Stray dogs

[Mom 2em All]

I was just psycho granny from the Beverly hillbillies Runnin through the woods with a gun screaming and hollering after two dogs that came to kill my chickens.
killed one right in front of me- chickens screaming and trying to get away!
I didn’t know how many were killed! I tripped on a root and went splatting on the ground- got up and kept on going!
Right to the neighbors door huffin and puffin and beating on their door with my trusty rusty BB gun in hand
They directed me across the street but I came back tried to find chickens couldn’t find them- got angry again and marched my ass up the street and told that man, I was giving him fair warning that his dogs are chicken killers. Then I saw his dogs. Wasn’t them. And he said if his dogs come in my yard, shoot them. He’s a meth head.
Told my boyfriend and he said “ I don’t know what to say”.
because he’s told me endless times not to let my chickens out. But I just got home and I had just let them out and I was right there!
anyhow- I just wanted to vent. They’ve all come back except for the. Silkie they killed in front of me.
I’m so tired of stray dogs.

 

[jsr5]

I know exactly how you feel. Neighbors dogs have twice come for a kill fest of my free range chickens. They paid replacement costs first time for the full size girls they killed and are trying to be good neighbors. But then again and even worse kill. And got several of my silkies including wifes namesake and the ones we were hoping to breed soon and get some show babies. This tiume wife added it up buying ready to lay full grown silkies and ready to lay pullets for her egg sales. They didnt like that price tag. I'm a softie and do want to be getting along with my neighbors I cut it in half honestly we weren;'t going to buy the grown birds anyway. He told me if they do it again shootem. But they don't do it when Im out there. Ive seen em they come down the road and turn tail if they see me. anyway I told him that was not a problem and in fact I will come to his house to do it if I don't catch them and next time will be a bill in full and a trip to small claims.
As you know the money is probably the least of it though our girls are egg machines or showgirls they are pets as well and no money will asuage the heart hurt. I hope you will mend.

 

[Mom 2em All]

As you know the money is probably the least of it though our girls are egg machines or showgirls they are pets as well and no money will asuage the heart hurt. I hope you will mend.

ive been broken hearted three times because of dog kills this year. Itbreaks my heart, these are pets and ive spent countless hours making them tame and learning each personality.
Im not a killer and have never shot anything in my life- ever. All I have is a BB gun. And even then I couldnt get a shot in, and I tried for the first time ever.

What breaks my heart is i had JUST opened their pen because they love chasing bugs and we had about an hour before rain and dark. Gate to their pen was open less than five minutes.

 

[jsr5]

Having it done right in front of you would be terrible but I do wish I'd been out there when the dogs got mine. maybe they wouldn't have killed in excess of 40 of my girls and boys.
I am a shooter and a hunter and have been since a child so I don't really understand how conflicted you are. All I have to say is those birds are YOur responsibility they rely on you for Everything. Im not poking the finger at you, just giving food for thought as you recover from this attrocity. And I'm sincerely sorry for your loss.

 

[Kiki]

 

[Mom 2em All]

Having it done right in front of you would be terrible but I do wish I'd been out there when the dogs got mine. maybe they wouldn't have killed in excess of 40 of my girls and boys.
I am a shooter and a hunter and have been since a child so I don't really understand how conflicted you are. All I have to say is those birds are YOur responsibility they rely on you for Everything. Im not poking the finger at you, just giving food for thought as you recover from this attrocity. And I'm sincerely sorry for your loss.

oh I would have shot them, but I didnt have the gun with me- by the time I ran in and grabbed it, they were in the woods.
last time I lost seventeen, and I wasnt there.

 

[jsr5]

I understand that I have since I got chickens and lost some. bought elcheapo shotguns to keep in each coop. And beat myself into submissing on always always always carrying gun with me when out of dorrs. Not a huge leap for me I was a police officer for several years so am not new to always having one on me.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm so sorry for your losses, it's awful.
While I agree that shooting them would not be a bad thing, your best solution is electric fencing, so those dogs, foxes, coyotes, or whatever don't get to your birds in the first place.
Having a guard dog works, but also needs to be fenced, and takes time (years) to bring up to speed.
Chickens are hard; everyone loves to eat/ kill them! In a perfect world, every dog would be home all the time, and/or you would be able to nail every one that came calling, before loosing your birds. That just doesn't work, usually.
Check out the electric fencing if it's legal where you live.
Mary

 

[jsr5]

I do electrify my coops and runs but they free range most of day. any fencing I try they defy. I am working on more but to fence ten acres is expensive.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Check out the electric fencing if it's legal where you live.
Mary

the property i live on isnt my own. six acres. I know strays are a problem- and they arent strays they are owned, wandering dogs. That is the real problem. The chickens love to come out of their pen. Because of the attack before, I only feel safe when I am out there. They always run off when I yell at them. Not these two, but they did run off- as they were killing for fun. Not because they were hungry.
The only solution is to keep my birds up all the time. I know this. But when I come home, its my routine to unwind and enjoy them. I just needed to vent.