I have a neighbor that was letting his dog free to play with our dog. The dog was getting pushy and blocking our dog from coming when we call him, or work when I need him to safely (thorough training) round up the chicken.
Just recently 2 of my hens went missing along with my rooster. Our dog was in our house, I called for the chickens and went looking thinking they were foraging, finally the rooster came back by himself clearly upset from the direction of my neighbors house. So I expanded my search to my neighbors house my hens stay in our yard because we have a good bit of land. Finally, I found one of my hens dead in front of the neighbors chicken coop. Which, mind you, we have found other items of ours in the exact same spot in front of their coop ( shoes, balls, grandsons toys,etc.) which the neighbor returns saying their dog took the item from our property, again. To this day, I don't know where the other hen ended. I have my suspicions though. I think the neighbor saw what happened with one, got it and disposed of it before I could find it but didn't know there was another one there and i found it before he did.
Just last week when my husband finally let them free range (which we had not done for two weeks because we feared it was going to happen again) was watching them, had to run into the house for less than 2 mins, came out and heard loud noises from the rooster and the hen. Ran to the noise, found the hen, in the same spot, in front of the neighbors chicken coop, flapping around and clucking frantically and in pain unable to stand up. Long story short. Two major puncture wounds with quite a bit of blood dripping down from her back and a wounded leg (no weight bearing on the leg for a week) and laying on her side. I washed the wound, treated it, brought her in the house in the dog pen. Wounds are healed. She is starting to move around and is standing on her foot more and coming out of the cage. I have taken her outside to the chicken yard to give her outside time with the rest of the flock but she just sticks to standing under my seat seeming kind of nervous while the hens and rooster walk around.
At what point do I know she is ok to return to the flock?
Also, any suggestions on the best approach with the neighbor so I can allow my chicken to free range again?
Just recently 2 of my hens went missing along with my rooster. Our dog was in our house, I called for the chickens and went looking thinking they were foraging, finally the rooster came back by himself clearly upset from the direction of my neighbors house. So I expanded my search to my neighbors house my hens stay in our yard because we have a good bit of land. Finally, I found one of my hens dead in front of the neighbors chicken coop. Which, mind you, we have found other items of ours in the exact same spot in front of their coop ( shoes, balls, grandsons toys,etc.) which the neighbor returns saying their dog took the item from our property, again. To this day, I don't know where the other hen ended. I have my suspicions though. I think the neighbor saw what happened with one, got it and disposed of it before I could find it but didn't know there was another one there and i found it before he did.
Just last week when my husband finally let them free range (which we had not done for two weeks because we feared it was going to happen again) was watching them, had to run into the house for less than 2 mins, came out and heard loud noises from the rooster and the hen. Ran to the noise, found the hen, in the same spot, in front of the neighbors chicken coop, flapping around and clucking frantically and in pain unable to stand up. Long story short. Two major puncture wounds with quite a bit of blood dripping down from her back and a wounded leg (no weight bearing on the leg for a week) and laying on her side. I washed the wound, treated it, brought her in the house in the dog pen. Wounds are healed. She is starting to move around and is standing on her foot more and coming out of the cage. I have taken her outside to the chicken yard to give her outside time with the rest of the flock but she just sticks to standing under my seat seeming kind of nervous while the hens and rooster walk around.
At what point do I know she is ok to return to the flock?
Also, any suggestions on the best approach with the neighbor so I can allow my chicken to free range again?
