Traumatized hens

[LCsAChickenLover]

My poor hens that survived my next door neighbor’s dogs attack are completely traumatized. What can I do for them? Is there anything that can be done to help them settle, besides time and patience of course? Should I allow them carry on with regular routines if they want or should they be confined for a while? The neighbor has fixed the fence where the dog came through and I’ve reinforced my side. The dog cannot get back into my yard unless days and lots of effort are put into it. He might try but it will be noticed. Also shame on me for feeling so secure to leave them free ranging when I’m not home. That will no longer be the case...

I apologize for starting a new thread for something I’m sure someone else has already posted, but I can’t bring myself to read through carnage stories to find my answers. I’ve already seen enough for my brain to handle

 

[Chickeria]

I'm so sorry you and your hens did have to go through this and I'm very sorry for your loss(es) that apparently happened
I don't know anything you could do besides time and patience. And spending lots of time with them.
Last summer my friend and I once let his flock out to freerange and went away for 1 1/2 hours. When we came back everyone surviving was hidden and totally quiet - one young rooster and a little cockerel had been killed and eaten by a hawk
We needed some time to find everyone hidden... All (roosters, hens, young ones) were so relieved when we showed up. After this traumatizing incident they stayed voluntary in their covered runs for weeks. They didn't wait and 'demand' to be let out as they before always did. They kind of only left the runs when they could join us humans on the property. They were much quieter for a long time. We observed they felt much more comfortable when we were around.
Today I would say they still stay much more often in the runs even when the doors are open.
Give your hens time to recover

 

[LCsAChickenLover]

I'm so sorry you and your hens did have to go through this and I'm very sorry for your loss(es) that apparently happened
I don't know anything you could do besides time and patience. And spending lots of time with them.
Last summer my friend and I once let his flock out to freerange and went away for 1 1/2 hours. When we came back everyone surviving was hidden and totally quiet - one young rooster and a little cockerel had been killed and eaten by a hawk
We needed some time to find everyone hidden... All (roosters, hens, young ones) were so relieved when we showed up. After this traumatizing incident they stayed voluntary in their covered runs for weeks. They didn't wait and 'demand' to be let out as they before always did. They kind of only left the runs when they could join us humans on the property. They were much quieter for a long time. We observed they felt much more comfortable when we were around.
Today I would say they still stay much more often in the runs even when the doors are open.
Give your hens time to recover

Thank you for your kind words. For me it was a very similar situation. Gone for less than an hour and when I got back dead silence, with bodies and feathers. That’s something I won’t forget. I thought I lost the entire flock, but thankfully half of my girls were able to hide or fly out of the yard with only missing feathers and minor cuts. Two are far worse than the others, one stays inside the coop and the other in a tree, can’t say I blame them. Poor things, it’s terrible seeing them so afraid.
This is my first loss of more than one bird at a time, so awful!

 

[Chickeria]

I'm so sorry this happened
What a terrible accident. I bet nobody (you and also the neighbours/owner of the dog) could know the dog could ever get inside/over.
Thankfully half of your girls survived, and it is great the fence got fixed so well and so fast from both sides.
Don't blame yourself - you thought your chickens were safe. You can't always be there to protect them. For example my friend's third young rooster then sadly got killed by the hawk inside one of the netted runs, my friend and his son heard screaming and run but were not fast enough. Even if one tries so hard to prevent emergencies they still happen.
You clearly love your girls and do your best

 

[ChicNmom]

After an attack or attempted attack my group usually still want to come out but will avoid the area of the attack. If we go and open the door and they want to stay in them we close the door and let them be. Sometimes they will come out for a while but go in early. We just watch them and close them up if that's what they seem to want.

So sorry for your loss. I barely read the predator threads because they are just too sad.

 

[LCsAChickenLover]

After an attack or attempted attack my group usually still want to come out but will avoid the area of the attack. If we go and open the door and they want to stay in them we close the door and let them be. Sometimes they will come out for a while but go in early. We just watch them and close them up if that's what they seem to want.

So sorry for your loss. I barely read the predator threads because they are just too sad.

Thank you