Someones dogs killed 16 of my Silkies

[Streakinstones]

I came home from work yesterday to my worst nightmare. My favorite part of the day is going to my Silkie pen, my Silkies were so friendly and sweet they would run right up to you and want to be held, but today they were nowhere to be seen so I knew something was wrong. My heart sank and I started seeing bodies everywhere. None had been eaten, but had large teeth marks in them. I found out my neighbors had spotted a pitbull and a lab in my field and took them to the shelter where their owners picked them up later. I will be making some phone calls today to see what i can do but i dont know how far that will get me. I have been crying all night. :-( We were in the process of building them a new chicken house so all my girls and guys could of had their own pen and would have been separated by color. They were being housed all temporarily together but got along well. They had a large run that was 5 feet high and was buried underground to keep predators out but the dogs got over it. Why do people let their dogs run loose? These dogs didnt even have collars on. People that live on my street do the same thing and I keep asking over and over again for them to control their dogs. I don't want to start something with neighbors but im TIRED of it!

 

[theoldchick]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[BigRedNZ]

Stink... that's terrible. Simple fact for me, if a dog eats my birds or hurts my kids... the owners will be coming to pick up its body. I'm really surprised a labrador was quilty, but pitbulls shouldn't exist on this planet.

 

[brownysfp]

Two golden labs got onto our land one night, ripped the door off a coop and killed a Buff Brahma and a L Sussex hen. They can be just as bad as any other dog. Our second-home owning neighbour is here for the month with their young black lab and an older German Shepherd/labrador cross. She has the voice of a Marseille fishwife and the dogs stick to her like glue - when she's there. The ####ers are wild out of her sight.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Those dogs will be back. Be ready to shoot, shovel, and shut up. The owners are at fault and the dogs get to suffer. I would definitely put a top over the run. Other varmints will get in too. Sorry about the loss of your birds. I know what it feels like, we had dogs rip in and kill almost all of my pol pullets while I was on vacation last year. Darned dogs ate right through chicken wire.

 

[Streakinstones]

Our new pens will definitely have tops on them. And if the dogs come back they will be shot by me! Im waiting! I took the day off from work today to cope and animal control is coming to take a report. Here are some pics of my 2 1/2 daughter putting the Silkies in their coop. She carried each one and gave it a kiss.

 

[Cissy48]

So Sorry. Been there, done that. The last chickens I had (before now) was in 1976. I went out after the "Great Snow Storm" to see blood spattered new snow everywhere. Dogs.
Well, I have recovered and am back at it. Good luck.

 

[Gmsg01]

So sorry- hope you can at least get restitution. Doesn't make up for lost lives, but helps pay for a stronger pen

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Wait till they find out what good silkies replacement cost. The dog owners and or their insurance company will be in for a shock. I would also recommend a heavier wire around the base of you run. I finally had to go to 1/2 inch hardware cloth though I had thought about 2x4 wire over my poultry wire to keep predators out and birds safe.

 

[magicpigeon]

So sorry for your loss.

Hopefully you will be able to "dispatch" the dogs should they come to your place again. Sending you my best wishes and a friendly hug