My dog just killed our chicks

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
not a bad idea!

that helps with part of the problem, but what happens if one of your chickens accidentally gets out of the run PAST the fence and into the yard? Your dog will be on its own territory, the chicken will be in the dog's territory, so there's nothing to deter it from having chicken for lunch, or at least a plaything... training still seems to be a necessary component.

 

[eggsited chickens]

Oh no! I"m sorry. I'm afraid our dog would do the same thing if one happened to escape. I put his electric fence around the whole coop area, and him being such a baby stays pretty far away. So hopefully nothing happens

 

[hearthnsoul]

I am so sorry to hear about this. I have been having thoughts about this too. I have two dogs a retriever Mix and a Basset hound. The mix, I let in with me when I have the ducks out,..he's just not that into them, but he moves when they come too close to him, the basset hound, which you'd think is so slow and small and usually only cares about food and love, well I don't trust her as far as I can throw her with the ducks because she is too into them. So I keep a board up, between the kitchen and hall. She watches. I got to thinking though maybe what I am doing is wrong,..keeping her at bay. Maybe it will make her all the more motivated to come at them. I am not sure, I don't think there is much we can do but train and try to prevent as much as we can, but your tragedy says no matter how well we try to prevent, if there is a strong will, there will be a way, Again I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Keni*Sue]

Quote:
not all birddogs bother the chicken. i have a lab now and hes never bothered or offered to harm any of our chickens, so its kind of like blaming the breed, much like people automatically assume that pitbulls will attack people. you have to train these dog to do things like this they don't just automatically do them

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Very sorry. Unfortunately it is yet another dog story.

Seems dogs and chickens just do not mix well.

I do not think that ANY amount of training is going to stop a dog that has already killed chickens.

One may think the job is done, the one day it is back to the killing.

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

I am so sorry, that is just horrible!

I can't imagine how bad you and your daughter must feel, but it wasn't your fault! Please try not to blame yourself.
it wasn't even your dogs fault that is just what they will do.
You'll hate him for awhile but you'll forgive him in time I think!

 

[shaggy]

Quote:
not a bad idea!

that helps with part of the problem, but what happens if one of your chickens accidentally gets out of the run PAST the fence and into the yard? Your dog will be on its own territory, the chicken will be in the dog's territory, so there's nothing to deter it from having chicken for lunch, or at least a plaything... training still seems to be a necessary component.

the coop and the run is fenced in ... there is also a perimeter fence around the coop and run .... it is starting to feel like a military complex

i have minimum experience training dogs --- housebreaking is fairly easy ... countersurfing (eating food off the counters when no one is around) is a bit harder and have been unable to get them to stop in 2 years

i can expect my dogs to behave when i am around ... but if i am not keeping a constant eye on them, it is a lost battle

 

[georgialee]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's so hard to have a bird dog and chickens on the same property. Many dogs just can't control their instinct.

 

[realmofthewoodsranch]

You poor thing! I have been afraid that my two older dogs would get into the chickens, but luckily the boy (who is a "pitbull"/ husky mix we think) is terrified all all things feathered. He got bit by a cockatiel right on his nose a few years ago and ever since then has shown no interest in birds of any sort. He's got a really high prey drive, too, just not for birds. He's a squirell fool though, the instant he sees one, he goes NUTS!

My female "pitbull" has a high prey drive, too, and a couple years ago, my hens were out and she ran right up to them, and by the grace of god, even as I type this I *still* don't believe it, she herded them back into their coop without opening her mouth to harm a feather on them.

My "pitbull", the chicken herder...

 

[Goat_Walker]

Im sorry your Babies didnt make it

Bad stinky dog!

When we had our white schnauzer, she was our hamster hunter. All the other dogs would kill our hamsters, but she would just pop it in her mouth and bring it to us. A damp little furball. If it was ny other dog, it would have been a blood bath.