Sad loss of Casper; warning graphic pic!

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I’m so sad to say that we lost Casper today. We already had 8 adult guineas, but only one boy. So we decided to add guinea keets and a new coop. We put 13 keets in the new coop - 2 keets, including the only coral blue from 50+ keets, were killed by a snake in their new coop. We had 11 keets (now 3-4 mo old) remaining, including 5 that we bought from another guinea breeder to broaden our genetics. One of those 5 was our only white guinea, a sweet guy who was particularly brave at getting close to me. I came home from from work early this afternoon. I had just gotten inside, when I saw a dog (neighbor???) happily jogging through my backyard with my only white juvenile, one of my precious males and of outside genetics, clutched in its jaws. I ran outside and the dog dropped the guinea, but it quickly died. I saw few injuries, but I butchered it and found massive blood loss in the abdomen. From the feather piles, he was grabbed from the new coop. I’m so sad: we’ve lost 3/13 keets, and all were killed in the coop that’s supposed to keep them safe. I don’t know if I just need to vent; or if anyone has ideas for keeping safe during the day? Thinking about adding a second auto door, so they can’t be trapped by a predator...

 

[R2elk]

I’m so sad to say that we lost Casper today. We already had 8 adult guineas, but only one boy. So we decided to add guinea keets and a new coop. We put 13 keets in the new coop - 2 keets, including the only coral blue from 50+ keets, were killed by a snake in their new coop. We had 11 keets (now 3-4 mo old) remaining, including 5 that we bought from another guinea breeder to broaden our genetics. One of those 5 was our only white guinea, a sweet guy who was particularly brave at getting close to me. I came home from from work early this afternoon. I had just gotten inside, when I saw a dog (neighbor???) happily jogging through my backyard with my only white juvenile, one of my precious males and of outside genetics, clutched in its jaws. I ran outside and the dog dropped the guinea, but it quickly died. I saw few injuries, but I butchered it and found massive blood loss in the abdomen. From the feather piles, he was grabbed from the new coop. I’m so sad: we’ve lost 3/13 keets, and all were killed in the coop that’s supposed to keep them safe. I don’t know if I just need to vent; or if anyone has ideas for keeping safe during the day? Thinking about adding a second auto door, so they can’t be trapped by a predator...

Sorry for your losses. Personally I don't trust auto doors. The only doors I use are hand operated by me.

My neighbors are well aware of what I will do to dogs that attack my poultry.

Good luck.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Sorry for your losses. Personally I don't trust auto doors. The only doors I use are hand operated by me.

My neighbors are well aware of what I will do to dogs that attack my poultry.

Good luck.

I love dogs, but if I had been holding a gun when I saw that dog carrying Casper... The dog ran off quickly; I wanted to catch it and report but couldn’t find it after taking Casper inside to die in my bathroom. Auto doors have been good for me... I work somewhat erratic hours, and I’m not always home to let birds out in the AM and lock in at night. However, an open door during the day clearly leaves a point of entry for anything small enough to fit through a 10x10” door...

 

[That_australian_lad]

fu*king mutt i'm sorry for your loss

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

fu*king mutt i'm sorry for your loss

Thank you! I just can’t believe this big dog squeezed into the coop door!!!So frustrating! It was fast, as I had seen it and its friend at the main road only a few minutes earlier. I wish I could at least find the owner to tell them that they owe me for livestock loss... Not that this is how I valued Casper’s life, but I feel that there should be some repercussions for a loose dog that kills livestock...

The only gratifying thing from this was that the adults flew into several trees and were safe. After I walked around and verified that the dogs were gone, I called to the adults and they trusted me by accepting that things were now safe and flew down to cluster around me until I locked them safely in their coop for the night. Ghost is my lavender adult male, and he seems to accept that we work together for flock safety with the others following his lead... Casper was the juvenile that was most trusting of me so seemed the most like Ghost. So very beautiful with his snowy feathers and red headgear!!! I can’t blame his loss on predator visibility when it ran into the coop...

 

[TwoShepherds]

Oh no, I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[EggWalrus]

So sorry for your loss. Casper was a good looking guinea. I know you're gonna miss him!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Not sure if it is an option but consider getting a game camera and setting it up as proof the dog is coming around and viewing what time. Do what you can to reinforce and proof your birds from further mishap. Perhaps call local animal control and see if there is any law on free-roaming/off leash dogs and report the dog running loose and killing poultry?

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Not sure if it is an option but consider getting a game camera and setting it up as proof the dog is coming around and viewing what time. Do what you can to reinforce and proof your birds from further mishap. Perhaps call local animal control and see if there is any law on free-roaming/off leash dogs and report the dog running loose and killing poultry?

I am so sorry for your loss.

That’s a good idea, I have a game cam set near the coop but it wasn’t operating this afternoon I’m going to call animal control tomorrow so I have some paperwork. I’ve been checking out local pet lost/found ads for the miscreant...

 

[Ebony Rose]

I live in the second largest city in Panama, and fully 80% of all households have back yard chickens, and many families also keep other small livestock such as rabbits, goats, ducks, quail, a few have geese... It is commonplace to raise these animals for meat and/or eggs... for food to feed ourselves. A dog is supposed to PROTECT livestock, not make sport of them or eat them.
Here, it's understood that if a dog is caught red-handed, so to speak, killing chickens or molesting livestock that the owner of the livestock has every right to kill the dog or demand that the owner of the dog do so. Absolutely no qualms about it.