Two shorthaired Pointers got 10 of our chickens

[valerie]

I agree with SKEETER!!!

 

[PurpleChicken]

I'm really sorry to hear this.

This cr*p is getting way old. How many times has this same story
been told? We need to come up with a dog repellant idea of some
sort or breed a chicken that can kill a dog.

 

[okiechick57]

SO sorry to hear about your loss.........fencing is needed. I too have lost chickens in broad daylight...........right in front of me...the killer was a coyote for us..........it happens all the time...you do what you can......start over....you will get more eggs.....find those dogs.press charges....talk to owners........shoot if they show up again............as in my neighborhood........we shoot if being threatened........and I expect my neighbors to do the same with my dogs if they kill any of their animals......that is why I rehomed my doberman....she didnt kill.........but she ran around to much........saved her life is how I had to look at it........good luck to you.......

 

[SpottedCrow]

I don't mind so much when it's a predator that has a family to feed, but when the bored out of it's mind family pet is doing the killing, then I get po'd.

You need to take pictures of all the damage, including the bodies. Then you need to find out who's dogs they are. GSP aren't a dime a dozen AND they're hunting dogs, so THEY ARE OWNED by someone.

Hand the buttswabs a bill for ALL THE DAMAGES, bodies, coops etc.

I'm so sorry that you lost your birds...Buddy, the neighbour's GSP almost got Obelisk one day. And the owner was like oh no

un

 

[mtnchicks]

I like Purplechicken's idea: breed a chicken that will kill a dog!

 

[meanmom]

Thanks so much for all the replies. SSS is my dh's solution if they come by again. Shotgun's at the front door.

And, as mentioned, it is almost more troubling to have someone's bored family pets terrorize your flock than a natural predator just because I always had coyotes, raccoons, etc in the back of my mind. We have three large runs for the chickens and a secure coop--all in defense of natural predators. But purebred expensive hunting dogs? They're not supposed to do that!.

One thing that really bothers me is the fact that our chickens are only considered property. The compensation I can get (if we find the owners of the attackers) is "what I would sell the chicken for to a neighbor". It doesn't matter that they were raised and fed and loved and were going to provide us with future food and income. That doesn't count for anything. The emotional trauma of walking into a blood bath and anxiety over the dogs showing up again doesn't count for anything either. And, if we shoot the dogs as they are attacking our livestock--WE will be breaking the law. It was made very clear to us that we can only shoot in self defense in the act of personally being attacked. "If they bite your children, you have a right to shoot it". "You mean I can't shoot it until my child has been bit????" "Yup." I haven't been a farmer for very long, but that sounds ludicrous! Does anyone know if this is different from state to state?

We are having a bonfire tonight (in the middle of this snowstorm...) and will be cremating Elvis (White crested black polish rooster), Honeysuckle (Golden polish hen), Beast (Black Cochin hen), Silver (Silver phoenix rooster), Shine (Sumatran rooster), Wolfie (Barred Rock Giant Rooster), and 3 unnamed chickens that we referred to as our "dinner chicks" as we were raising them for our eventual dinner.

We thought we had lost another one (Martha), but found her late last night--wounded but alive. Hopefully she will pull through.

We don't know anyone else personally who raises chickens. This forum has been invaluable to us information-wise. And now, I am leaning on it for emotional support. Thank you all so much for your input. I truly appreciate it!

Take care, Lee
SE Wisconsin

 

[halo]

In Florida you are allowed to shoot any animal chasing your livestock. You can also shoot someone to defend yourself if you feel your life is threatened. And you can shoot someone who breaks in your house. When they passed these laws last year everyone went crazy, saying that Florida was going to go trigger happy, like the wild wild west. Well, it didnt happen. I have no problem shooting dogs/coyotes chasing my horses, and will have no problem shooting anything going after my chickens.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your birds.
I live next door to people who are always breeding thier many pit bulls and letting them run the streets ALL day and night - so far I have not lost a flock member - but one did get attacked through the fence was being pulled by her tail and my poor banty roo was doing the best he could to protect her ( thankfully all ended well), but I know it is only a matter of time before something happens- what we are doing here is building better fencing also I plan on running a hotwire around it ( dont know how much that will help )
I guess the best you can do is build them a really nice fenced in run - and take care of the ones left and come spring try to start over again.
Do you have a guard dog that you could possibley make a yard for near your chickens and hopefully your dog could warn you before something gets near the coop?


Julie

 

[Cuban Longtails]

I was doing some reading... Could you not get them for having dogs at large? If you can locate the owners that is. Apparently a dog has to do the deed twice before you can attempt to get a court order for the dog to be destroyed. That's a strange law in Wisconsin. In Texas and even Oklahoma there is little tolerance for dogs destroying property or even acting aggressive.

 

[noshoes]

Someone needs to breed chickens big enough to get into people's yards and attack their canines.

I can see the headlines now. Pit Bull found dead in chicken coop of local poultry owner. The heart broken dog owner says people should not be allowed to own such dangerous animals.

Only then will the world begin to take poultry people seriously.
Oh yes the time will come when all chicken loving people will be taken seriously....Bwahahahaha.