My dog and the neighbor's chickens

[humboldtkim]

I'm new to the forum (hello!). I'm interested to hear your opinions on our situation.

Our neighbors across the street have chickens, and this weekend, on two occasions, the chickens were out of their run and free in their yard.

They do not have a fully fenced yard.

We have a fully fenced yard and a dog that will run out of the yard if given the opportunity. On both Saturday and Sunday, the gate was accidentally left open (once by me when I had the baby in the stroller and once by my 14-year-old son), and our dog promptly ran across the street to the neighbor's yard. By the time I got there on Saturday, he had a chicken in its mouth, and though I made him drop it immediately, the hen's neck was broken and it died. On Sunday, my husband got there right away, but we're not sure if our dog harmed any chickens or if he just chased them around.

Our neighbors are understandably upset, and though we take full responsibility for our dog and our negligence, we can't help but feel it is their responsibility to have a fully fenced yard. We live in a rural community, but we are in the middle of town.

We are getting chickens in the next couple weeks and hopefully can train our dog to protect them rather than play with or hunt them. (We will have a fenced off area for supervised free-range, and chicken run for them when we're not able to supervise.)

 

[Belott]

Welcome to the Forum!!!!

Bottom line you are responsible for keeping your pets and chickens on your property.

Your neighbor is also responsible for keeping their chickens on their property.

Your dog attacked their chickens on their property therefore you are liable. Now if their chickens come on your property it's fair game for your dog.

Good Luck with your future chickens. Lots of knowledge to be had here just for the asking!!!

David

 

[humboldtkim]

Thank you, David. Your clear perspective is very helpful.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

As it goes you are responsible to keep your dog contained and they are likewise for their chickens. Unless your town has an ordinance stating the chickens must be fenced at all times they are perfectly in their rights to free range the birds if they don't leave their property.


As for your dog and you getting chickens I'll I can say is good luck. Perhaps him with you and growing out chicks etc. will instill the family member idea on him so he wont chase and roughly handle them. Likely your birds will need to be confined to their run unless the dog is chained or inside for ranging times on your lawn. But old dogs can be taught new tricks it's just harder than raising a puppy with birds to train them. Full grown hens help train puppies and house cats too.

 

[Hooligans7]

Dogs can be great protectors when they understand that chickens belong in the yard, including your neighbor's yard, but first they must be trained to control their natural instincts.

Neither dogs nor chickens are always where they're "supposed" to be, so dog training is a must. Our dog knows that chickens — anyone's chickens, anywhere — are not to be chased or harmed. It really doesn't take very long, perhaps a week or two of steady exposure and correction when needed.

I do think you should compensate your neighbor for his loss. It was unfortunate for you both, but ultimately your dog did damage to his chicken.

Further, I've seen big holes torn through chicken wire fences made by a neighbor's dog, and all the chickens were in their "proper" place when they were attacked, so again, dog training is essential, fence or no fence.

 

[humboldtkim]

We've asked them how we can compensate them, but they haven't given us any suggestions. I also offered to pay for materials and to help build a fence on their property if they wanted. (Ours is not the only dog on the block.)

I don't really know how to compensate them. They've turned down money and our help with their fence. I would love to cook them dinner or something, but I feel like they're a bit hard to approach right now.

We'll think of something.

 

[blucoondawg]

Well one bird financially probably isn't that big of deal to them, while it is your responsibility to take care of it and good of you that you tried they maybe are ticked off about the whole situation and need some time to get over it. Also they could have taken offense at the suggestion that they should keep their birds fenced, people around here have had that attitude towards chickens who were killed by roaming dogs and it isn't right, a property owner has every right to allow their birds to free range, the roaming dog is the one in the wrong.

 

[Cluck Wild Farm]

Its your responsibility to keep your dog in the yard, but it's your neighbors responsibility to do what is necessary to keep their chickens safe. Living in town, I'm not sure why they would let their chickens free range. As a dog mom, and chicken mom, I don't necessarily take steps to keep others safe from my animals, but instead I focus on keeping my animals safe. Which in the end, works out best for everyone. When we lived in town, we had a fenced in backyard for our chickens and dogs to protect them from predators, people, and cars since we lived on the highway. If you've apologized, offered to replace the chickens, and even offered to help with the fence, there's really nothing more you can do. I'm an advocate for both sides, since I love my chickens, but I also have a newly adopted little dachshund whom I love dearly, that would rip a chicken to shreds if she could catch one because she didn't grow up around chickens. Hopefully this turns into water under the bridge. Good luck!

 

[AnotherKim]

You took responsibility and offered to replace the chicken or help fix their fence. They turned you down. You did everything you could. I would give them a week or so to calm down and then repeat your offer, along with a plate of cookies might be nice. If they say no again, just let it go.

As far as your own chickens go, make sure to build a sturdy, fully enclosed coop and run. I've lost a few chickens because the top of the run wasn't covered. The chickens flew out to do some free-ranging ans my dogs decided that they were chew toys. It was traumatic to say the least.

Good luck. Chickens are a fun hobby. I really enjoy mine. Even the one who has made a game of trying to peck me at the gate every morning. I've named her Stew.

 

[Triple Willow]

Fence or no fence, their land belongs to them. They have the right to have chickens on their property without somebody else's dog tresspassing on their land and killing their livestock. Property rights should be a no- brainer.