Neighbors Dog Massacred My flock

[BDutch]

So sorry for your loss. Around here adult chickens can bring $15.00 dollars each. And lumber is no longer cheap. So, if your neighbor is willing to pay, make him pay. Also include the cost of predator proofing your coop-including an electric fence charger and wire. Again, so sorry for your loss.

I’m sorry for you’re losses MandaRae.

Imho its fair that the neighbour pays for the chickens and the damage.
But I don’t think its fair to let the neighbour pay for improvements to build an electric wired fort Knox.

The improvements are for all predators, not just for the neighbour dog.

 

[OldMcDaniel]

I am heartbroken for you. I will pray for peace and resolution. I would definately seek retribution for all losses. You may want to contact local animal control, he was loose, is he vaccinated, licensed and now considered vicious? Love dogs, do not tolerate owners who are careless. Glad you had Cams up. I'm going out to install the hotwire that I already purchased, for my new coop and run. It has been sitting in my office for a couple of weeks. Thank you for sharing. I know it is incredibly painful, but together we have strength and power of insight.

 

[OldMcDaniel]

Horrific, while no amount of money could replace your girls and roo, I do hope he pays up so you can start another flock. So heart wrench

I'm with you! $100 will replace chicks, but not the time, laughs, giggles and tears of the years spent together. Recently brooding 23 as a first timer. I learned a lot and understand how much it truly takes to care and nuture these sweet creatures. Never would have imagined falling in love with them. I am a 55 yr old Man, prior service Army, Fire Fighter for many years. Seen a lot and these stories bring full tears to my eyes. My opinion is financially, he should compensate for all he allowed to be taken from you. Not just replacing chicks and a little wire... Plus the TRAUMA of it all. May God protect and Bless you all.

 

[DuneDucks]

Or it is because prices are wildly different at some places than others, and sometimes from one month to the next. Sometimes the cheaper ones are out of stock, too.

Took me less than 5 minutes to find plenty of options, most in stock, in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. You can walk in store and get quality, 25 ft rolls for $60-80. I think a judge would at least expect that basic level of research instead of "idk maybe 100, maybe 250, depends on a few things really". I really don't understand this argument when all of this information is so readily available. Legitimately took me longer to figure out the postal code than find hardware cloth available to OP.

That depends on how long the roll is, and how wide it is, and what part of the country it is in, and what gauge and hole size it has. Logically, OP should charge for hardware cloth that matches what is already used for the fence, at the going rate in their local store or ordered online.

I'm not saying OP deserves to be reimbursed with a worse product. They aren't entitled to a 100 ft roll of a better product either though. I'm telling them to do the proper research instead of listening to the comments saying, "300 dollars sounds good to me. Take them to court." And this is coming from somebody who spent well over a thousand on fencing the last couple of months. I know how expensive it is, and how intensive it can be to put up, I don't think those of us giving lower estimates need lectured on anything like that.

 

[Shezadandy]

If the destroyed chickens were adults, their _adult_ value is applicable, not what their value was as baby chicks. Baby chicks are worth less because they haven't been fed or raised.

Common breed laying hens cost at least $25 to $30 each at flea markets or on Craigslist. Since these were rare breed chickens, my guess is that the value is at least $50 each. It could be $75 or $100 each ..I don't know. I'll estimate for $50 each.

For the 13 hens, you need to demand at least $650 plus repair costs. I can't really estimate what the rooster is worth because that depends on conformation, breeding quality, and other factors.

Once you factor in the repair costs, you're probably upwards of $1000.

Whoever above suggested a mere $100 values neither time nor money spent on feed costs to raise chickens.

The amount involved in this dog attack is large enough for small claims court. The neighbor will need to kennel his dog and not let it roam.

Yes, my point was that the one day olds for the breeds lost are already in the $22-26 range- which is the cost of a run of the mill adult chicken. Never mind the food and time until they've reached laying age. (and the cost of shipping!!)

 

[NatJ]

I think a judge would at least expect that basic level of research instead of "idk maybe 100, maybe 250, depends on a few things really". I really don't understand this argument when all of this information is so readily available. Legitimately took me longer to figure out the postal code than find hardware cloth available to OP.

I didn't know what the price was for OP, and I still don't know how much they need. I did know that prices all over the country have jumped around a lot in the past few years, sometimes quite rapidly. I have sometimes seen prices like what they mentioned, and I assumed (with no proof) that they had legitimately priced it in that range at some point in the recent past.

I'm not saying OP deserves to be reimbursed with a worse product. They aren't entitled to a 100 ft roll of a better product either though. I'm telling them to do the proper research instead of listening to the comments saying, "300 dollars sounds good to me. Take them to court."

The main point I wanted to make seems about the same as the point you are making: OP should price what it actually does cost in their area, at this time, not what some random internet stranger thinks it costs. For them, you and I and everyone else in this thread are random internet strangers.

And since the first post did say that the neighbor offered to pay, I think any suggestion of going to court is premature. I would not suggest going to court unless the neighbor refuses to pay, after OP figures out what is a reasonable amount to ask.

 

[McChooky]

I lost 14 adult Chickens today.
I'm so devastated I don't even know where to begin.
We have a security camera and at 5:30 this morning a Neighbor's Dog, a Hunting Pointer, Rammed the fenced Run over and over until he got a small opening (still no clue how it fit through) and got into the run and Killed 13 hens and my 1yr old Cuckoo Maran Rooster.

We made a police report. When he saw the cops at our house he came over and admitted it plus we showed the video. He said let him know how much and he will pay.

But where do I even begin!? This was so shocking and traumatic.
Do I charge for the repair to the fence also?
How much per chicken? I also had Marans.
Ages from 1yr old to 3yrs old

I guess I'm looking for advice on how to proceed.

Some predators are still hunting an hour after daylight and and hour before dark. It gets daylight here around 6:30 am so typically I let mine out at 730.

 

[MandaRae]

Some predators are still hunting an hour after daylight and and hour before dark. It gets daylight here around 6:30 am so typically I let mine out at 730.

We have solar auto doors but they are still in a covered protected run.
I stopped using it temporarily.

 

[BDutch]

Some predators are still hunting an hour after daylight and and hour before dark. It gets daylight here around 6:30 am so typically I let mine out at 730.

I don’t know much about American wildlife. But here in Europe we have some predators that hunt in full daylight too. Of course the birds of prey and dogs. Foxes and wolves hunt in daytime too if they are hungry.

 

[BDutch]

We have solar auto doors but they are still in a covered protected run.
I stopped using it temporarily.

I have a solar door to the (net) covered run too. I always new it was not very safe.

A few months ago a fox came into the run early mornings, just after sunrise. It must have been chewing on the strong netting for some time. The chickens made a lot of noise, which alarmed mr. He/She killed one chicken before I was at the crime scene. I secured the flaw in security a bit. I still use the auto opener, because the coop is quit small and boring for six chickens. Stressed chickens is not a good solution either. We all make choices in what we find most important , is not too expensive and lets us feel comfortable. Even the looks is important to some of us. Fi I rather look at a net covered run than a complete hwc fort Knox buiding.


My coop & run (made from a small party tent (3x3). I have this run with auto door for 7 years now. Our garden is not fenced, There are dogs trespassing from time to time. But I never had dogs in the run. Must say: in general people do not let dogs out freely. Most dogs are real pets. But they do frighten the hell out of my chickens if they see one. If they free range, they fly up on the run roof or disappear over the hedge to the neighbours.