Sad Day... Dog killed 37 meaties

[jemmasgrandma]

I can't believe what happened, I haven't even been able to tell anyone till just now

I started with 52 chicks hatched September 1, lost a few, fell on one in the coop, set the feeder down on one....so since then I have been very careful with them, making sure the coop is clean & dry, the waterers & feeders are clean & full, checking them at least 5 times a day... Yesterday afternoon I had both of the shed doors open for air flow, the coop is inside the shed, the flimsy

wire coop door was shut. I had just come in the house from doing yardwork and my daughter looked out the window in horror to see DH's beagle running across the backyard with a chicken in his mouth, we ran outside to the meaties coop and we're devastated to see dead & half dead chickens everywhere. You can't even imagine what that's like. All in all one small beagle killed/almost killed 37, 5 1/2 week old meaties and one rabbit that was in a cage in about 5 minutes. We quickly decided to just butcher them, so skinned & gutted, cleaned, cooled & refrigerated til almost midnight. The dog is never loose and somehow escaped from his run. My new coop door will be solid with the right kind of wire. I don't know what to do about letting them out

I had to call the chicken butcher and cancel my butcher time, I called and ordered new chicks which will be coming next week. I'm a first time meatie grower, I'm sick about the $$ spent so far, chicks, feed... I feel terrible but have learned some valuable lessons.

 

[kla37]

That is terrible! A lot of time energy and $ for something that bad to happen! Good idea to fix up the door.

 

[jemmasgrandma]

Quote:

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Awww no so sorry!

I learned the hard way with my shepherd. He got one of my free rangers. Now he goes on his chain or in the house when the chickens are out.

On a positive note, I ordered some meaties which should be here next week too!

 

[TyrannosaurusChix]

oh man!! im so sorry!!!i dont know how many i have right now. i started with 100

i culled two for icky eird eye stuff, lost probably 4 before that when they were new. lost probably 2 or 3 to uneplained.. and recently found one int he hedgerow witht he guts out

something had got it. no other signs .. and its so freaking hard to count zombie chickens who want your grains! processing dates are the 15th and 16th.

 

[jemmasgrandma]

TyrannosaurusChix ---- at least your process date is close

I had trouble counting the 50 I had I can't imagine trying to keep up with 100. I have 7 left but I don't think 3 will make it, none of them ran to the food this morning, they didn't care, I think they are all in shock

I'm just so thankful that he didn't get into my other coop with the layers (pets)

 

[NevadaRon]

That's awful!

I'm so sorry. I live in serious coyote country, so my coop and run are built like Fort Knox.

Welded wire buried a foot deep all around with poultry netting (chicken wire) over that. I also have a lot of hawks in the area, and the cliff in the background of the pic below is even home to some bald eagle nests.

So far I haven't had any issues!

Hopefully that will give you some ideas.

 

[schmism]

a dog that kills chickens and raising chickens on the same property dont mix, the dog never stops killing chickens, they kill as fun play not to eat.

 

[pgpoultry]

I am SO sorry....it is awful.

What do you plan to do....keep the dog or the chickens? I would have thought you would never feel safe with the two together again.

I lost 6 hens to a fox attack a few months back as hubby left the coop open at night by mistake. I now have to be doubly vigilant. However, my dog is an asset as he protects the birds and even has one hen who always sleeps with him on his bed having not been in the coop since the fox attack.

Sandie

 

[CMV]

I am sorry. What a waste. I am glad you were able to salvage some of the losses. I don't know that I would be able to tolerate the dog being around anymore. I can't stand dogs that are destructive.