A sad day at our house.

[Wildsky]

Now those who don't like chickens or don't have pets might not understand my emotional attachment to my chickens.

This morning two dogs came into our yard, and attacked my girls. Two chickens were hurt, one very seriously. I had to call my husband at work to come home, and put the very badly injured girl down. She was a really sweet Rhode Island Red. Scarlet was a nosy little thing who was always the first to come stand at the screen door and talk to us. Her back had been totally ripped up - I could see her spine and internal organs.

The other injured chicken is my Buff girl Maggie, she's now in the house in the dogs crate - I put neosporin on her puncture wounds and she seems to be ok for now.

I'm very attached to my chickens, we got our first 8 almost two years ago - both these girls were from the original 8. We got them as tiny little day olds and kept them in the house and then the enclosed patio for 2 months, till they were big and strong and could live outside.
We have a total of 16 now, and every day we get at least a dozen eggs.

Such a sad day.

 

[CssReb]

So sorry to hear that, Wildsky. Poor little chickens.

 

[LuckySevens4U]

Oh Wild, I'm sooooooooo sorry. ANY animal is important and that are our pets and have personalities are so important to us. They are like our little kids. I'm so sorry for your pain and your loss. So sad. I know chickens are funny and actually have personalities. My landscaper had 2 of them named crispy and extra crispy and they were so cute and they literally followed him around in the yard and garage and were just hilarious. So I'm so so sorry.

 

[MrsJaaxx]

Aww, I'm so sorry for your loss. :-(

 

[ShimmyPrincess]

Awwww, WS, I'm SO sorry to hear that!
Time to buy a giant peacock or something to protect your cluckers!

 

[aschmidy]

Wildsky, I am so sorry for your loss. We have 8 chicken that we raised from babies. (Not as easy as it sounds) They all have different personalities and I would miss any one of them that we lost. (Except maybe 'Lucy', she doesn't like me). Ours have a coop and a fully enclosed run. We live and the woods and have way too many wild critters around for them to be safe on their own. I feel for you.

 

[The Widow]

So sorry sweety, I know how hard it is to lose a beloved pet.

 

[nitewriter]

Wildsky, I'm an old farm girl and understand completely being attached to animals. ...All animals.

I'm so sorry for your red feathered friend and hope the buff one will be ok.

 

[Wildsky]

Thank you guys, some folks just can't understand how we're so attached to them.

I used to keep them all in an enclosed run, I let them out last year to eat all the grasshoppers that were eating my veggie plants and they've been coming out since then. When I got my Guinea's - they started to roam even further, and as one of my hens had hatched the guinea's she thought they were her babies, she'd follow them around, and then ALL the chickens got in on that game, so now they're roaming all over our 3 acres. Its hard to even think of closing them up again (their run is small, for the original 8) and I love looking out my windows and seeing them scratching in the yard (and eating my flowers!)

I'm going to look on the internet and see if I can find something like those bells that stores have that DING DONG when you walk in, if I can set something like that up at the front/driveway area, I'd get a warning before something or someone came onto our property.

 

[Wildsky]

This is Maggie with her "babies" the guinea's taken a few months ago

"Dinner time" you can't walk for chickens and ducks under your feet

Both my RIR girls, a joint effort to lay those eggs!

 

[nitewriter]

I'm going to look on the internet and see if I can find something like those bells that stores have that DING DONG when you walk in, if I can set something like that up at the front/driveway area, I'd get a warning before something or someone came onto our property.

Don't get a cheap one off of Ebay, they don't work. They do have descent ones out there that work great. They are motion sensors that ring when they sense motion.

Good luck!

 

[ed_bollix]

So sorry. The loss of a pet is NEVER an easy thing. You have my deepest sympathies.

 

[V-V]

I love chickens, I'm so sorry to hear about this.

I've been thinking about getting some here, but worry about the dogs.

 

[violetvoo]

So sorry for your loss! I know how you feel, a neighbor's dog got on our property a couple years ago a killed one of my alpaca girls and injured 2 more!! The second one died a couple of months later from the injuries. It is really hard to see something you love so much murdered like that, my thoughts are with you!

 

[Wildsky]

I'm actually thinking if I can sew a chicken saddle (used when Roo's overdo the attention and strip all the hens feathers off) I can cover her wounds with the saddle, so the others can't pick at them, then she can go back to her buddies sooner.

I feel so bad for my Maggie in the dog crate looking so bored!
I took her picture, her back feathers have been torn off, but she still has the white fluffy down on her back so she's not totally featherless back there.

 

[tribalmasters]

Awww I hope she gets better soon!

 

[Treece]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Wildsky.

I had the amazing experience several years ago of being a duck's "mother," and contrary to what many people think, these wonderful creatures very much have their own personalities. He was part of our family and we loved him. (And I don't care what anybody says--he loved us back!)

My condolences....

 

[mamacat]

So sorry to hear of your devastating day! I hope Maggie makes a full recovery!

 

[Malicedoll]

awwww wildsky.. i'm sorry to hear about your girls!.. big hugs to you .. hope the one pulls through..

 

[Wildsky]

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts!

I sewed a little "saddle" or "apron" for Maggie, when my hubby comes home I'll get his help to try it on her. If it fits and covers all her wounds she'll be able to go play outside with her buddies again soon. I just don't want them all picking at her.
Otherwise she'll just have to stay inside with us, the problem with that is the others will see her as a stranger when I try re-introduce her at a later date.