[Marches Farmer]

It might be worth mentioning the attack to the owner of the sheep you mentioned.  Out-of-control dogs are just as likely to attack sheep as hens.

[doganjo]

miffed that im going to have to source £70 worth of new hens...and im at the mercy of a dog owners 'kindness' as to whether I get it back.
cheers

As you all know I am a dog owner, breeder, trialer, exhibitor , breeder and judge.  The following advice is for the future as I know you haven't done these things this time, and I hope you never have to use them. I would be horrified if my dogs had carried out this attack, but I know that most dogs are capable of it.

In every circumstance such as this, I recommend advising the police immediately - by telephone on 101, then follow up with a  written report on exactly what happened.  You are right that no-one can say how many birds you had or lost so you should also have taken photographs, and included these with the report.  You have caught the dog - it is regarded as a stray, so it is the law that this must be reported to the local dog warden - it isn't law that  you have to hand it over to them - it is up to them what happens to the dog. They may have kennels but in some circumstances they ask the finder if they can keep it for a short time.

I'm sorry for your loss, I know the feeling, but my losses were by the teeth of urban foxes fed and encouraged by stupid neighbours.

[devonlady]

Here, if a dog is taken to the kennels the council charge £120 to release it plus kennelling charges. (Good job they don't take in pigs!!)

[Jukes Mum]

Now me the innocent party has to either .

.have a day of work while the dog warden comes...
or take the dog in myself....exactly how ive no idea.

No need. The police should collect the dog when they come to take your report.

[harmony]

Do you know who the owners are yet?


You could put the word out that you have found a dog on your property and see if they turn up. Then you can explain what happened and ask them for the compensation.


I am not making excuses but there could be a reason the dogs were loose that isn't just that the owners couldn't be bothered. They may also be mortified to find they have killed your chickens and be more than happy to compensate you.


They don't necessarily have to be nasty dogs to become over excited about the chickens nor does it mean that they are child attackers either.


It does seem a nightmare getting action but I hope you get it sorted out satisfactorily.

[stufe35]

Well all my local enquiries as to who owned the dogs fell blank so I decided to crack on and phone the police I told them about the chicken attack and they are sending an officer round to follow that up. (later that night I had loads of calls from messages I had left telling me who the dogs belonged to)

They immediately linked it with a missing dog report in our village and asked if they could give the owner our telephone details to which I said yes.

5 mins later the owner called who I recognised as being one of out near neighbours who I know through drinking with her husband in the pub and having occasionally took away their horse muck for them.  (by near I mean approximately half a mile away) .  She asked if it was ok to come and collect and I said yes.

On arrival she was all smiling and laughing...clearly the police had not told her what her dog had done.  This was not good as my other half saw red and launched into her.

She was apologetic and has offered to pay for the hens.  When I pointed out her dog should have a collar on it she replied collars rub its neck and its her pet.  I wasn't 100% sure but have checked this morning...her dog is legally bound to have a collar on so it is not 'her' choice'. She shall be getting reminded.
She dismissed that they would have started chasing the sheep out of hand.....I am not convinced.

Anyway I suspect next time I see her husband in the pub ill get the some cash out of him, he is an ok sort of bloke. 

Still have the job of getting rid of the carcasses and sourcing some new ones...our  normal supplier only has then in a couple of times a year...so that is an issue not easily solved.

Don't know what the police will do exactly they are coming later this week.

[desertmum]

sorry to hear this, and I hope they do cough up the cash.

I second the electric fencing idea - we have electric fencing round our hen pens, we use a solar powered unit which works really well.  So far we haven't lost any hens to foxes - we know they are around as the dogs keep rolling in fox poo!  And it keeps our dogs away - they like a bit of chicken - they won't go within 6 feet of the pens.

Win win all round   

[devonlady]

I'm sorry to hear about your hens, not only is it a financial loss for you but you get quite fond of them. My dogs never wear collars in the house or garden because of an incident in my childhood when one my Dad's dogs got her paw caught in her sister's collar whilst playing resulting in panic and a dreadful fight!
I am almost paranoid about my dogs getting out but it has happened a couple of times, a moment's inattention, someone who doesn't have dogs leaving a door open.
I do hope you are paid for your hens but continue to be friends with your neighbours, you never know when you may need them!

[stufe35]

Sorry-this is still a bit raw.

The problem now is that having found our place half a mile across the fields...where will these dogs head the next time there is a moments inattention...and the owners arrogant attitude to collar wearing makes me feel this is only a matter of time ?

