noooooooo I am so sad :(

[rachaelc]

I am sorry too! I use to live up on 122 acres of timberland. My Belgian Mallinois shepherd actually would lay around guarding the peeps. But she didn't help when ravens would swoop in and cart those babies off. It's so frustrating to see the babies flying off in the clutches of predators. They are so defenseless.
Still makes me sad. Hope you don't give up. Try again when you are ready.

Rachael C -mother of all

 

[nzpouter]

The dog will be back.... I suggest you get your gun ready.

 

[patyrdz]

Quote:
I was going to say the same thing! It will be back, keep an eye out and soon you will know which dog it was. Follow it and tell the owners that it was in your yard. I would advise them that if there is a next time, there won't be a third for the dog! I know you can't prove that was the dog, but it being on your property is enough to warrant a visit to the owners!

 

[maf2008]

I am sooo sorry for your loss.......

If I had some eggs that were fertile I would send you 1/2 dozen/1 dozen My hens arent laying yet.

I just let my chicks out the FIRST time ever 2 days ago..... the oldest chickens in the batch are 7 weeks. The 38 all ran to the creek, jumped over the fence and flew into the trees....

I thought well... there go my chickens, but they all came back at sundown, went to the coop and jumped into a chicken pile,
I closed the coop door and they went to sleep!

When mine start laying in June/July and I get some good eggs, let me know if you want to start with some new chicks.

******** I will volunteer a full 1 dozen eggs. Any breed your choice! ********

Again... I am sorry for your loss. But do cheer up!

 

[Schrady]

My heartfelt sorrow for your loss.

I am an animal emergency and critical care technician. I'm amazed at how many dogs and cats have bullets and buckshot in them. Many of these animal's owners are angry and crying and swearing that they are going to sue (or shoot!) the people who shot or poisoned their gentle "Max". A long time ago I learned that there are two sides to every story and upon questioning these people you find that their beloved pet is a repeat offender of running the neighborhood, getting into neighbors trash, terrorizing neighbor's pets and livestock and poultry and children.

These are often the type of people who refuse to spay or neuter or keep their pets confined because it's "unnatural". There is no convincing them otherwise. If their logic is that it's natural for their domestic pet to be an uncontrolled predator, would it not seem logical and natural that their pet should also become prey? It sounds like the law of nature to me.

I am sorry for these owners for their ignorance and for the injuries and death of their pets. Mostly though, I'm sorry for you, me, and our animals who must suffer for it.

 

[horsejody]

Have you talked to your neighbors to see if anybody saw any loose dogs running around? I would talk to everybody in the neighborhood and make sure that all of the dog owners know that their dogs are not welcome on on your property. Be prepared for whoever owns the dog to be in denial. You will know when you have identified the culprit. The owner will say something like, "Oh yeah, Fluffy was out all day yesterday, but he wouldn't do anything like that. He such a good dog that when he gets out he always comes back home. He wouldn't hurt anything. He's so friendly that the most he would do is lick you to death." Dog owners that don't understand the predatory nature of dogs always say their dog would "never" do something bad and that "they would only lick something to death." I don't know why, but they always say those 2 things. Be prepared. The dog (or dogs) will be back. It doesn't have to be a big dog either. Little dogs, especially terriers, can be quite ferocious and some have very strong jaws. I have seen my daughter's Scottish Terrier crush a baseball with one bite. I'm sure that he could tear through chicken wire very easily.

I would strongly recommend that you file a report with the police or Sheriff's Dept. Even if you don't know which dog did it. It will give you a paper trail. If you ever have to shoot a dog on your property, you will have documented evidence that free roaming dogs have been a problem for you. Trust me. That little piece of paper signed by an officer has a lot of weight in a court room. You can also tell your neighbors that law enforcement has been notified and all loose dogs will be suspects.

My neighbors' dog decimated my flock last fall. I sued them and won. I have made it quite clear that if I ever see their stupid dogs on my property again, they will be shot on sight and they will have to pay for any new damages caused by the dogs.

Don't give up. Get more chickens. You have just as much of a right to keep the pets of your choice in your yard as anybody else. The life of a pet dog is not any more valuable or meaningful than the life of any other pet, even a chicken. In the dog's own yard it's a pet. In your yard it's a predator. It's right to live and have a good time killing does not trump your right to keep your chickens safe. If you have to shoot the dog, that was it's owner's choice, not yours. It doesn't matter if it's "not the dog's fault" because you can't shoot the owner and you have to choose which pet gets to live.

edited because I didn't proofread

 

[Bwaaak!]

I am also so sorry for your loss. *sigh* Just yesterday evening lo and behold! what do I hear? but the squaking and screaming of my chickens (I only had THREE that I let out for an hour). Henry goes tearing up the property. Id like to think he was chasing the darn dogs but I think he was running away. The two hens, a barred rock and my frizzle wannabe, dashed under an old shed we have.
So we fly outta the front door, Im yelling for my husband to grab the gun, and two daughters are trying to find the hens. Husband had NO BULLETS! so he goes after the dogs, catches one and drags it home to the owners. I finally made it to the dogs property (back injury), am screaming that I will shoot to kill the next time and guess what?!.... the owner says OKAY, PLEASE DO??!

So today, we will pick up bullets and a paint ball gun. Hopefully paint balls come oil based versas water based. I am fed up.

Meanwhile, scared the pattooties out of the neighbor teenagers, their dog and the parents.

WE MUST UNITE! SSS

 

[10chicks]

Oh- I know how you feel. I woke up a few weeks ago to find six piles of feathers. The coyote we've been seeing finally got to them! I wasn't going to order more but I have one lonely hen waiting for some friends. Sorry for the loss!

 

[Turtle]

I dont like to see any animal be hurt but when it comes to my chickens or any of my babies and any animal that wants to hurt them and its WAR. So sorry for your loss

 

[chickenman11]

Quote:
This is about when I would "accidentally" start forgetting my antifreeze outside every time I "worked" on my truck......ho hum hmmm. If it comes on my property who knows what I could have "forgotten"


And you can call AC any time you see their dog off their property if you have leash laws in your city. Enough complaints do add up. AC can't seem to catch dogs around here, but they do respond to complaints. They could also get fined for not having a city license, or a current Rabies tag, or who knows what else you could point out.

good idea...