My dogs plucked my hen!!!

[LaFleche]

@Island of Parker How is the poor thing doing today?

 

[Island of Parker]

My heart is breaking for that poor chicken. Imagine the pain that she is in. As resilient as chickens are, I'm leaning more toward putting her down. As others said, it will be months and months of healing. Scaring to that extend is stiff and often painful even after healing. Whichever path you choose, I wish you and your hen the best of luck.

UPDATE: I couldn't stand it. I put her down. The dogs haven't responded to reinforcement training. They are only 4-5 months old...I do not want to give up on them yet. What other training methods have worked for you?

 

[Island of Parker]

@Island of Parker How is the poor thing doing today?

I put her down yesterday morning.

 

[LaFleche]

I put her down yesterday morning.

The best you could do for her.

 

[LaFleche]

UPDATE: I couldn't stand it. I put her down. The dogs haven't responded to reinforcement training. They are only 4-5 months old...I do not want to give up on them yet. What other training methods have worked for you?

What kind of dogs/breeds do you have?

 

[rangelia]

Dog shock collar. Put it on the max it will go. As soon as the dog acts like it is interested it the birds,,,, mash the button and roll the dog. Dogs respond well to, and remember electricity .

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

UPDATE: I couldn't stand it. I put her down. The dogs haven't responded to reinforcement training. They are only 4-5 months old...I do not want to give up on them yet. What other training methods have worked for you?

I had a shepherd that I never could break from wanting to kill chickens because his prey drive was off the chain. But I have a shepweiler and cane corso that I trained to ignore the chickens.

I kept the corso on the leash at all times when she was younger and if she even looked at them I would correct her to divert her attention to me. She learned quickly but shes still under a year and I her kennel is beside the chickens so now she adjusting to the fact that she's part of their flock or they're part of her pack. She comes in the coop and likes to eat chicken poop and point the eggs out to me. Even with the leghorns fluttering around she does not go after them at all but I still would not trust her with them unsupervised because she is still a puppy and might get to excited trying to play. here is a picture of her around 5 months on a bone with the chicken following her around eating the crumbs that fall off.
I used a shock collar on my shepweiler when she was young and she learned quickly not to mess with the birds but shes about 6 now and has not shown interest in them for years. I can trust her completely with them.
It take lots of consistent training and patience. So it's doable. Never let your guard down. With two puppies it may be harder but it can be done.

 

[Island of Parker]

What kind of dogs/breeds do you have?

I have 2 Pyrenees and a Catahoula that do fine. These pups are Australian Shepherd

 

[Vickischics]

My heart is saddened for you and your chicken. You did the right thing as sad as it was to cull her.
I am so sorry you had to make the agonizing decision to do so but, you made the right decision.
RIP little one, you are no longer in pain nor fearful.

 

[Vickischics]

You mentioned your pups are Australian Shepherds. Are they breed standard?
I only ask because as a single breed standard, their natural genetics is to protect and herd.
But when you have two, untrained pups either spayed or neutered, that changes things a lot.
They will act "pack like" doing what was done to your chicken.
When their is two, they have a tendency to corner, grab, bite and whip their heads back and forth only to let go and repeat until something else gets their attention. Then and only then will they stop.

I have trained many dogs and I firmly believe in advanced obedience Training. Training is a good thing but, having two is tough. it is do-able but, very tough. I am not talking about training to sit, down, stay, heel. I'm talking about a down-stay for 30 minutes or leaving a cooked juicy steak on a plate on the floor only to leave and come back (whenever) and it still be there on the plate!
Shocking your dog as someone else suggested has it's risks.
Depending on your dogs temperament and breed some say this works. Personally, I would not recommend this method for Aussies. There is a high possibility of shutting your dog down and I do not think you want that. Whenever a dog shuts down, you can not pull them out and they will never be the same again plus, you never know what you will get.

You have learned:
Never to allow your dogs out when the chickens are out.
You will need to enclose your chicken run.
When you are out, your pups must be on a lead if your chickens are free .if you want your dogs to be outside when you are. You do not have enough eyes to watch them nor are they trained to STOP when you say "Leave It!"
Until your two juvenile pups are fully obedient trained and trustworthy. They can never be with your chickens off lead. Now, they have received their chicken reward of the chicken fear while squawking and screaming and the taste of blood and they will not stop short of torturing the rest of your flock every chance they get.

The Crack-ins have been released!
I am sorry about your Ms. Hen you made the right decision for her.
I hope you train your dogs