Being paid for the hens will help...but if I murdered your dogs tonight....would paying for new ones tomorrow make it all ok ?

[SallyintNorth]

I went through much the same, many years ago, coming home to find 2 hens dead, 2 so injured and traumatised we had to have them pts, and just one alive - she'd been laying when the attack occurred, so the dog hadn't spotted her. 

We'd thought fox at first, but a neighbour had seen a Jack Russell loose...  The owner apologised, saying his dog had been bored as the weather had meant they hadn't been out working.  Well you should have taken it for a walk, then!  We thought, but didn't say.  The owner offered to pay for the hens but didn't, in our view, seem to think it could never happen again, so we made Chicken Knox, 6' fencing, dug into the ground and with three strands of electric, and our previously completely fre range chickens got barred up when we went out.  It kept them safe.  You do need to check the charge every day, of course.  Use a blade of grass to test the wire - it's a poor conductor, so you get a much reduced belt through it.

[SallyintNorth]

Oh, and I forget to say, we also had a problem sourcing new hens because of the time of year.  We made the mistake of going to a big producer, just to get some pals for Lacey - and it was a mistake.  Ended up having to slaughter those, who never made it out of quarantine - more grief for us.  So Lacey became very tame, which was lovely, and palled up with the sheep for company when we weren't outside, until one of the local small producers had some lovely healthy pullets we could buy.

So, in short -  , it's a horrible thing to go through; build a secure pen; don't be in a rush to get replacements, it's more important to get healthy ones than to get some quickly.

[greenbeast]

She dismissed that they would have started chasing the sheep out of hand.....I am not convinced.

They always say that until there are dead sheep and/or their dog has been shot.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Well all my local enquiries as to who owned the dogs fell blank so I decided to crack on and phone the police I told them about the chicken attack and they are sending an officer round to follow that up. (later that night I had loads of calls from messages I had left telling me who the dogs belonged to)

They immediately linked it with a missing dog report in our village and asked if they could give the owner our telephone details to which I said yes.

5 mins later the owner called who I recognised as being one of out near neighbours who I know through drinking with her husband in the pub and having occasionally took away their horse muck for them.  (by near I mean approximately half a mile away) .  She asked if it was ok to come and collect and I said yes.

On arrival she was all smiling and laughing...clearly the police had not told her what her dog had done.  This was not good as my other half saw red and launched into her.

She was apologetic and has offered to pay for the hens.  When I pointed out her dog should have a collar on it she replied collars rub its neck and its her pet.  I wasn't 100% sure but have checked this morning...her dog is legally bound to have a collar on so it is not 'her' choice'. She shall be getting reminded.
She dismissed that they would have started chasing the sheep out of hand.....I am not convinced.

Anyway I suspect next time I see her husband in the pub ill get the some cash out of him, he is an ok sort of bloke. 

Still have the job of getting rid of the carcasses and sourcing some new ones...our  normal supplier only has then in a couple of times a year...so that is an issue not easily solved.

Don't know what the police will do exactly they are coming later this week.

They will probably have a severe chat with the couple or give them a warning.

[lord flynn]

isn't she liable for a fine if the dogs are caught with no collar and ID?


I am sorry, I lost my best rare breed cock and a very nice hen last year to an errant cocker and his clueless city dwelling, dog walking owners who had him off lead on the road and no control. Dog jumped my stock fence and down into my chicken pen and killed them right in front of me. They offered to pay but when I detailed the fact they were the result of several years breeding, that I had travelled to get stock from all over the UK,  had selected and culled stock, provided housing, hours put in  etc and that their paltry offer of £15 a bird just didnt cut it they got defensive. I hope they took themselves through a local field of cows and calfs tbh. They seemed to equate it to a fox attack which of course, it isn't.


Its bloody annoying when people don't take it seriously enough. I would be terrified for my dogs if I had an out of control one with a prey drive high enough to kill poultry-its a very short step to other stock and other pets. I wouldn't have one though and if I did, it would be contained/lead.

[devonlady]

Sorry-this is still a bit raw.

The problem now is that having found our place half a mile across the fields...where will these dogs head the next time there is a moments inattention...and the owners arrogant attitude to collar wearing makes me feel this is only a matter of time ?

Being paid for the hens will help...but if I murdered your dogs tonight....would paying for new ones tomorrow make it all ok ?

Just trying to see both sides, dear. No need to be harsh!