I go out and check for eggs every 2 hours at least during the day. It's the middle of the day and I'm going outside to do my regular check, when my heart stops. There running back and forth is one of my SLW in the dog pen.
Now I have two dogs, one golden lab that won't hurt the chickens and runs free in the kennel. The other dog (still trying to find him a home) is a mix and has already killed one SLW and injured another. He is on a chain because the chicken he killed, he pulled through the fence. The chain keeps him from being able to get up against the fence but he can still touch it with his nose.
With heart now racing and feet doing the same, I get in the pen and try to get her out without letting her get too close to the dog. After several intense minutes and very sore feet (I was barefoot and there are broken branch pieces everywhere) I finally get the girl out. She runs straight to the water dish and fills up.
The luck came in the fact that the chained dog managed to wrap his chain around the tree just once, but enough length was taken up to keep him from, within inches, of grabbing her.
I have to find him a home soon or he will get another chicken dinner. I've already clipped her wings prior to this but she is determined to fly up on the fencing and walk along the edge. Even my neighbor has mentioned that she gets up there almost every evening. I wish I could enclose the entire area with a net roof, but we just can't financially afford to do it right now.
Now I have two dogs, one golden lab that won't hurt the chickens and runs free in the kennel. The other dog (still trying to find him a home) is a mix and has already killed one SLW and injured another. He is on a chain because the chicken he killed, he pulled through the fence. The chain keeps him from being able to get up against the fence but he can still touch it with his nose.
With heart now racing and feet doing the same, I get in the pen and try to get her out without letting her get too close to the dog. After several intense minutes and very sore feet (I was barefoot and there are broken branch pieces everywhere) I finally get the girl out. She runs straight to the water dish and fills up.
The luck came in the fact that the chained dog managed to wrap his chain around the tree just once, but enough length was taken up to keep him from, within inches, of grabbing her.
I have to find him a home soon or he will get another chicken dinner. I've already clipped her wings prior to this but she is determined to fly up on the fencing and walk along the edge. Even my neighbor has mentioned that she gets up there almost every evening. I wish I could enclose the entire area with a net roof, but we just can't financially afford to do it right now.
