Neighbor's dog killed my pullet. Share your thoughts with me, please.

[wmpd210]

I am a newbie to backyard chickens and have for the past 2 weeks or so been allowing my 10 girls to free range in my unfenced back yard. At first I would only allow them to be out of the coop when I was in the yard with them. I live in the suburbs with neighbors on all sides. The girls are three months old and they don't go too far. They love to hang out under a pine tree about 20 feet away from their coop. Today I looked out the back window and saw a neighbor's rescued greyhound in my yard. He has never escaped from his yard before. I ran outside after him and he ran back into his yard. I told my neighbor about what had happened (I did not know yet if all my girls were alright) and she apologized, offering to pay me the cost of the chicken if he had killed any.
When I went back to my yard, I saw one of my girls near death, next to the pine tree. I held her for several minutes as she died in my arms.
My question to you is, was I being irresponsible by allowing them to free range in my back yard without me being present? I put them back in their coop at night. Attached is a picture of their coop which shows they have some room to move about while they are cooped but they delight in their freedom during the day when they are free.
I am not interested in charging my neighbor $5.90 for the cost of the chick. I do believe there is an ordnance that prohibits chickens but the town doesn't enforce it unless someone complains. For that reason, I have to make sure I don't piss my neighbors off and I plan to share eggs with neighbors when they start laying.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

First of all, welcome to BYC and I'm sorry about your pullet.

I have neighbors who let their birds wander about in the front yard. They have been lucky, considering the neighbor right next door to them seems to have trouble keeping their dog where it belongs. I tend to be very cautious, and wouldn't let mine out if there was a possibility of them coming into contact with a dog...even (or especially) my dogs.

I hope that you can figure something out that will give you piece of mind and keep your birds safe.

Good luck!

 

[leadwolf1]

Since chickens are technically not allowed, you are taking a huge risk by allowing them to free range in an open backyard. Not only is it a risk predator wise, it is going to be an increasing risk as they get older and want to range further from home. Here, even thought chickens are allowed, I have mine fenced for their own protection. Our neighbors do not fence their dogs so, to allow my chickens to free range would be like serving them up for dinner. Unfortunately, you are going to have to fence your yard or, contain your chickens. As they get bigger, they are going to need at least 10 sf of room per chicken in an outside enclosure.

 

[TonySorrento]

If there is an ordinance against it, I would not charge the neighbor and I would not free range them .... build a run ...

 

[janinepeters]

Save your self a lot of grief and your chickens' lives and put up a fence. If the dog doesn't get the rest of them, wild predators eventually will. And if you do fence them in, and it is not totally predator proof (i.e., still open to aerial predators), I would let them out only while you are home.

 

[RedDrgn]

Start by finding out for sure whether or not you're allowed to have chickens. If you're not, then you're hands are sort of tied so far as what you can do. Still, I'm sure there is also an ordinance regarding dogs roaming onto other persons properties without their permission...

Anyway, no you were not irresponsible in letting your girls free range alone. It's actually a pretty normal thing to do, though it's not a method that I practice with my flock because of the risk of dogs (and other predators) in my area. It's a personal decision, though. If you're uncomfortable with them out alone, then do not let them out alone. Even if you are out with them, a dog could still snatch one before you can blink. It happens, and it's ever a risk. The only way to eliminate that risk is to keep them in a predator-proof run/coop.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Sounds like your neighbor has been reponsible with the dog if it has never escaped before. These things happen no matter how hard everyone tries to keep things under control. A greyhound will love to chase and chickens running and flapping to get away from it will be quite tempting, should the dog ever escape again. And because you have contraband chickens "gasp", you are probably best off containing them unless you are with them. Who knows what else might wander into the neighborhood.

 

[mustang56]

Maybe check craigslist.com..... dog run....or extra large kennel...hurrican fencing....an such...... as an added area for the
chickens to roam.... Even if your outside with your chickens, predators can still swoop down and get one...
Build a pen around your coop.....? I'm very sorry for your loss....that's to bad... =(

 

[earlybird10842]

Awww... I feel bad for you and your pullet. Maybe build a nice big animalproof run that extends to underneath the pine tree and any of their other favorite hangouts. Free range them if you are going to be near windows where you can supervise.Perhaps improve your fence as well. Hopefully the dog will be better supervised from now on. I don't think you are being irresponsible, we free range our chickens in a rural area where wild animals are a threat, but nothing has happened yet.

 

[Mrs. K]

Looking at your picture, which may not show the whole set up, but I do not think you have enough room for 10 chickens. You did not indicate the size of your back yard, but with time, 10 chickens will destroy all the grass in a rather large area. It looks like you can move that run from place to place, but the run itself is too small for 10 chickens. And if you are living in a neighborhood with people all around you, 10 chickens is a lot of chickens, with fecal matter. Personally, I think you need to reduce your flock to about 2-3 hens, if that is the size of run that you have. 10 hens in there when they are full grown will be very crowded. And that will lead to other ugly chicken behavior to their flock mates.

Yes, I do think that you are responsible. Most dogs natural response is to chase, and a chicken makes prime chasing. You cannot expect other animals to stay off of your property unless you have a fence. Even with a fence, when people free range, they have to admit to a risk that they are willing to take that they are probably going to loose some birds. EVERYTHING likes to eat chicken. Basically, you put a great deal of temptation in front of a dog that had not left his property before. And the fact that he got free does not say much about their set up either because it did not confine the dog against his will.

Chickens do not naturally stay home, the bigger they are, and the longer they have been exposed to free range, the more territory they will cover. Your problem is going to get worse as they explore more and more area, and then they will also get in the neighbors yards and tear up their flowers and vegetable gardens. Chickens do not know right from wrong.

In my opinion, you need a much larger run or considerably less chickens.

MrsK