Sad Weekend

MSChick

Hatching
8 Years
May 31, 2011
3
0
7
On Saturday I lost most of my hens! I had 3 dogs break through one of the windows on my coop and jump through and kill most of my flock in a matter of minutes. This is a window that is 4 1/2 ft off the ground! It was a screen window (as are all of them). It was just so sad-I had raised these hens for almost 2 years. 18 dead in mere minutes-thank goodness for my guineas or I wouldn't have any left. As it is I only have 4 unharmed-and 11 more that are chewed up. I have doctored all that I can-but honestly I don't expect them to make it-just trying to give them a fighting chance in case they do. I added electrolytes to their water since all have been in shock. It is so eerie to go out to the coop and run and it is deadly silent-not a single noise since the attack. Unfortunately they were confined to the run and house (both large) since we were working on putting in the garden. I have been letting them free range since the attack-but very few actually leave the house now. 2 of the dogs got away unharmed-the other was not so lucky-but it did get away. It was a pit or pit cross. Unfortunately none of the dogs had collars-and people are known to just dump dogs in our area-and sometimes these dogs can form packs-or even cross breed with the coyotes. I am pretty sure this is the pack that attacked my two Nigerian Dwarf does in August (fortunately they recovered-though the vet was doubtful). Pretty brazen to attack during the day-and they weren't starving-nice and plump dogs. I was totally devastated! Then I had to let all my customers know that I wouldn't have any more eggs for quite a while! What a weekend!! Thanks for letting me vent-most people I know just don't understand since they are "just chickens".
 
I honestly can't remember which side the wire was on-dad built the coop for me almost 30 years ago when I joined 4-H. It is extremely well made and since it is up off the ground (on concrete blocks) it has held up very well. When Jon (my husband) and I decided to start raising chickens again we cleaned it out and replaced all the windows and redid the flooring-well actually he and dad did. We are blessed to live next door to my parents (in the house my grandfather built 60 years ago). Dad and Jon fixed the window on Saturday-I was too busy crying over a few "special" hens. Dad put quite a few bullets in the pit but he still managed to lift up the secured chicken wire and crawl under (with about 6 bullets in him). He was massive. Don't think he made it very far though! Jon and I did go look at some .22 pistols-since all I have is a rifle-and I don't like carrying it around loaded. I do have it nearby since the incident though. Have NEVER had anything like this happen-yes a chicken now and then to hawks, fox, etc-but this was mass killing just for the sake of killing-not hunger!
 
I'm so sorry that happened.
hugs.gif
 
Not sure where you live, but did you report it to the dog officer or police? Roaming dogs who attack should be reported.
 
Omg I'm so sorry :( I only have 4 chickens, and I would be heartbroken. I hope your injured girls make it! And the other two don't come back (the scent of the dead/dying dog may be enough to keep them at bay if they were a pack. But I'd stay on alert either way and keep a gun close)
 
so sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how sad and mad you are at massacre of your flock.I just got 5 pullets and 1 rooster.in march.raised them from chicks.very attachd already.they are so much more to us than chickens when my girls are done giving us eggs they will die of old age I LOVE MY GIRLS.
 

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