my dogs attacked my chickens and I need to vent

[ziggywiggy1]

RIP Mr.Man the rooster

Today my dogs got around me while I was bringing something out to the burn pile and I happened to have let my chickens out for a little free ranging a little earlier. After much chaos and me screaming bloody murder before I could get my head screwed on straight and grab a leash to restrain my older dog the massacre ended with one dead rooster and two injured hens. Injuries were one hen having most of her back feathers pulled out by the puppy and one hen with a broken/sprained leg (Ive been letting everyone calm down before i Inspect that one closer). My salmon fav girls amazed me, they seemed to vanish into thin air, and I found them safely hunkered down around the property in tall grass, completely still. It was the wyandottes and the rooster that took the brunt of the chasing chaos. I’m trying to cool my head so I don’t evict the canines, and I’ve blu koted the one with the back injury and added electrolytes to their water. I don’t even know if I want advice, I‘m just a little traumatised.

 

[WIchickMama]

So sorry this happened. Vent away-no advice given here.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I raise dogs with medium to high prey drive and the dogs free range my farm day and night. I have had to deal with each of them catching poultry at different times and breaking them of it.

Most recently I had a Catahoula puppy that was fine with the poultry until she hit six months old, then she killed several and wouldn’t respond to correction. I was beside myself because I loved the dog but knew I couldn’t keep her if I couldn’t stop her from catching chickens. I sent her away for a year and then brought her back when she has some maturity on her and just like that, she leaves the chickens alone and even lays among them and guards them.

I vented about her for a month on a different message board back when I had to get rid of her and I missed her terribly when she was gone. Its a no-win situation when you have to otherwise get rid of a good dog because it won’t respond to correction. In her case, she just needed time to grow past the puppy stage.

 

[ziggywiggy1]

I raise dogs with medium to high prey drive and the dogs free range my farm day and night. I have had to deal with each of them catching poultry at different times and breaking them of it.

Most recently I had a Catahoula puppy that was fine with the poultry until she hit six months old, then she killed several and wouldn’t respond to correction. I was beside myself because I loved the dog but knew I couldn’t keep her if I couldn’t stop her from catching chickens. I sent her away for a year and then brought her back when she has some maturity on her and just like that, she leaves the chickens alone and even lays among them and guards them.

I vented about her for a month on a different message board back when I had to get rid of her and I missed her terribly when she was gone. Its a no-win situation when you have to otherwise get rid of a good dog because it won’t respond to correction. In her case, she just needed time to grow past the puppy stage.

The older one is kind of set in his ways at this point, he’s 9 and has never been trustworthy with small animals. He‘s not a dog that typically tries to escape either, but the puppy got around me and I was distracted and he took his chance. It seems that if the I want to free range them I’m going to have to crate him for the time they are out so this won’t happen again. The little girl…I have hope that with some desensitization and training she won’t be a problem, she’s a much sweeter and more biddable disposition. This was just uncontrolled chaos.

 

[Sammi_0411]

Sorry to hear this I'm quite lucky that my dogs and chickens sunbathe together and have dust baths together. Vent away I can imagine how u feeling at moment always hard losing a chicken
XxSamXx

 

[Momma-Hen-Misti]

RIP Mr.Man the rooster

Today my dogs got around me while I was bringing something out to the burn pile and I happened to have let my chickens out for a little free ranging a little earlier. After much chaos and me screaming bloody murder before I could get my head screwed on straight and grab a leash to restrain my older dog the massacre ended with one dead rooster and two injured hens. Injuries were one hen having most of her back feathers pulled out by the puppy and one hen with a broken/sprained leg (Ive been letting everyone calm down before i Inspect that one closer). My salmon fav girls amazed me, they seemed to vanish into thin air, and I found them safely hunkered down around the property in tall grass, completely still. It was the wyandottes and the rooster that took the brunt of the chasing chaos. I’m trying to cool my head so I don’t evict the canines, and I’ve blu koted the one with the back injury and added electrolytes to their water. I don’t even know if I want advice, I‘m just a little traumatised.

Things happen so fast & accidents happen. We're here for you!

 

[ziggywiggy1]

It sucks, he was looking like such a handsome fella, he was too young to do any real defending at 5 months. I didn’t even get any close up pics of him recently but he was turning into a large fairly even tempered bird.

This is the most recent pic I have of him.

I‘m feeling like such a bad chicken mom right now. They trusted me and this happened.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

It sucks, he was looking like such a handsome fella, he was too young to do any real defending at 5 months. I didn’t even get any close up pics of him recently but he was turning into a large fairly even tempered bird.

This is the most recent pic I have of him.

I‘m feeling like such a bad chicken mom right now. They trusted me and this happened.

Don’t fret over the “trust” aspect. I don’t think their mind works like human children. If their thoughts could be put into human words, I think the ones that hang out with us are thinking more “hmmm you are a strange and fascinating thing.”

 

[ziggywiggy1]

I’ve brought my chicken with the leg injury inside, she’s in the bathtub with a bunch of towels and food and water. She had isolated herself, so I don’t think things are going well at all. I think her leg is broken, and she’s fluffed up and making slight wheezing noises. I sat with her for a while and she ate a bunch, and I put aspirin in her water, although with a break I don’t know how much it will help. I’m probably going to have to make a tough decision in the next day or so, there may be more than the broken leg going on.