Homesteading Chicken Coop Build, Chickens, Pond, Garden & Projects

OMG the neighbors puppy just killed over 1/2 my chickens.

 

Can’t like that…. …. I’d be letting them know it too… I had a Neighbor’s husky take a chicken… I told them I’d give them that one… the next one won’t be as nice…

 

Peeked my head out to see them and saw several on the ground, went to look, face planted in the same damm spot as about a week ago. Thew the puppy in my house and went to get the neighbor, some were 1/2 dead and still kicking. He took the dead ones and put a couple out of their misery. Out of 12, 5 dead, 5 injured, not sure if they'll make it. 2 are upright and seem okay except rooster missing most his feathers.

Still trembling. Need to calm down a bit and figure out what to do with the injured ones. Dangit guys!

 

Shiney black hen is dead now too.

 

Oh nooo, this is terrible! Understandable when a dog can do this, but it's not your dog so I hope your neighbor makes it right with covering the cost of feed, your time raising them, and the loss of the chicken and the eggs. They will definitly need to keep their dog within its bounds as well.

I'm guessing they free range and are not fenced in, in any way?

 

I built my coop very well and the run too, but I had a weasel take out 2 hens and almost a third until I saw it on a camera. I was able to dispatch the weasel, and found it somehow make a nice little warm home in the coop under the poop shelf!

That same night it nearly took out a third. Got my hen in the back of the neck, pretty much paralyzed it but something told me to leave it be rather than kill it late that night. As the days passed, the hen slowly healed and is doing fine now.

wildwest , unless you're chickens are too far gone, maybe see if they pull through. They are very resilient creatures!

 

They are fenced, I'm afraid to let them free range since the neighbor got that puppy. It's one like this only bigger. He slipped through between the chicken wire and bottom post where there was ~2' between zip ties.



He said he'd replace the chickens but we have to figure out something with his dog first.

Sorry you lost some hens too

 

Yes, pretty sure 4 will make it, time will tell on 2 in bad shape.

 

WWW is going to come home before the bus arrives at 4:30 to clean a bit before kiddo sees it. And said he's going by Murdochs for a pellet pump gun vs the bb gun we have. Something about less pumps for a sting in the azz.

 

Thank you BB, it was SO sad. Lost another one today. I think 4 will make it and fingers crossed on a 5th pulling through. Can't keep a rooster with 4 hens, not ready to get more hens til we figure out the puppy situation. Our rooster is the only one that is named and we're all bonded with that wasn't killed, he's such a good boy! Poor thing has blood on his feet and legs, all his butt feathers and tail feathers are gone, but he's alive

Thanks BB, but the cage was not intended for dogs, it's for containing them while stretching their legs and eating scratch and protect them from hawks/eagles when they are not free ranging, inside that is only dirt, they free range most the summer and find the yummy foliage. Our dog is 95-99% trustworthy, but we don't tempt her and let her out when they are free ranging. Rarely, 2 other neighbors dogs visit but they don't bother our chickens either, and nobody knew this new out of control pup would was coming. Unfinished plan is (lol our bathroom flooring lol), install automatic door, they can do their thing in chicken run and we can freely let our dog in and out. She's trained to sit-stay behind the coop and not ogle the chickens through the very thin chicken wire of the chicken run cage. Sorry you had trouble with dogs & chickens too, you're BIL sounds like a good guy

2 more things, 1: I ordered the coolest sounding "virtual fence" dog collar so our dog does not leave our property anymore, thanks again Warner, she's been running off the last couple months. And 2: our neighbor that owns the dog has been gone ALL day (never seen that in 10 years), and it appears and sounds (no barking) the pup is gone too. Prayers he took the dog to Kansas where his wife moved to and he will move to eventually, I hope the pup does not come back. Eeegads, hopefully that S Denver guy that has 3 day/24 hour/day firecracker parties ( he invites and parks like 30 travel trailers on one acre) does not buy his property He's bought 2 more properties in the last couple years on our road

 

Thank you LCB. It was so bad, I cannot get the severely maimed but not killed hens out of my mind. And that darn pup coming to check on me after I fell with a giant joyous feathered smile. It's all backwards, you know? Have you had this before?

 

WWW talked to neighbor tonight, the dog is infact his and is permanent till he moves an undetermined years from now. He gave his word his dog would be tied up all the time (sad for his dog!) He has 2+ acres lake front and the dog is chained to the front of his house And it's a working breed!

Our rooster will "love" the remaining 3 or 4 hens to death. And we all know an out of control 6+ month old puppy turns into an out of control big dog and they get away when trying to clip the chain to collar.

Do I get more hens to sustain and sentence them to the dirt chicken run cage? Or take the chance on letting them free range on warmer days?

 

Free range is best, you'll have loss with different predators but it's best for the chickens. Hopefully the dog gets a pen at least but many owners are irresponsible.