Neighbor dog killed a pullet

[AnnPann]

Just caught my neighbors dog killing one of my chickens in my pasture. Her dogs often come onto my property to chase my dog, my cats and my kids and bark at me and the wind. They are not aggressive, just high energy, bored and stupid (we have lived here for years and they still bark like we are strangers). They are well trained for her, and have an in-ground fence. The dogs either don’t care, know the weak spots, or the collar batteries are dead. I asked her not too long ago to check the batteries after one of them chased my daughter and her friend in our front yard.

I’m sad that I have to tell my daughters one of their chickens is dead. I’m pissed because the hen wasn’t quite a year old, and was a SFH so she wasnt cheap. I’m heartbroken that she was so mangled that I couldn’t save her and had to have my husband help me end her suffering.

How likely is it that the dog will now come back for more? She has always been uninterested in them until today. I don’t know what changed or happened to make her snap, but I’m 99% positive the dog was on our property when she attacked (I’ve never caught my hens on the neighbors side of the fence).

I have 2 other hens (the same age) who regularly escape the run by flying over 4’ fence, so I’m thinking I should clip their wings? I’ve not done it before - Any one have a good website or video they recommend that shows how to clip their wing feathers?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Yes, the dog will be back again. Is your run dog proof?

 

[Canadian Wind]

Things like this make me so angry!

Report the dogs to the local animal control. And tell your neighbour she owes you for what that hen cost. Including the almost full year of feed and care.

Sorry you have such disrespectful neighbours.

 

[FrostRanger]

I'd get animal control involved. I'd be one thing if it was just an accident but she clearly doesn't care that her dogs are loose. Also get cameras if you don't have them already and report the dog every time you see them out. Hopefully the sting of paying to get her dogs back from animal control will motivate her to control her dogs

And I agree, make her pay for the hen that was killed

 

[FrostRanger]

Also regarding your escaping birds, I would clip their wings, but a better option would be to get a taller fence and cover the run with netting or something. A taller fence in addition to keeping your birds in better will better be able to keep dogs out and the netting will prevent flyouts entirely and it'll have the added benefit of preventing hawk attacks. That said, wing clipping should stop the immediate problem especially if improving the run isn't feasible rn

 

[AnnPann]

So there’s no animal control out here. It’s a rural area of the county and there is no leash laws or anything. There’s a “nuisance animal” law, and I’m not above mentioning that to someone with an aggressive dog, but I’m not someone who would actually shoot an animal. Plus, the dogs are not nasty, just poor bored hyper dogs with nothing to do all day than bark at bugs and each other.

The coop and enclosed run is dog-proof, but the 4’ fenced run is not. The fenced run is what a few of them escape from, but they stay nearby. I have plans to run some kind of lines over the fenced area for hawks this spring, but didn’t think about the added benefit of keeping the chickens IN. Going to be a while before I can tackle that though, so thought if I can figure out how to clip the wings of the 2 that get out, at least I’d know they’d be safer. My dog (when she’s awake) is good about telling me if something is up - she threw a fit today to tell me the dog was out there. But she’s also a big baby and intimidated by those dogs.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Report the dogs to the local animal control. And tell your neighbour she owes you for what that hen cost. Including the almost full year of feed and care.

Sorry about your hen and the situation. My new neighbor's dog killed one of my chickens this spring. I charged him $35 for the bird but we became friends over it. That's what a POL pullet would cost me to replace her - not counting shipping! Later another of his dogs got out and got another one and he came right over and paid up. I know he really tries to keep his dogs penned up, and in fact he re-homed one of them. If his dog gets out he calls me immediately to let me know and he goes out hunting for her. He really does try to be responsible and I appreciate him for it. .

 

[McChooky]

So there’s no animal control out here. It’s a rural area of the county and there is no leash laws or anything. There’s a “nuisance animal” law, and I’m not above mentioning that to someone with an aggressive dog, but I’m not someone who would actually shoot an animal. Plus, the dogs are not nasty, just poor bored hyper dogs with nothing to do all day than bark at bugs and each other.

The coop and enclosed run is dog-proof, but the 4’ fenced run is not. The fenced run is what a few of them escape from, but they stay nearby. I have plans to run some kind of lines over the fenced area for hawks this spring, but didn’t think about the added benefit of keeping the chickens IN. Going to be a while before I can tackle that though, so thought if I can figure out how to clip the wings of the 2 that get out, at least I’d know they’d be safer. My dog (when she’s awake) is good about telling me if something is up - she threw a fit today to tell me the dog was out there. But she’s also a big baby and intimidated by those dogs.

My advise is make your run as predator proof as possible because those dogs will return.They'll reimburse you and keep their dogs up if they love their dogs.Sorry for your loss!

 

[Altairsky]

I would bring her the dead chicken, tell her what the dog did, and also tell her that if her dog does that again, the next thing I bring her is her dead dog.

 

[ksbkeys]

Just caught my neighbors dog killing one of my chickens in my pasture. Her dogs often come onto my property to chase my dog, my cats and my kids and bark at me and the wind. They are not aggressive, just high energy, bored and stupid (we have lived here for years and they still bark like we are strangers). They are well trained for her, and have an in-ground fence. The dogs either don’t care, know the weak spots, or the collar batteries are dead. I asked her not too long ago to check the batteries after one of them chased my daughter and her friend in our front yard.

I’m sad that I have to tell my daughters one of their chickens is dead. I’m pissed because the hen wasn’t quite a year old, and was a SFH so she wasnt cheap. I’m heartbroken that she was so mangled that I couldn’t save her and had to have my husband help me end her suffering.

How likely is it that the dog will now come back for more? She has always been uninterested in them until today. I don’t know what changed or happened to make her snap, but I’m 99% positive the dog was on our property when she attacked (I’ve never caught my hens on the neighbors side of the fence).

I have 2 other hens (the same age) who regularly escape the run by flying over 4’ fence, so I’m thinking I should clip their wings? I’ve not done it before - Any one have a good website or video they recommend that shows how to clip their wing feathers?

Definitely get a taller fence and cover with netting...so worth it. Protects from owls and hawks, too.

It would be ideal if you could maintain peace with a neighbor...very difficult situation if there is an ongoing issue with a neighbor. Try to maintain your cool, but definitely you should tell your neighbor how your chicken suffered and how you are having to incur expenses because of her dogs and will have to report them if she doesn't keep them at home. Perhaps she will help with your expenses.