- May 7, 2010
- 381
- 2
- 119
Well it happened today. My hens are back yard hens.
This afternoon some neighborhood kids allegedly let the dogs out of their yard. I became aware that they were after my hens when one of them rang my doorbell. I don't like visitors on Sunday and seeing they were kids didn't react until I heard my hens running and squacking. I ran outside to see a terrier of mixed breed attacking my old old barred rock. She was making quite a ruckus with her bawling sounds. The kids had a head start on me to get the dog; which they did. I twisted it's ear until the dog yelped in pain and then escorted the lot off my property. I was a bit beside myself, and reminded the kids that as the animal had trespassed and attacked my hens, I could in fact shoot it. They responded with the usual, "yes sir, it won't happen again." I have to admit the kids acted responsibly. Aside from them letting the dog into my yard; they did everything else right. They alerted me; and collected their dog.
So afterwards I went around trying to gather them all up again. The dog had attacked 2 birds, a gold laced wynadotte and the old barred rock. The barred rock was nowhere to be seen, but I found the wynadotte curled up against the fence... She was alive, and pecked me when I picked her up. She liked to sleep in a nest box, and most nights I take her out and put her up on the perches... But I set her inside the nest box and she settled into the wood shavings and relaxed. She was missing some feathers, and no inspection of mine or my wife's could turn up any injuries.
The barred rock looked terrible before the attack, but positively disfigured afterwards. But come to realize after inspecting her too, it's all superficial. None of her limbs were pained, she was just missing a lot more feathers. She was out picking the birdseed block and acting like nothing had happened when I left for work.
Now something about the wynadotte. They are the most antisocial of all 15 chickens. But this sick one must have a twin sister in my flock, because her 'twin' fussed over her and wouldn't leave her after i put her in the nest box. Ya she pecked me too, but ate hen food and scratch when I offered it. I was touched.
So I dodged a bullet, when it's all said and done. I can't blame the kids for anything but carelessly letting a dog off the leash.
This afternoon some neighborhood kids allegedly let the dogs out of their yard. I became aware that they were after my hens when one of them rang my doorbell. I don't like visitors on Sunday and seeing they were kids didn't react until I heard my hens running and squacking. I ran outside to see a terrier of mixed breed attacking my old old barred rock. She was making quite a ruckus with her bawling sounds. The kids had a head start on me to get the dog; which they did. I twisted it's ear until the dog yelped in pain and then escorted the lot off my property. I was a bit beside myself, and reminded the kids that as the animal had trespassed and attacked my hens, I could in fact shoot it. They responded with the usual, "yes sir, it won't happen again." I have to admit the kids acted responsibly. Aside from them letting the dog into my yard; they did everything else right. They alerted me; and collected their dog.
So afterwards I went around trying to gather them all up again. The dog had attacked 2 birds, a gold laced wynadotte and the old barred rock. The barred rock was nowhere to be seen, but I found the wynadotte curled up against the fence... She was alive, and pecked me when I picked her up. She liked to sleep in a nest box, and most nights I take her out and put her up on the perches... But I set her inside the nest box and she settled into the wood shavings and relaxed. She was missing some feathers, and no inspection of mine or my wife's could turn up any injuries.
The barred rock looked terrible before the attack, but positively disfigured afterwards. But come to realize after inspecting her too, it's all superficial. None of her limbs were pained, she was just missing a lot more feathers. She was out picking the birdseed block and acting like nothing had happened when I left for work.
Now something about the wynadotte. They are the most antisocial of all 15 chickens. But this sick one must have a twin sister in my flock, because her 'twin' fussed over her and wouldn't leave her after i put her in the nest box. Ya she pecked me too, but ate hen food and scratch when I offered it. I was touched.
So I dodged a bullet, when it's all said and done. I can't blame the kids for anything but carelessly letting a dog off the leash.
