Some free advice...I learned the hard way

[sred98]

Quote:
Absolutely! The price of chickens, at least around here, is 5 TIMES what it was last year! I would expect to pay $25-35 a bird for the easier to find ones. For the special breeds, $45-60. I definitely think you need to factor in the cost of replacing your coop and reinforcing it with hot wire, too. Breeding/Laying age birds are expensive right now. Don't short change yourself. He needs to know what his dogs did. I would also tell him the next time, the dogs won't be coming home.

Shelly

 

[quadcam79]

Quote:
Just got back into town tonight so i wanted to respond. The wire was just stapled to the side of the coop with lightweight construction staples, I hadnt given a thought to some dogs getting into my yard and jumping on the fencing. Like you said, i thought about keeping the chickens in and not keeping dogs out.

we had just bought the house and built the coop so money is/was tight and I couldnt afford to build chicken Ft, Knox.
as far as the posts around the run, they are anchored into the ground with concrete, the dogs just happened to jump on the right spot and the weight ripped the staples from the wall.

sucks but I learned a lesson from all of it. build the coop and run to keep everything else out and not so much to keep the chicks in.

as far as payment, I really just want him to pay for the replacement birds and keep his dogs contained on his property. I get along with all my neighbors and I like it that way, I'm not even 100% sure on the zoning regs as far as chickens go but the country pretty much said keep anything you want and as long as hey dont get complaints they're ok with it. Rather than start an all out war in the neighborhood I'll let him pay for the new chicks and call it even.

I'm getting 15 birds instead of just 8, fixing the run so it cant be pulled down easily and adding an electric fence to the perimeter.

I was just back home to visit my brother and he has some chickens and their run is 12 ft high chain link fence, (the previous owner had elk in this big enclosure) even with all that a raccoon or something got one of his chickens a few weeks ago. So I dont think anything is really 100% secure.

by the way the new order is wyandottes, blue silkies,gold sex links, leghorns, barred rocks and one ameracuana roo

 

[olp_63]

oh my gosh. that is really devistating.

you can't let this guy get away with this! letting dogs roam the neighborhood is careless behavior on his part.

 

[Lunachick]

I'm sorry for your loss.

I wish you the best with your new ones.

 

[arlee453]

I'd tally up AT LEAST $15-20 per bird lost, PLUS something for the damage to your fence.

Take pictures of the torn fencing, bodies, etc. Take pictures of your fence that they got into. take pictures (from the street or sidewalk, or from a consenting neighbor's yard - NOT from actually in HIS yard so you won't be trespassing) of HIS dogs in HIS yard, in case he tries to say they aren't his dogs. Document EVERYTHING. Even the conversation with the neighbor who knows whose dogs they are.

Go over and have a nice (and I'm not be sarcastic....be nice and calm) with the dog's owner. Present the bill for damages and see what happens.

HOPEFULLY he'll be a responsible owner, make arrangements to pay you (if he can't pay it all up front get him to SIGN a promissory note with specific terms), and will follow through.. oh and keep his dogs up from now on.

Something tells me that once he figures out the damages were much more than $50 for a few new chicks, he may not be as sympathetic and try to find a way to weasel out of paying you.

You have an excellent case for small claims court. Chickens are considered property. If he came onto your property and tore up your fence and destroyed your property, he would have to pay for it. Same thing applies to his dogs.

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm so sorry for your loss, quadcam...