neighbors dog

[lhammond]

I am heartbroken. I allowed the chicks to be in the run while at work, and came home to 5 dead chickens. The neighbors dog broke into the cage and destroyed them. First day out. I need to do a better job reinforcing the run, I guess. He tore the door off its hinges. The locks worked but the screws didnt. Wonder what i should say to the neighbor when they get home. I want to yell at him but I know I need to calm down first. I suppose he will think his dog is better than my chicks but that isn't fair. We do have a leash law.

 

[rhoffart]

Not cool. How did his dog get into your yard? No fencing between properties? You should tell him the truth and how you feel. I'm sure they will understand ... no different if something killed his dog, right?

 

[sourland]

A picture is worth a thousand words. Show the dead chicks to the neighbor. I would also report the incident to Animal Control. If the neighbor does not control his dog, it will continue to terrorize/kill your birds.

 

[Saris]

I would definitely bring the dead chicks to show the neighbor, and report them to animal control if they violated the leash law. Minimum I would insist that they purchase new chicks for you. Even if there wasn't a fence separateing your chicks from their dog, it's not an excuse that their dog was out unsupervised.

 

[cutechick53]

I am so sorry for your loss!

I agree with @sourland . Show the chicks to him. See what he says. Tell him if the dog comes over once more, you will take legal action. Bill him for the chicks, AND for the damage done to the coop. I am in the process of trying to catch a dog that did $180 worth of damage to my flock, and killed 9 chickens. You can take the dog and put it in a no-kill shelter. I wouldn't recommend putting it in a pound if you decide to take that course. Hope it works out.

 

[lhammond]

He was apologetic and offered to buy new chickens but as we all know they are irreplaceable. No fences between yards in rural N. H. HIs kids came home and let the dogs out and their electric fence wasn't working. SO that's it. I told him I don't expect to ever see his dogs in my yard agin.

 

[lhammond]

Thanks for all the nice words from my chicken friends.

 

[song of joy]

I'm SO sorry you lost your chicks to a dog attack. It sounds like you did everything you could have possibly done to keep the chicks safe. It's really hard to keep a determined dog out as they're so strong.

 

[kristaschics15]

I'm so sorry

 

[slguy]

1/2 Of me would be SO ******.

The other half of me owns dogs and knows that they are indeed dogs. I tell my wife all the time "stop yelling at the dogs for being dogs".

Glad he was hospitable about it!

So the 1/2 of me that would be ****** would also tell you to call animal control - but im not sure that the dog did anything wrong - I know if the dog attacked another dog or a human - there would be some definite consequences. Attacking chickens? Unless the owner knew that his dog did not do well with chickens, and knew that you had chickens that were not well protected, and still let his dog out to possibly kill your chickens - im not sure that anything will be done even if animal control comes out.

The other 1/2 of me that owns dogs and knows that even putting 100% of my energy into training my dogs 'right vs wrong', and keeping them in my own yard, and yelling if they run away but they run away at least once every couple months no matter what I do - I would tell you not to knock on his door next time his dog kills something in your yard - now it's your job to either build a better coop, put up a fence, or both.

Not sure how much land the two of you have, and not sure how interested either of you are in putting up a fence - but you could ask him to contribute 1/2 to the cost of a fence. If he refuses, tell him to be ready to keep buying you chickens, and pay you for "emotional loss", and to buy you eggs while you're waiting on new chickens to grow up, and for coop repairs any time this happens...