Our Dog Killed the Neighbors' Turkey Poult

[Imbri]

I skipped from the first post to the end... I want to say that our two duck boys and our rooster were brutally murdered today on our property by 2 dogs whose owners think it's ok to let them free-range throughout the neighborhood.

I wish my neighbors were a fraction as considerate as you are! I am truly sorry you had to be an unwilling participant in such a tragedy. It sounds like (as opposed to my neighbors) you did everything that seemed necessary to prevent something like this... but sometimes you think you have your bases covered only to get a very tragic reminder of what scenario you failed to plan for (an experience I had to go through today). It can happen to owners of both predators and prey; "hindsight is 20/20" is a cliche for a reason.

I'm glad you were able to turn things around with your dog and I hope you've let go of the guilt. Thank you for being such a caring and considerate person. I mean that from the bottom of my heart!

 

[Vickischics]

Thanks for your help on multiple threads now! I'm happy to report Albie has been doing great with his chicken training. He gets a long walk in the morning and then a run in the afternoon, with some off leash playtime in between (fetch and such). We've also started working him around chickens on leash and he's been doing great. He's gotten to the point that he can play off leash around them (fetch) without so much as batting an eyelash. He lets them eat treats off of him as he patiently waits for his own (once my bossy hen will even steal his treat from his mouth and then gave him a peck on his nose--I almost died, but he took it like a champ and just smiled at her).

Of course, we'll never let him be around chickens unsupervised--I don't think he'd ever intend to kill one, but I'm sure he'd get playful and could easily do so accidentally. But with us around, at least, he's a gentle (if somewhat aloof) friend to the chickens. He loves laying down by them while they free range

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ALBI LOOKS GREAT!!!
Now! Let the shedding begin!!

 

[Vickischics]

I skipped from the first post to the end... I want to say that our two duck boys and our rooster were brutally murdered today on our property by 2 dogs whose owners think it's ok to let them free-range throughout the neighborhood.

I wish my neighbors were a fraction as considerate as you are! I am truly sorry you had to be an unwilling participant in such a tragedy. It sounds like (as opposed to my neighbors) you did everything that seemed necessary to prevent something like this... but sometimes you think you have your bases covered only to get a very tragic reminder of what scenario you failed to plan for (an experience I had to go through today). It can happen to owners of both predators and prey; "hindsight is 20/20" is a cliche for a reason.

I'm glad you were able to turn things around with your dog and I hope you've let go of the guilt. Thank you for being such a caring and considerate person. I mean that from the bottom of my heart!

I am truly sorry you had to experience a brutal loss. Dog owners vary so much. I am so sorry for your loss. Thats Tragic. And to vision the fight they must have endured. Absolutely terrible.
Are you going to talk to the dog owners? Call the police and file a report. Call the dog catcher/patrol and file a report.
Electrify your chicken area.
A pack of dogs brings high motivation to them and they WILL be back to finish off the rest of your chickens.
Now, you have decisions to make. Depending on the dogs history and behavior, I might have to shoot it. People do it all the time.
I'm pretty sure I know which and all I would be doing.

 

[Imbri]

We already sent reports with tons of photographic evidence to local animal control about these neglectful... Let's call them "jerks"... Who let their vicious dogs run free and don't spay or neuter any of them. I have a thread in this section for ideas on how else to pursue legal revenge (I wouldn't want to hijack this thread ).

The OP of this thread is clearly a wonderful dog owner who witnessed a tragic accident... I wanted to highlight that that's not the type of owner who deserves to wrack themselves with guilt over a dog vs poultry issue .

Oh, and while I'm not necessarily opposed to defending my flock with lethal force, which would be 100% legal in my area, there will NEVER be a gun in my home. Schizophrenic and bipolar spouse plus gun would be as irresponsible as letting murderous dogs run loose. Right now, my hens are making an adorable mess of the living room until I can make outside safe for them.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I’m sorry but I didn’t read your whole novel, but the best anti-poultry killing dog training method that I have used is a remote shock collar. Works like a charm.

Thanks! Yeah, we just got him started on an e-collar and it's been amazing.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I skipped from the first post to the end... I want to say that our two duck boys and our rooster were brutally murdered today on our property by 2 dogs whose owners think it's ok to let them free-range throughout the neighborhood.

I wish my neighbors were a fraction as considerate as you are! I am truly sorry you had to be an unwilling participant in such a tragedy. It sounds like (as opposed to my neighbors) you did everything that seemed necessary to prevent something like this... but sometimes you think you have your bases covered only to get a very tragic reminder of what scenario you failed to plan for (an experience I had to go through today). It can happen to owners of both predators and prey; "hindsight is 20/20" is a cliche for a reason.

I'm glad you were able to turn things around with your dog and I hope you've let go of the guilt. Thank you for being such a caring and considerate person. I mean that from the bottom of my heart!

I'm so sorry... what a tremendous loss. I know what you mean about "hindsight is 20/20"--the whole year after the incident with our dog occurred I was haunted with "could've, should've, would've" scenarios that ultimately didn't achieve anything other thanto drive me crazy. I tried to re-focus energy on patiently training Albie.

