RIP Rupert - neighbors dog

[flowerchic]

Hi all,

I'm feeling very blue today. Yesterday evening, one of my neighbors dogs killed my head rooster Rupert. The dog had been taunting him through the fence for 3 days and I guess Rupert jumped the fence and took on the dog and lost. I found him floating in my pool, with neighbors dogs trying to pull him back out - his neck was broke, feathers missing..thank god no blood. It was horrible. I can see the trail of feathers that lead to the pool and then the pile at side of the pool. What makes me sick is I was inside cooking and didn't hear a sound...I could've prevented this. I don't understand why he jumped the fence.

My husband is being an arse about it all and telling me not to cry and that it's livestock. I am new at this country thing, things being born and dieing all around me. It takes a little adjustment. I'm not from the country, I am small coastal refinery town along the Gulf girl. I fish...this chicken stuff is all new. So I feel like I should have some room to grieve and adjust. To make it worse 3 mos ago yesterday we had to put our yellow lab down...now 3 mos. to the day, my Rooster is dead. Today just sucks!!!

Anyone want a husband, he's going really really cheap!! gggrrrrrr!!!

I miss my boy - he was the Yard King!!

C
This is hours before...enjoying a dirt bath with his Lady.




My handsome boy.


Piper and I are very sad today....this was his lady- Piper.

How do I replace him??

C

 

[Eggsoteric]

What a handsome guy Rupert was. I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[CluckyCharms]

I am so very sorry for your loss. Poor little Rupert!! "Men are wired differently than women" is the way my husband explains it to me when I feel he's not emotional *enough* during a rough time, or he's not letting *me* be emotional during a rough time. The only suggestion I can give to you (even though you didn't ask for any) is just let yourself be sad (your pet died!) and let your husband be not upset (it's livestock!) - and try to get along with each other in the meantime and accept the two perspectives.

I'm not an 'old wife' but I've been married long enough to know that almost always when my husband is being rough on me because I'm sad about something *he* thinks is silly - it's because he hates seeing me upset and knowing he can't do a thing to fix it.

A dead rooster isn't a kitchen toaster. Your hubby can't just "fix" the death of your feathered friend, and certainly can't resuscitate it. When (most) men can't fix something that upsets their women, they tend to try to make it sound like it's not a big deal in an effort to make the "unrepairable toaster" go away.

And yeh, I know you didn't ask for advice but it's a public forum so I gave it anyway.

Maybe some day you can get another rooster you like just as much as Rupert...just in a different way. Maybe you could (nicely) speak to your hubby and respectfully ask if he would please go with you to get a replacement rooster and tell him that you *need* him to help you pick one out. Men like to be needed, and it would also be a way for him to "fix the toaster". =']

I really am so very sorry this happened...blasted dog doing what dogs do...

 

[Mac14]

Those were wonderful words of wisdom.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I'm so sorry. It's really hard to lose a pet you love and he was a beautiful guy.

I think the difference isn't so much a guy thing as it is what you grew up with. I am from the country but we didn't have chickens so I really don't see them as "livestock". I see them as friends who give me breakfast and provide me with entertainment. My husband grew up with chickens that were raised for both meat and eggs so his view is a little different.

However, my family hunted so I have no issue with that but my husband's family didn't hunt and he can't stand the thought of actually hunting an animal and then eating it.

Either way, I know it's hard when your spouse doesn't understand your grief. It's a good thing we all have this place where people understand.

 

[flowerchic]

I am so very sorry for your loss. Poor little Rupert!! "Men are wired differently than women" is the way my husband explains it to me when I feel he's not emotional *enough* during a rough time, or he's not letting *me* be emotional during a rough time. The only suggestion I can give to you (even though you didn't ask for any) is just let yourself be sad (your pet died!) and let your husband be not upset (it's livestock!) - and try to get along with each other in the meantime and accept the two perspectives.

I'm not an 'old wife' but I've been married long enough to know that almost always when my husband is being rough on me because I'm sad about something *he* thinks is silly - it's because he hates seeing me upset and knowing he can't do a thing to fix it.

A dead rooster isn't a kitchen toaster. Your hubby can't just "fix" the death of your feathered friend, and certainly can't resuscitate it. When (most) men can't fix something that upsets their women, they tend to try to make it sound like it's not a big deal in an effort to make the "unrepairable toaster" go away.

And yeh, I know you didn't ask for advice but it's a public forum so I gave it anyway.

Maybe some day you can get another rooster you like just as much as Rupert...just in a different way. Maybe you could (nicely) speak to your hubby and respectfully ask if he would please go with you to get a replacement rooster and tell him that you *need* him to help you pick one out. Men like to be needed, and it would also be a way for him to "fix the toaster". =']

I really am so very sorry this happened...blasted dog doing what dogs do...

You are actually so right....he does think he needs to try and fix everything. Since my post we have talked..(not that we were fighting, things just tense) he was just trying keep it in perspective for both of us. He did say - that he didn't like having to fish Rupert out of the pool, this was not the way it was supposed to work- ! So I think it might have upset him a bit too, and was trying to keep me together till things calmed down some.
It was unbelievable while hubby was fishing Rupert out of the pool I was running around trying to catch my other AWOL chickens before the dog got to them and they all just scattered...I had chickens going everywhere. I mean I only have 4...but they were moving and so was the neighbors dogs..I'm screaming at the dog to stop it, the chickens are screaming....it was INTENSE for a while. It almost seems surreal when I think about it.
The dog is now tied up on my porch til her owners come a calling. She's a sweet dog, but she has been very very bad and she knows it!!
No problem about the advice...I give mine all the time too!!

That's a women thing...

THANK YOU all for your condolences....it's so weird, unbelievable, like it didn't happen but you know it did..still trying to wrap brain around it all.

It's so weird to not see him in the yard strutting around letting everyone know he was KING!!! The yard is still and quiet today....eerie!! The ominous rain clouds aren't helping either...just a grey blue day!
Sorry such a sad post but I'm SAD!!!!!

 

[flowerchic]

I'm so sorry. It's really hard to lose a pet you love and he was a beautiful guy.

I think the difference isn't so much a guy thing as it is what you grew up with. I am from the country but we didn't have chickens so I really don't see them as "livestock". I see them as friends who give me breakfast and provide me with entertainment. My husband grew up with chickens that were raised for both meat and eggs so his view is a little different.

However, my family hunted so I have no issue with that but my husband's family didn't hunt and he can't stand the thought of actually hunting an animal and then eating it.

Either way, I know it's hard when your spouse doesn't understand your grief. It's a good thing we all have this place where people understand.

So true...I love it here. Thank you. He was handsome and like most RIR roosters had a bit of an attitude, which I liked.