Sad story....

[Myst4]

Hi,I have a very sad story. I have a hen we call "Big Mama" she is an Astrolurp. Just a couple of weeks ago she hatched a baby. A beautiful little girl. Big Mama is an excellent mother. She trusts me and I could hold her baby without any problems. Her baby trusted me as well...sweet little thing. When I put my hand down to the chick she would make those little peeps as if her mother was snuggling her...and she would not try to run off or anything. I could hold her and snuggle her . My chickens are free ranged. Today,we had to go shopping. After a few minute of being back home, I went outside to check on our chickens and saw that Big Mama was wandering around....alone. I got worried and started to look around for her baby. I discovered that the baby ,somehow, got into our big dogs outside kennel and he had killed her

. I am heart broken and so is Big Mama....she keeps wandering around,calling and looking for her baby. My questionis..what should I do? I can't get her another chick....will she "get over" it? I really feel for her. My husband and I are contemplating getting rid of our outside dog. This chick was NOT the first he had killed..and also we have other dogs,and he will attack them(that's why he is an outside dog, he was attacked by another dog a few years ago,and since then he will attack any other dog).

 

[Chickenmaven]

Sorry to read this sad news. The hen will get over her chick.

The dog? That's YOUR call, my dear.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Oh, how sad!

I dont think that there is anything that you can really do for her and she really will get over it pretty quickly. We've had similiar situations with lost chicks and mama looks for a little while then gets on with it.

 

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

That's very sad. Poor little chickie.

 

[Myst4]

Thanks...I hope she gets over it soon. It's breaking my watching her look for her little fuzzy butt.

 

[Myst4]

oh yes, I meant to ask...would Big Mama go broody again to have another baby?

 

[sred98]

Quote:
I don't think there's anything to do about the dog, he didn't get out. The chick got in his pen.

Sorry that you lost your chick.

She will get over it, just might take a few days, or a week for her to quit looking for it.

Shelly

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Oh - I'm so sorry. That would be very SAD.

If you keep the dog, I'd put hardware cloth around the base of his kennel to stop chicks from getting through or big chickens from poking their head through.

I guess you have to decide what quality of life the dog is having being separated from the rest of the pack.

You could possibly rehome him to someone who understands he needs to be the only dog and a home without fowl.

I hope poor Momma stops searching soon.

 

[Myst4]

Thanks....I'm still quite upset about it. The chick was so tame....such a tiny little girl too. Although she wouldn't let anyone else near her,except for me and her momma.
I don't like having our big dog out in a kennel.....my husband and I have to make a decision. He is a good dog of the age of 8. He is very friendly and loves all people. We were going to have him nuetered and see if that would settle him down a bit. He gets attention..but only from me. I go in his kennel every day and play with him. He would love to run free(he does come back home and we live out in the country) but lots of our neighbors have dogs...I wouldn't want him to attack them and hurt (or worse) them. He's great around cats.
Anyway, it's a very difficult decision we have to make. Not sure if anyone would want a dog of his age.

Oh and we had already put chicken wire around the bottom of walls of his kennel.....but where the chick got in, my dog had chewed through(he's not a chewer though, I think he did that to have access to the chickens)I've repaired the wall again with a heavy duty type of wiring(material for cages)...not even a mouse can get through. He is part bird dog...so I'm sure that killing chickens is only instinct. He doesn't eat them though.

 

[b.hromada]

I'm so sorry about your little fuzzy butt.

I know momma will get over it, but it does hurt nonetheless.

I would imagine she will go broody again, just give her a little time. Best of luck to you.