Help pls! (dog killed chickens)

[VirginVegGrower]

I'm going to be radical and say I wouldn't trust any dog 100% with chickens. They are all capable of reverting to type.
As for shooting a dog on your land, I'm not sure. I think farmers can if they worry livestock. Don't think it includes domestic hens. But at what point do they cease to be domestic? More than fifty (Defra registered)? One to think about...
I am a dog lover but if one went near mine..,

[veggiechicken]

To shoot an animal you need to have a gun. To have a gun you need a licence. How many home pet owners have these? Very few I imagine. So shooting a dog that worries your pets is not really an issue, whether or not the dog might attack children next time.

[Newton]

Just read this Chris. Terrible turn of events and a very sad outcome. I hope your daughter is over it as well as you an the remaining chook. I hope the new ones live long and healthy lives. No experiences of anything like this thank goodness. Take care.

[julesapple]

Chris, my heart goes out to you & yours. Glad your chook made it through the night. You're welcome to come & collect a couple of our Splash Cochin cross girls - for free - if you want them - they look sort of like Bluebelles.

[petal]

ha! like!julesapple: no they don't but are even more gorgeous - big fluffies!! are those large fowl and have you got any eggs....?
I find dog attacks much more upsetting than fox attacks- foxes being wild creatures that have to survive- they see an opportunity at night, usually- livestock not secured properly- so..... but its unacceptable for someone to not keep a domesticated animal like a dog under control- I would be very cross- (doesn't take much..!) and pursuing this with dog control- whoever they are.

[jessmorris]

..must get quite crowded in there Petal! ;-)

[petal]

oh ha ha- imagine how uncomfortable it would be to spend the night with chickens pooping on you!!!!!!

[jessmorris]

Ewwwww......!

[chris]

Chris, my heart goes out to you & yours. Glad your chook made it through the night. You're welcome to come & collect a couple of our Splash Cochin cross girls - for free - if you want them - they look sort of like Bluebelles.

Thank you JA, that's extremely kind of you. If I were closer, we'd have used you (or any other grape) to supply our chickens anyway You're a bit too far in all honesty - very kind of you to offer though, thank you Just googled them, they look ace hehe

My wife just read the thread and forgot that the RSCPA said to phone them back once we have the owners details (which we do now). They need to record the attack, incase it happens again - and if it happens again then they'll intervene, so all is not lost in terms of potential support.

I'm racking my brain trying to figure out how the heck the dog knew there were chickens in my garden - there's no other route into my garden, we're an end, off road house. The only possible thing I can think of is the dog was wandering, and saw my chickens dust bathing by the gate (which was their favourite spot to do so - you could always see them bathing and looking under the gate). Trying not to think about it in all honesty, as when I do I get angry as you'd expect. I feel especially bad for my young ones, as they were what? probably 23-25weeks old? :/

Egg off the cotswold leggy today mind, so I'm guessing as she was out of the garden causing havoc on the road her stress of seeing the others being killed was avoided. Keeping her penned up for the time being anyway - I need to determine if she flew over the gate or escaped through the hole the dog dug.

[chris]

I'm going to be radical and say I wouldn't trust any dog 100% with chickens. They are all capable of reverting to type.
As for shooting a dog on your land, I'm not sure. I think farmers can if they worry livestock. Don't think it includes domestic hens. But at what point do they cease to be domestic? More than fifty (Defra registered)? One to think about...
I am a dog lover but if one went near mine..,

I grew up with dogs, but still despite having *the* best dog (we all say that, eh?) I'd _never_ trust him (or any other dog) around children, let alone animals.. Mine snapped at my birds previously, when they were annoying him (I used to keep birds, they'd wander all over him whilst he was asleep -etc), instantly came running over to me with his tail between his legs as he knew he'd done wrong, but as we all know - it only takes a second.. and like wise in humans.

Still loads of feathers out there. I've disinfected the whole garden, run and coop etc - just to be ont he safe side (not really sure how long the birds were there - when I removed them RM has set in (and man, they were heavy when dead? Felt much heavier than when they were alive?). It's probably all washed off now anyway due to all the rain.

[chris]

ha! like!julesapple: no they don't but are even more gorgeous - big fluffies!! are those large fowl and have you got any eggs....?
I find dog attacks much more upsetting than fox attacks- foxes being wild creatures that have to survive- they see an opportunity at night, usually- livestock not secured properly- so..... but its unacceptable for someone to not keep a domesticated animal like a dog under control- I would be very cross- (doesn't take much..!) and pursuing this with dog control- whoever they are.

I think that's why I'm so upset about it really, due to the fact that it was a dog. I just didn't expect it. I'm certain a fox couldn't have made it into my garden (I had gravel, slabs and large rocks by the gate) - which shows the power in this dog. Infact, the dog scattered heavy rocks all over the place - in some ways I always expected at the back of my mind a fox attack would be likely, or perhaps a rodent killing one of them. *shrug*. Not sure what else to say!

[petal]

no one expects a dog, I am so sorry for you- its makes your blood boil and makes you feel helpless when the police say they can't do anything etc- been there= horrible. I reckon a dogs sense of smell must be superb and of course they don't have the fear a fox has. Big bad luck and what idiot neighbours you have- fancy going out and leaving a dog in their garden unsupervised- how irresponsible.

[jessmorris]

I grew up with dogs, but still despite having *the* best dog (we all say that, eh?) I'd _never_ trust him (or any other dog) around children, let alone animals.. Mine snapped at my birds previously, when they were annoying him (I used to keep birds, they'd wander all over him whilst he was asleep -etc), instantly came running over to me with his tail between his legs as he knew he'd done wrong, but as we all know - it only takes a second.. and like wise in humans.

Still loads of feathers out there. I've disinfected the whole garden, run and coop etc - just to be ont he safe side (not really sure how long the birds were there - when I removed them RM has set in (and man, they were heavy when dead? Felt much heavier than when they were alive?). It's probably all washed off now anyway due to all the rain.

I've noticed this too. Is that where the expression 'deadweight' comes from??

[salome2001]

just want to return to the "worrying livestock" issue again, as we have had dogs (off leash, walked on allotment property which is unfenced but *not* public land) barking at the chooks on our site, the vice chair "had words" with the owner and ended up chatting to the local constabulary... they were definitely of the opinion that 5 chooks in a run were "livestock", and the law is, as stated above, that a dog worrying livestock can be despatched...

not that that helps with Chris' loss- sorry to hear it..

[Feral007]

Oh sorry I wasn't meaning anyone should be shooting dogs! In suburbia you call the ranger and he comes and removes the animal and then it's between the council and the owner. We live in the country tho, and most of our neighbours would have guns and licences, and gun safes to keep them in.
A lot of neighbours will catch the animal if poss. and then let you know. If you don't stop the problem (ie keep the dog under control at all times, or get rid of it) then they will. Other neighbours will just shoot anything that walks across their land. It's hard to blame them when they come across savaged sheep on a regular basis.
Since living in the country I have become a big fan of electric fencing tho. Just loaned it to a friend who has a mad escaping dog. Well she did before! Now he is a convert of The Tape is Master.
Means he's safe and she doesn't need to tie him up or lock him up all the time she's away.

Glad to hear your Lone Chook is doing well tho. And that your daughter is coping.