Warning to newbies

[jany]

Try not to get too attached to your chickens. I had four 6 month old hens this morning. Now I have one. The neighbors dog got in my yard and killed 2, 1 is missing and presumed dead and 1 seems to be OK. They were so sweet and entertaining that I just fell in love with them all and I am heartbroken. Does anyone know will my one remaining chicken be OK all alone? Should I try to find new ones right away?

 

[cubalaya]

i think alot of us have been through this heartbreak. you cant let it discourage you , though. make your pens more predator proof and keep an eye always.

 

[Wildsky]

Keep looking for the missing one, they hide well! I'm sorry for your losses, have you spoken to the dogs owner?

 

[jany]

There were a lot of her feathers in several places in the yard, but we looked for her for hours and didn't find any signs of her. I'll keep looking. I think the dog may have drug her home but the owners denied it. The Humane Society was supposed to pick up the dog today. I had warned the owners a few weeks ago when I caught him running up and down the fence chasing them. I'm sorry about their dog, but you can't have a killer running loose and they won't keep him in their yard.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

so very sorry for your loss.

 

[Akane]

Chickens go to ground very well. When a dog comes through I can't find a single chicken out of more than a dozen. A few hours later they might reappear again. The one time a dog did catch and kill several of them we were out looking and someone actually tripped over a chicken in a bit of tall grass before finding it. Several did not return until just before dark when they slipped into the coop and 1 appeared a couple days later.

 

[The Chicken People]

Your neighbors owe you some chickens...that being said I believe the question you asked was in regards to the one remaining...yes it will be lonely and I would find it some new friends! Sorry for your loss. Please be sure to predator proof your chickens in the future so this doesn't happen again!

 

[KKatknap]

Aaaaaw hun, I'm sorry.

You did the right thing about the dog, and yes, I would get your chicken some friends. Do your best to secure the pen and try again. This wasn't your fault, and all you can do is learn from it and try again.

I hope your 4th one returns.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Jany....terribly sorry to hear of your loss. Where are you located? I am trying to thin my flock down a bit and would be glad to give you a few of the girls that I have been considering selling. I am in NW Georgia

Hope your weekend gets better

 

[catfish/okie]

The lost one may show back up. If not your hen needs a buddy because chickens are flock animals. If people in cities dont contain their dogs can do this sort of thing. Inthe country they dont only do this some of them chase deer and cattle. On 1 place I can hunt and fish land owner told me to shoot any dog I see. If you live in Southcentral Oklahoma Id give you a couple of Pullets about 6 months old.