Someones dogs killed 16 of my Silkies

[equinelyn]

I used to use chicken wire, until my jacks scaled my 6' chain link pen and ripped right through it, killing 6 of my chickens. All it really does it keep the chickens in. Try hardware cloth or even better add a chain link fence in addition to your chicken wire and put a top on it. I love my silkies and would be devastated if I lost mine..

I'm sorry for your loss

Can you go to the pound and get the contact info of the owners? If they were looking for their dogs they must be caring owners and maybe(hopefully) they learned their lesson have their dogs on lockdown. Contact them and tell them what happened. Maybe they can, pay you for your chickens, the least they can do. I would inform them that there are laws that give people the right to protect their livestock and it includes shooting dogs. Say some other chicken owners will shoot a dog in a flash. Maybe it will scare them enough to keep their dogs under lock and key. If they are jerks, just shoot their dogs next time, you tried to be nice...

 

[rittert3]

Quote:
I have to disagree, I have met pit bulls that would give thier life for a stranger and I have serious scaring on my hands from the over playfull young lab my baby sitter had when I was a kid. Acctually IMO the breeds have a similar temperment to start the pitbull just fall into the whong hands and get alot of bad press because they look "tough". But I do agree that pits do not mix with livestock except rare cases.
Sorry for your loss, I hope you get compensated in one way or another, and I would also look into covering your run.

 

[Mattemma]

I would sss the dogs that come into your yard to attack the chickens.I have 2 dogs of my own,and I just won't tolerate any dog attacking my chickens. I had a dog climb over my 6 foot chainlink fence.Easy for them.Sorry for the loss.

 

[Streakinstones]

Quote:
Thanks!! I needed a hug

 

[terrilhb]

I am so sorry for your loss. I lost 12 hens last Oct due to a dog attack. Just killed them. But that dog won't kill noone elses animals. Don't like to hurt nothing but you can't hurt my babies either. You have my prayers as does your family.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm so sorry. I don't care what breed of dog it is (Jack Russell and other terriers are some of the worst killers I've seen), I don't care if it's someone's "pet" (if it really was, they'd keep it at home), I just don't care PERIOD. Next dog on my place after my birds is going down. I do have a perimeter fence around 2 of the 5 acres, plus pens within that perimeter, but dogs have still gotten in on occasion, especially when we must leave the driveway gate open for a delivery. Astounding how every dog knows when that gate is open.

The reason they let the dogs roam is because they get away with it all the time. Maybe it's time they stop getting away with it. Hope you find out whose dogs those are and call the law on them.

 

[Noymira]

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I agree, my mom has two sweet terriers (half yorkie/ half westie) and I would NEVER let them loose near the chickens. They are 10 years old, half blind and overweight; but I know they would kill a chicken in a instant, their prey drive is just too high.

I would secure your pen and be vigilant, if they know there's an easy meal they will probably be back.

 

[happyhensny]

My sister had a pitbull. Her name was Daisy, sweetest dog, she would let my neice & nephew climb on her, put hats on her and would follow them all over the yard. My DH on the other hand, was bit by a black lab 2 years ago. Hmm... It's the owner not having control over their dog or choosing to keep a dog if it had shown aggressive tendancies in the past. We have had mean Roosters. They go to freezer camp AS SOON AS ANY AGGRESSION IS SHOWN. I will not tolerate a mean animal.

 

[Ole rooster]

happyhensy, well said. The part I have a hard time understanding is "I don't want to start anything with my neighbor". How have you started anything at all? But one thing I could promise if I were the party with the dead hens, I most assuredly would finish it. Nothing on my place will ever survive being mean of disobident. Be it stray of mine. My dog killed a possum this morning about 6:00. Just getting a head start before the chicks get here. Back years ago I had a German Sheperd attack on calf I was raising. He was jealous of the attention the calf was getting. I shot him and found him a resting spot. It's not fun and I don't enjoy it, but that how it is on my place.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

OP - I'm sorry for the loss you and your family have suffered. It's plain to see the Silkies you lost were beloved pets. Good Luck with animal control today.

Joni