Need To Vent...

[lauranickerson]

I am sad tonight. I got a call from my Dad (who I still live with [I'm 21]) saying that my Sebright Bantam and Rouen duckling, who are both only a couple weeks old, died tonight. I just lost my baby Silkie of the same age a couple days ago from natural costs, which was a bummer. But this? Not natural, which makes it way more sad to me. We are working on redoing the coop (more the run, putting different fencing around it and a tin roof over it), and while I was at work, him and his (divorcee of 5 different men) new cowgirl girlfriend were tearing down the old tree house to use the studs for the run. My dad was running an extension cord out of the coop, leaving the swinging doors open. Side note** My coop is set up like this: You open the two swinging barn-like doors into the 'foyer' area. You can then go through two more latched screen doors into the actual coop part. In the foyer section, I have a galvanized cattle trough holding my baby chicks and ducky.
Anyways, So the main doors are wide open, and her little wiry, ugly, annoying dog gets in there and kills my little babies. UGH! This is after they already know she was interested in them, constantly scratching at the coop doors, and also biting my rabbit's feet through her hutch. But they just let the dog run around while they can't watch her, and I pay the price.
I said I don't want that dumb dog around anymore, and his girlfriend is all upset thinking she's not allowed to come over, which isn't what I said, though I wouldn't object. (We haven't got along well, obviously. The witch turned my dad into a whipped man paying for her horses food while we can't keep our internet on, and much different than he ever was.) The whole thing got turned back on me, though my animals NOR I did anything wrong.
He said I was overreacting and being immature, because they are just chickens and ducks. But I still cried...and I buried them, feeling a little better after actually putting them to 'rest.'

I mean, am I really just nuts, or would everyone be sad/mad about that? I don't have a legit pet like a dog, just a mean rabbit and a flock of birds now. They are my 'pets.' And I got all my chickens and ducks within the last month or so, so they are all still pretty young. I only have one little baby left: my white leghorn. She was depressed and jumped out of the trough and escaped a couple times since they died, and I thought for sure I wouldn't find her. BUT, she managed to squeak into the run both times...I'm not sure how exactly.

I don't know. Sorry about the waste of your time. I just needed to rant.

 

[kellysmall87]

Hi, I would be exactly the same. It was their responsibility not to let the dog loose around your animals, especially when it was clear that the dog doesn't like the animals and already showed some biting behaviour. It's not the dog's fault of course, it's in the dog's nature I guess, but the owner - cowgirl - should've put the dog on a leash whilst they were working. It wouldn't have hurt anything just to tie the dog up for an hour or two in the shade.
It doesn't matter if "they were just chicks and ducks", it's a hobby/business that you clearly love and feel passionate about. Why do you want to waste your time and effort into rearing animals just for them to be mindlessly killed?! For them not to understand how you feel must be horrible for you.
It sounds like your Dad just can't believe his luck at the moment by bagging the cowgirl, but the novelty will wear off. Just ask that she doesn't bring the dog around because it's not safe with your animals, and then calmly and confidently just say to your dad that you think this is a reasonable request on your part. He may have money to chuck on her but you haven't got the money to be buying chicks all the time and her mutt killing them in one fair swoop.


Hope you're ok!
Kelly.

 

[Ribbit]

Kindly ask her how she would feel if her little darling was torn apart by another dog, now get her to relate that feeling back to you.
After this tell her not to bring her dog with her next time especially if she can't keep it inside.

have you tried talking to your Dad about it when she's not around? It might be easier talking to him then ; u;

 

[chickenvillemom]

I'm so sorry! Ditto to what the others have said...you're not nuts. I love my chickens and would be very sad if anything happened to them. Hang in there!

 

[scrambled freud]

Any questions about why five different men have divorced her? She cares for no one but herself and her current beau, until that person wises up. Your dad should have sided with you, of course, but money/sex sometimes gets in the way of common sense. You cannot trust them with your babies (animal or otherwise) in the future. I will think about you all day and pray you get beyond this, and I know you will.

 

[Baymule]

Give the selfish beach a bill for the loss of your birds.

 

[sourland]

Nope, you are not out of line.

Your Dad will eventually wise up to her - it appears that her talents only last for just so long. That being said, he will have to come to that decision on his own. Fortify your pens to protect the rest.

 

[backwoodstexas]

You need a Blue Heeler. LOL Mine would not tolerate "cowgirl" and her little mutt.

Trained at a young age to get along with chickens. I am working with mine to like my chickens because I did not have chickens when she was young. However, she does not care for people outside of her "family" and few other dogs.

Or better yet, make it your life goal to have your own place.....with a big dog.

I'm sorry for your loss. Get more chickens soon, and lots of them.

 

[lauranickerson]

Yeah, waiting for her sorry butt to mess up big time so my dad sees how she really is. Obviously being married so many times and an embezzlement charge aren't enough to throw up his red flag...especially when he owns his own business! Ugh! And he says I'M immature and naive.

I do still have all my "couple-month olds." They weren't harmed since they were locked behind the door, thank God! My little Leghorn has actually taken well to me in the last couple days. All my other chickens run from me, even though they don't know me too well yet. Maybe the little Leghorn misses her buddies and is just making me her new buddy because she's lonely. It's so cute when she climbs on my hand looking for my thumb to perch on and fall asleep.

Thanks everyone for being there for me! I knew joining BYC was a good idea!

 

[kellysmall87]

You can count on us!

hehe!