My dog killed my chicks

splum

In the Brooder
Apr 19, 2015
46
3
36
We are so upset, I had hardware fabric over their box and he was tied up and he chewed through his lead and squeezed into their box.
He is a Dachshund.
My question is... Is he likely to go after adult chickens as bad as the chicks?
 
I am so sorry to hear this!! ... We lost two babies to our Golden Retriever pup as well. The wind blew the coop door open and the babies scattered pretty quickly, and the pup gave chase and got to two of them before I could. It was heartbreaking! Poor pup didn't know she did anything wrong, and honestly appeared to be "helping" me ... If it's any help, once the birds were bigger, they were able to get away faster if she decided to give chase (which she rarely did after the "incident"). But just be careful with dogs and birds because it's sooo hard to gauge what they are thinking. Just today, my other golden (not a pup) decided he wanted to chase the ducks we have had free-ranging for a year, and he wouldn't hurt a fly! ... I don't know, maybe sometimes the deep rooted DNA shows itself.

Good luck, and again, sorry for your loss.
 
Thank you both. I guess we learn from our mistakes. I will have to be even more careful from now on.
 
So sorry for your loss. Chicks and adult chickens are both tasty treats for most dogs. The dog needs to be taught that your chickens are strictly off limits; sometimes it works, an sometimes not. My current terriers are NOT safe with my birds, and are very well fenced away from them. Mary
 
Sorry for your loss:( I think a little dog like a dachshund couldn't hurt adult hens though. But on the other hand if he did roosters are very helpful about protecting there hens.
 
Daschies are badger hounds. Bred to go to earth in the borrows and catch badgers. They chase and kill prey. Yup, this dog will kill any chicken it can get too. Not his fault. It is bred into him. I am not surprised at all he managed to work his way into the brooder. It's his way. I have no doubt this dog is a fine pet and friend to the family. He just can't get past the instinct bred into the breed for decades. It would be unkind to try and change him or expect him to act differently.
Best,
Karen
Bellwether Collies 1995-2009, retired.
 
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I'm not mad at him. I understand it's his nature. I just really thought I had the chicks secure and am disappointed. He is a house pet. He will stay that way and the chickens will be outside. I just have to keep them safe long enough to get them in their coop.
 
Your story is repeated so often. On the New Members thread a lot of their posts start with " my dog massacred my chicks." They usually go out and buy more and the dog repeats. Many of them say their dogs were yorkies, Chihuahuas and doxies. I never would have thought the small breeds would be like that. Honestly dogs + chickens= dead chickens. You never hear of a chicken killing a dog. That would be breaking news, on every tv station.

It's best if dogs and chickens never meet. Sorry for your loss. Now that your dog has experienced a kill, it will always be in his head to repeat.
 
My dog is a pit/doberman mix, dobs were bred to hunt vermin. He doesnt look twice at my adult chickens and he is terrified of my chicks. He is more snippy at people he doesnt know.
 

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