Dogs are one of my biggest fears for my own flock--there are many in this neighborhood, and some of them roam freely which is scary. That's why I can't free range mine without supervision. Our chickens are in a Fort Knox-esque situation, but I'm sure a very determined dog or pack of dogs could get to them if they wanted to.

I'm so proud of how far Albie has come. And granted, he'll never be unsupervised around birds ever again, but he's shown he can be a gentle and well behaved dog around them when we're there--now they can even unexpectedly run into the middle of a game of fetch and he pays them no mind (their poop on the other hand... OBSESSED. ugh. but I must choose my battles.) The training will never end because I've learned the hard way not to take good behavior for granted--we will always be working with him around chickens and all else.

I've mostly let go of the guilt. I still get those flashback pangs but they're fewer and further between, and don't linger as long. I still won't forget watching that poult's life slip away. It was a hard but valuable lesson. It's tough to know eventually I'll have to endure that with my own chickens (in the meantime I'm trying to grow some thicker skin!).

On that note, I want to again say that I'm so sorry you had to experience such a loss. I'm really hoping you can find a way to resolve the situation and keep your flock protected--and I hope your neighbors come around and show some responsibility. I will be sending you warm and healing vibes from over here however long you need 'em and beyond

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

ALBI LOOKS GREAT!!!
Now! Let the shedding begin!!

Oh, it's begun. Anyone need any handspun Albie fur blankets?

Hope you are doing well

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

We already sent reports with tons of photographic evidence to local animal control about these neglectful... Let's call them "jerks"... Who let their vicious dogs run free and don't spay or neuter any of them. I have a thread in this section for ideas on how else to pursue legal revenge (I wouldn't want to hijack this thread ).

The OP of this thread is clearly a wonderful dog owner who witnessed a tragic accident... I wanted to highlight that that's not the type of owner who deserves to wrack themselves with guilt over a dog vs poultry issue .

Oh, and while I'm not necessarily opposed to defending my flock with lethal force, which would be 100% legal in my area, there will NEVER be a gun in my home. Schizophrenic and bipolar spouse plus gun would be as irresponsible as letting murderous dogs run loose. Right now, my hens are making an adorable mess of the living room until I can make outside safe for them.

I bet your living room is so full of warmth! I dream about having a house full of well-diapered chickens... maybe that will be my version of heaven one day (except that would also be my spouse's version of hell... guess he and I won't be seeing each other in the afterlife).

I do hope you figure out a solid longterm situation. Meantime your flock is lucky to have such a lovely caretaker looking out for them. Keep us posted

 

[Imbri]

I'm glad you've been making yourself let go of the guilt! That's SO difficult when you feel responsible for the loss of an animal's life. We've got a ridiculous number of animals in lieu of children... Over the course of a marriage that's about to hit the 8 year mark, we've had our share of losses due to old age, illness and sadly, a couple of food-chain-thwartation failures. Guilt always accompanies loss, even in situations where we couldn't possibly have prevented it. It's a matter of living with the guilt by proving to yourself you've learned from it, you know?

 

[Vickischics]

Oh, it's begun. Anyone need any handspun Albie fur blankets?

Hope you are doing well

Lol.
No I don't need anymore handspun Sasha nor Albi down Quilts!
I've been raking Sasha everyday and I can't figure out where all the hair is coming from!! Tumble balls Everywhere!!! Lol
Sasha update" She got a quick spreading "hot spot" on her back quarter. Had to shave it down, go on antibiotics, received a "jump start" injection if steroids. OMG!!! She peed everywhere! Even while sleeping! Then the solumedrol dose pack was a Peeing nightmare and
she had a 6 lb weight gain because she was eating everything in sight. Digging/eating in the garbage ect. Doing things she has never done or hasn't done since she was a puppy. It was absolutely terrible.
She's finally better from that.
Thank God!
THEN, I had to make a Hard food switch to Royal Canin SO ($72.00 for 15lbs) because her previous food must have changed the chemistry/formula in it because she suddenly built up a large amount of Crystals in her urine plus got kidney stones in 4 weeks! She was lethargic and got very sick very quickly.
Thankfully no major Pancreatitis nor Liver failure at that time because I caught it in time.
It's been rough because she's been so sick.
Thankfully, she's feeling better and wants to check on the girls (chickens) to be with them. They all come running to see her. I think they missed her! She playfully runs around them and through them to made them flutter, and of course eats the chicken poop delight!! YUCK!!!
I am so Happy to have my 4 legged "Roostette" back on duty and I'm sure she is too.
I'm so Happy Albi is responding well with his E collar.
As he gets more mature, take your training to the next level and test him.
Hopefully, he won't need the "E collar" responsive buzz to keep him in check as often but, it's a good safety net for Da Mama.
He is intelligent and knows when the collar is on and off.
Continue your training off the collar for limited times because you want him to be trained not, just E collar trained. That's when you know you have been successful.
I'm so Happy to read about Albi.
Send more pictures when you can.
Sasha says "Hi Albi, I wish we could run, play and get into mischief while finding dead stuff to roll in" and let's not forget the finer things like eating fresh chicken poop! LOL
Grosses me out but she can't help herself.
Happy Easter!!!