Dog Attack!!

[steve'n'sal]

Hi newbie here

I have just had a Siberian Husky on a hunting spree in the garden. 1 Silver Maran, one Salmon Faverolle pullet Dead, another Cuckoo Maran critical and a pair of Salmon Faverolle young ones with substantial injuries. Broke my heart to have to ring the Marans neck but it was the kind thing to do. We have a Maran in a box indoors with bite marks on her back, laboured breathing (I think she's still in shock). Our dominant mottled leghorn is also walking with a gangster limp, she will be fine though as she roosts in the tree and she made it back up there this evening. Its a real kick in the teeth after hatching all my own chickens and rearing them to just before they are mature enough to lay. Dog chewed straight through the chicken wire, how am I supposed to compete with that?

[rogesse]

How aweful I presume it wasn't your dog!

[davefromthechipie]

If its your dog then you should of trained it ! if its a local dog id get the owners to pay .
If this is going( maybe) happen again you could get some elec fence or use sheep fencing next to the chicken wire .

[steve'n'sal]

Not our dog, we found the owners they are going to pay for replacements. They will also make sure this never happens again, it better not kill our cat, she's nearly 20 and getting too old to stand a fighting chance against this dog

[Eco-Chic]

OMG! I'm so sorry for you and your poor, poor chooks.

My dogs killed one of mine (due to my carelessness) and I was very upset but I hadn't raised them from chicks.

I'm glad the owners have taken responsibility for their dog's depredations but that doesn't compensate you for the emotional investment and care lavished.

My other chooks were fairly spooked by my dogs attack, although they were uninjured happily. They recovered their spirits and confidence within a couple of days.

I really hope yours do as well. Mahoosive hugs to you and yours.

[ginger ninger]

Hi Steve & Sal,
It would have been nicer to have been able to welcome you to the vine under better circumstances. So sorry to hear about your chooks, how are your chooks doing now? I'm so glad the owners of this dog are taking responsibility for it, it must have been terrible for all concerned, I'll send you a big (((((((((((((HUG))))))))))))) not that it'll make much difference.

[OverWyreGrower]

Sorry to hear about your chooks... it's not nice at all, is it (((HUG)))

I would suggest that you need more than chicken wire to protect your girls in the future. If a dog can tear through it, then a fox will be able to as well.

We use a combination of stock fencing, chicken wire and plastic 'release pen' netting from a game bird supplier for our girls (chickens and ducks).

Our own dogs (Boxers) would kill everything in 'play' if we let them near the birds. The combination of fencing means that they can't get anywhere near the girls. Sounds a bit of over-fencing, but it's definitely worth it.

[lottie dolly]

sorry to hear about your girls,as for the dog all well and good they come forwards,BUT,as I thought that if a dog attacks live stock,they should be reported and the dog concerned delt with,or is it only for farmers,what if it's a young child next time,my understanding is if an animal tasted blood,it could come again,

[Nicos]

Hello - and welcome to the Vine
Sorry to hear your shocking news
Replacing your gals can't possibly make up for your loss- but I'm glad the dog's owners are taking their responsibility seriously.
How on earth did it get into your garden in the first place ( or were they at the allotment?)
Why was the dog running free-or was it going for a walk with it's owner s but off the lead?
Those points need looking into I'd have thought

I think chicken wire is meant to keep chickens in- not determined dogs/foxes...a lot of peeps here on the Vine have used a much stronger mesh than chicken wire.
I have electric fencing as we have 5 foxes in the nearby field and my chooks free range within that.
They occasionally fly out over the top- but I've left their wings unclipped just in case they need to escape a fox ( or pack of hunting dogs which seem to appear from time to time)
I'm sure that's not even 100% safe to be honest.
In your case I think you feel worse because it was someone else's pet which caused the problem- I'm sure it could equally have been a fox at a later date.

There are a few peeps on here who have been through the horrors of losing their chooks to foxes...I suppose we're all sort of doing our best to prevent any harm coming to our gals...but we wonder if/when our turn will be.

I'm very sad for you- especially as you 'created' them yourselves..and lovely breeds too.
I hope the survivors recover from their shock x

[OverWyreGrower]

sorry to hear about your girls,as for the dog all well and good they come forwards,BUT,as I thought that if a dog attacks live stock,they should be reported and the dog concerned delt with,or is it only for farmers,what if it's a young child next time,my understanding is if an animal tasted blood,it could come again,

Livestock generally only classes as cows, sheep etc I think... if such an attack as dog vs chickens occurs on private land, i.e. a garden, my experience is that the council etc don't want anything to do with it.

It is VERY rare that a dog who has attacked 'small prey' (rabbits, chickens etc) will attack a human. Dog:animal and dog:human aggression are not usually connected. A dog usually views a child completely differently from a prey animal.

[MaureenHall]

Oh this is just so sad!!! I'm so sorry to hear about your girls and I hope the injured ones come though ok with no long-lasting problems.

I really hope you've had words with the owner of the dog about it being off the lead for long enough to chew through the fence, that would've taken more than a minute or two (I think). I also think they should not only replace the dead chooks, but pay for any vets bills and the cost of replacing or repairing the fence too

By the way, a huge big welcome to the Vine and to Chookaholics Anonymous - we're a friendly bunch really

[Polly Fouracre]

Electric fencing is the only sure way, I'm afraid. What an awful thing to happen!

[RedThorn]

real sorry to hear, something all of us on chookaholics anonymous dread finding. Gutting and doubly so as you reared them. Electric Fencing!

Welcome to the vine by the way, wish it was under better circumstances

[di]

So sorry to hear that!
Similar to what Maureen said,I'd have thought it would take more than just a couple of minutes for them to have bitten through the fencing,really any dog should be supervised far better than that!(I once had to rescue the kiddies from our own back garden when two Huskies had intruded & stood snarling at them....apparently,according to the owner,they were friendly little things & great with kids....I guess that must have made it OK then?!

Again,sorry for your loss & all the best with getting the run/fence repaired & nursing your remaining chooks back to health.

Oh & Welcome to the Vine!

[Suechooks]

Welcome to the vine. Really sorry to hear about your chooks.
Weld mesh is a better option than chicken wire if you're replacing the fencing. There's a good place in Devon for buying it on line I think it's called Hills but can't remember.
I do hope your remaining birds are ok.