being worried about a dog, let alone an 80-pound predator, coming over to get my pets or maybe me.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

I just now found Esme. She's not a lap chicken, so it took some effort (less than normal) to grab her. She has a swollen belly and severely irritated rear end that doesn't look like anything a dog would do. I treated it with neosporin and Vetricyn and put her back in the coop with the others for at last today.

 

[winglesschicken]

I think you should definitely push for them to make a better fence. Not only is their animal going on your property, but it's also harming your animals and potentially actually killing them. Take immediate action. I'm glad you found your hen. I'd suggest bringing her inside to monitor her and make sure none of the other chicken's pet at her. But if she's already asleep it might be best to just keep her where she is.

But I cannot stress making your neighbors put up a fence enough. Their dog, their responsibility. If their dog continues to attack your chickens it's their fault. Make it known you WILL press charges. Keep your lil chickens safe.

 

[BDutch]

Nice to hear you found you’re chicken.
While I was reading you’re story I was thinking. ” talk with the neighbors about a solution if this will happen again. You can be certain if the dog escapes again one day , he will go after youre chickens again.

My mother had a similar problem with a bouvier dog living next door. The neighbour (and relative) realised it was impossible to change the dogs behaviour or keep the dog locked in for ever.

After 2 attacks, he decided to euthanise the dog.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

I already tried that, in July. I told AC that I would work with them on a fence, which is a substantial expense for both of us BUT would also be a property enhancement for both of us. I didn't feel it was right to MAKE them stipulate to paying the whole thing--it is a strain on my family and even more on theirs. But until then they'd promised me that their dog would be restrained from the fence.

 

[hayley3]

They obviously don't care about their dog or you. I would get the law behind me and make them put up that fence, ASAP. I would also take pictures of all the feathers from this incident and document your conversation.