Neighbor's dog eating my chickens

edgaro

Hatching
Oct 18, 2015
1
0
7
Seattle
I decided to try rising chickens two years ago so I went to our local feed store and got a little flock of 6 chicks. I kept then in my garage until they were ready to be in my backyard coop and chicken run both located under a tall deck . I sometimes would let them roam free in my back yard but when there were about 4 moths old, two of them just disappear one day without a trace. I started to keep them in the run under my deck fenced up with chicken wire. About 4 months later I was woken up by my 10 year old daughter who had gone to feed then and found feathers spread all under my deck/run and all but one of my chickens were gone. The chicken wire was pushed down and seemed like a large animal had attacked then. We live in the city but our back yard has a good half acre or so wooded area so I assumed it was a raccoon or another wild animal. In April this year I decided to start over and got another 4 chicks, they grew and started laying just about a month ago, and everything was fine. Until two days ago when one of then just went missing. This Sunday morning I feed the 4 that were left one from my first flock and 3 from this year. We went out the house around 11 and when we come back I notice my neighbor's dog in my front yard but didn't think much of it as he soon run out to the street. I went inside the house and then walked out to my deck and there I saw the dog that had jumped over the fence and was in my back yard with feathers in his mouth. I went to check under my deck and two of my chickens were gone and the two remaining we're hiding inside the coop. I don't know this neighbors particularly because the are about a block and a half but knew their dog because I had found him in my front yard before but didn't make the connection. I checked his tag because he is a friendly dog and called then a left a message to let then know the situation but no response. Later on the dog came back so I walked him back to his house but they didn't answer so I left him inside and close their gate that was left open. I haven't get a call back and I'm afraid for my two chickens left
 
Welcome to BYC (wish it was under better circumstances).

As you've found out, dogs are chicken predators. And chicken wire does nothing to protect chickens.

You need to secure your coop with hardware cloth and I would suggest you also keep your chickens in a covered run. Both of those should have a wire apron buried under the ground to prevent a dog from digging his way inside.

If the dog shows up again (which he most likely will based on his history), keep it in your garage and call animal control. Explain to them what has happened (killed multiple chickens & owners that are not responsive); they will probably remove the dog and the owner will have to pay a fine to get it back. If animal control won't help you out, there are other more permanent methods to handle this yourself. Loose dogs are a nuisance and sometimes a danger, to everyone in the neighborhood including other pets and even children.

If something isn't changed to keep the chickens safe and the dog off your property, there isn't any point in trying to raise birds. Either that particular dog or another one will get them.

I'm sorry for your losses. Good luck to you.
 
Hi edgaro,

I am so sorry to hear about your losses. I think NorthFLChick has provided sound advice, so I hope you are able to proceed and provide a secure place for your chickens and have lot of them in future.
Good Luck!
 
@hashworld
welcome-byc.gif
to you too!
 
Sorry to say Howdy under such bad conditions.

Where it comes to keeping your flock safe, think Alcatraz and remember that even 3 people were able to escape from there.
We use a hot wire around our run to keep our flock safe mainly because we learned early on that our biggest, toughest dog is an Australian Cattle dog that can chew through chain link fencing if he decides that he has had enough of being penned up. Our dogs respect electricity. It only takes one touch of the wet nose to make a believer out of them.

I also think if you have proof that your neighbor's dog is the culprit, then they owe you for some dead chickens.

If I were you, I'd ramp up security and talk to your neighbor.

Stay Safe.
 
Hi!
frow.gif
Welcome! I'm so sorry for your losses. I will second @NorthFLChick sound advice. I suggest going to animal control armed with the address and description of the dog and the event to file a report. AC frowns on "roaming at large" dogs and "worrying livestock". If you'll get a complaint on file for the past event, AC should contact the dog owner. At the least, if the dog returns, it would be considered a second offence. Best of luck to you and please keep us posted.
 
Welcome to Backyard chickens. Try and get some photo proof if there is a next time. Get photos of the dog, a close up of tags on his collar and what ever remains he has left behind or is holding on to. You need to start documenting how often he comes etc. You also could take him to the nearest animal shelter and they can pay to get him back. Since you said he is a friendly dog, he shouldn't have any trouble being adopted.
 
Welcome to BYC (wish it was under better circumstances).

As you've found out, dogs are chicken predators. And chicken wire does nothing to protect chickens.

You need to secure your coop with hardware cloth and I would suggest you also keep your chickens in a covered run. Both of those should have a wire apron buried under the ground to prevent a dog from digging his way inside.

If the dog shows up again (which he most likely will based on his history), keep it in your garage and call animal control. Explain to them what has happened (killed multiple chickens & owners that are not responsive); they will probably remove the dog and the owner will have to pay a fine to get it back. If animal control won't help you out, there are other more permanent methods to handle this yourself. Loose dogs are a nuisance and sometimes a danger, to everyone in the neighborhood including other pets and even children.

If something isn't changed to keep the chickens safe and the dog off your property, there isn't any point in trying to raise birds. Either that particular dog or another one will get them.

I'm sorry for your losses. Good luck to you.

x2

In addition, I would also attempt to contact your neighbor and warn them about what is going on and advise them to keep better track of their dog. If they are not aware, they are not going to be able to do anything about it. You may also want to consider something like an electrified poultry fence in addition to using hardware cloth. A good shock or two from the fence and that dog will run home with its tail between its legs. In the meantime, document anything you can, especially if you can any pictures so you have proof for animal control if it is needed. Good luck!
 

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