BrigetteBraz
In the Brooder
- May 19, 2021
- 7
- 12
- 20
I haven't even introduced myself here yet but I have a big problem! I've been reading here a while in anticipation of getting some chickens, but yesterday something terrible happened.
Yesterday afternoon our behind neighbor came stomping up to my back door, very angry. It happened that at just that moment my husband got home and met him in the yard. I could see that the man was holding my Pyrenees' collar in his hand and was shaking it at my husband. Then he stomped back off.
Hubby came in and said that the man told him that Apollo (our dog) had gotten out and was on the neighbor's property and had killed one of his chickens!!!!! Apparently my husband had not completely latched one of the gates, and the afternoon wind blew it open. Apollo had been outside enjoying the weather and I suppose he saw a chance to take a little walk. I had no idea he was gone!
Husband got the leash, went over to the neighbor's house and retrieved Apollo. Hubby apologized and asked the man how much money to replace the chicken but the man was too angry to talk about it.
I am beyond mortified, for so many reasons!
1. We only just moved here about 6 months ago and are still meeting the neighbors. This neighbor lives on a large property adjacent to ours. We've met him a couple of times.
2. When we moved in we spent $10,000 (!!) on building a fence to make sure our dogs and children had a safe space and also to be sure that our animals wouldn't be a nuisance. We are not people who let their dogs roam, ever! We moved to a "country" area and I have noticed that out here lots of people don't seem to think they need to keep their dogs fenced, but we do.
3. The dog in question is a Great Pyrenees, a dog bred to protect livestock. Ours is around 11 years old now and wasn't trained to do that work, but he's not and never has been an aggressive dog. He chases squirrels and birds out of our yard, but I never got the impression that he really wanted to catch them (and he never has).
4. I do not doubt what the neighbor says, but I didn't see anything on Apollo except muddy feet. Not a feather, not a speck of blood, nothing. Is it possible he literally scared it to death?
5. How do I make this right with the neighbor? We have always had good relations with our neighbors and we want to continue that. We are perfectly willing to pay to replace his chicken, if he will just tell us what it costs. I do understand that money doesn't replace a relationship (I have no idea what his feelings toward his chickens are... I had NO idea they even had chickens!). I really do want to make this right.
6. And finally, I am now very worried about whether it would be safe for us to have chickens! Our dogs (the other is a Pekingese) have free run of the fenced in back yard.
Ugh. My stomach is just in knots!
Jenny
Our dog killed the neighbors chicken yesterdayI haven't even introduced myself here yet but I have a big problem! I've been reading here a while in anticipation of getting some chickens, but yesterday something terrible happened.
Yesterday afternoon our behind neighbor came stomping up to my back door, very angry. It happened that at just that moment my husband got home and met him in the yard. I could see that the man was holding my Pyrenees' collar in his hand and was shaking it at my husband. Then he stomped back off.
Hubby came in and said that the man told him that Apollo (our dog) had gotten out and was on the neighbor's property and had killed one of his chickens!!!!! Apparently my husband had not completely latched one of the gates, and the afternoon wind blew it open. Apollo had been outside enjoying the weather and I suppose he saw a chance to take a little walk. I had no idea he was gone!
Husband got the leash, went over to the neighbor's house and retrieved Apollo. Hubby apologized and asked the man how much money to replace the chicken but the man was too angry to talk about it.
I am beyond mortified, for so many reasons!
1. We only just moved here about 6 months ago and are still meeting the neighbors. This neighbor lives on a large property adjacent to ours. We've met him a couple of times.
2. When we moved in we spent $10,000 (!!) on building a fence to make sure our dogs and children had a safe space and also to be sure that our animals wouldn't be a nuisance. We are not people who let their dogs roam, ever! We moved to a "country" area and I have noticed that out here lots of people don't seem to think they need to keep their dogs fenced, but we do.
3. The dog in question is a Great Pyrenees, a dog bred to protect livestock. Ours is around 11 years old now and wasn't trained to do that work, but he's not and never has been an aggressive dog. He chases squirrels and birds out of our yard, but I never got the impression that he really wanted to catch them (and he never has).
4. I do not doubt what the neighbor says, but I didn't see anything on Apollo except muddy feet. Not a feather, not a speck of blood, nothing. Is it possible he literally scared it to death?
5. How do I make this right with the neighbor? We have always had good relations with our neighbors and we want to continue that. We are perfectly willing to pay to replace his chicken, if he will just tell us what it costs. I do understand that money doesn't replace a relationship (I have no idea what his feelings toward his chickens are... I had NO idea they even had chickens!). I really do want to make this right.
6. And finally, I am now very worried about whether it would be safe for us to have chickens! Our dogs (the other is a Pekingese) have free run of the fenced in back yard.
Ugh. My stomach is just in knots!
Jenny
.We were on our walk and one of their chickens was in the bushes by the sidewalk. We didn’t hear or see it but our shepherd/husky mix pounced the bush abs came out with the chicken in her mouth.
we yelled drop and she did, but it died within a few seconds.
Aside from an apology, what should we do? I feel awful, but also a little mad that they aren’t more responsible with their animals. I have worried about them flying or jumping into our yard but didn’t expect to have this happen in the front yard.
