Author Topic: Chicken Killers? (Read 10083 times)

lunanlife · « **Reply #15 on:** March 13, 2010, 05:52:43 pm »

Couldn't agree more whitby.

whitby_sam · « **Reply #16 on:** March 13, 2010, 06:39:04 pm »

Well the farmer came round with another dead chicken this morning... Said it had happened between 8:30 and 12:30. I locked my dogs in at about 6:30 this morning, when I told him this he said "Well one of the chickens could've got out early, they often perch on top of the window frames and could easily have been out earlier"

Meg is going away for a month, she's going to be spayed and then for a little R&R at the rescue we got her from so we'll see in that month (I can't have her working until she's all properly healed) if any more hens are taken.

The first one had died of stress, there was no physical harm except its tail feathers had been pulled out. The second one had no head and only one wing, it'd really been gone at. The farm next door has a lot of wet clay mud, the kind that if trodden in would stick to a dog's fur. When I checked Meg she had no clay on her, no blood or feathers on or near her, infact she was pretty well plastered in our top-soil type mud, a very different colour and texture to next door's...

I really don't want to believe she's a killer and I guess her little holiday will be the make or break.

If she is a killer then she can't stay. She'll have to live somewhere else. This goes against all my principles as I feel that a dog (even more so with a rescue dog) is for life! What can I do?

Birdie Wife · « **Reply #17 on:** March 15, 2010, 11:58:22 am »

Oh I really do feel for you - it does seem more likely to be a fox though from your description, so hopefully she will be vindicated. Hoping for a happy outcome for you both

whitby_sam · « **Reply #18 on:** March 15, 2010, 01:39:08 pm »

Thanks!

doganjo · « **Reply #19 on:** March 15, 2010, 05:05:23 pm »

I am sorry for your farmer friend but you have proved it to yourself by checking the mud. And neither of them had feathers sticking to them - what more evidence does he need! Tell him he needs to make sure ALL his birds are shut in at night or a fox will get them, NOT your dogs. I am fed up of dogs getting the blame for everything that goes wrong in this sorry old world!

Helencus · « **Reply #20 on:** March 15, 2010, 05:44:01 pm »

Couldn't agree more. I think the evidence really points to a fox and the farmer should secure his hens properly rather than blame your dog. I hope she isvindicated when she is away sad thing is that requires another hen to be killed..

Christine B · « **Reply #21 on:** March 16, 2010, 07:44:01 am »

Just caught up with this and it is a subject close to my heart as I have a rescue dog who Had terrible behavioural problems when he came to us. However he is 100% fine with our chickens - in fact he is a bit scared of them (the other dog tries to get them to play 'chase' with him

I agree with the others though - I really can't see this dog being the culprit and I think this farmer is just looking for a scapegoat (or should it be a scapedog?) We have lots of farms around us and I worry that our dog may get out but I still don't think he's kill a chicken even if it was in someone else's yard.

Good luck Sam - and hugs to Meg for a speedy recovery

whitby_sam · « **Reply #22 on:** March 16, 2010, 08:48:54 am »

That's the worst thing. I've actually won awards for her behavior (only at local dog shows mind) as we're so in tune. I had her doing all the usual heal, sit, down etc and a couple of little tricks within a couple of weeks of getting her. She's a well behaved dog and she's well trained. No matter what she's doing, whether she'd chasing a ball, scrapping with our other dog, eating etc. If I whistle twice she stops what she's doing instantly, runs towards the sound of the whistle and then sits infront of me awaiting instructions.