# Lost a hen



## leviparker (Jun 13, 2013)

Two. Weeks ago we took in a puppy. She is a pit mix and is 5 months old. Of course we considered what she would do to the chickens. But she didn't do anything to them besides jump and play and occasionally chase but I made her stay out if the paddock and not in their area. 

Today I came home and mom said "Harley has a chicken" 

She had her and was tearing into the back of my hen. So I got the bird which was dead and kicked the dog out of the way. And we opened her up after cutting the head off. We wanted to make sure she had laid her egg for the day and we took her breasts. 

We wrapped the body up and burnt it. 












I'm going to post pictures--- if you don't want to see don't scroll down-------------


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

No need kick the pup. Teach it to avoid the chickens by teaching it they are off limits. Kicking may not get the proper message.


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## kessy09 (Jun 16, 2013)

I agree. Can't blame an untrained puppy for chasing/chewing on something she's always been allowed to play with before. She doesn't seem to see them as off limits since she's been able to chase and jump at them previously. She may understand that their paddock is off limits but she doesn't know that it's because of the chickens. Dogs don't think like people do. Take this as a lesson learned. Train the dog properly and in the meantime be diligent about keeping the chickens safe-that way the dog isn't getting kicked and the chickens aren't getting killed.


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## briannasellars (May 14, 2013)

I think that it's not good to kick animals but in the situation i would have yanked kicked pulled etc. Because I would want that dog off the chicken right then to see if the chicken was alive. Once the dog has the chicken and taste the blood it ain't coming off unless u use force. 

But why would you gut/dissect the chicken?


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## kessy09 (Jun 16, 2013)

Dogs can be trained to drop ANYTHING the instant the owner tells them to, with just voice command and with zero physical force. Regardless of having the taste of chicken or blood in its mouth. It just takes effort on the owners part-unfortunately most will not make that effort. Until that effort and training has been established the dog should not have any chance of accessing the chickens. It's not fair to anyone should something go wrong, and with an untrained dog, the risk is high.


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## leviparker (Jun 13, 2013)

Okay I completely agree. I didn't kick her when I say kick I meant use my foot and push her away. We will not be keeping her. I understand what you guys are saying an agree. When I said that she jumped and played I didn't mean I allowed her to. I always pulled her away from them and told her no. 

She has the taste for chicken blood and she will do it again if given the chance. 

We've been hoping to get a new home so this just added an urgency to it.


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## leviparker (Jun 13, 2013)

briannasellars said:


> I think that it's not good to kick animals but in the situation i would have yanked kicked pulled etc. Because I would want that dog off the chicken right then to see if the chicken was alive. Once the dog has the chicken and taste the blood it ain't coming off unless u use force. But why would you gut/dissect the chicken?


Like I said in my original post. I didn't want an egg to go to waste if she had one ready to lay

If an animal (cows, chickens etc.) dies unexpectedly and you can harvest from it you try if not burry or burn it.

Last week a friend castrated 9 bulls and 4 bled out through the night due to being to old for castrating and that morning they went after it skinning and cutting them up to freeze. 
We got a couple hundred pounds of beef


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Dogs need to be trained, its natural for them to want to get a hold of a chicken. I have a English pointer that when we got our chickens would love nothing else but to kill them. Its in his instincts. When I did was first trained to understand the word "leave it" proficiently before introducing him to the flock. Once he knew how to "leave it" I would take him outside with me when I did chicken chose, he was leashed at all times so if anything happened I could grab him. When he went for a bird or went into is pointing stance I told him firmly to "leave it" if that didn't stop him I tugged on the leash to get his attention and said it again. Sure it took a little while for him to get it, by end of summer (started in beginning of summer) he was able to be out doors unleashed and leave the birds alone.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

leviparker said:


> Okay I completely agree. I didn't kick her when I say kick I meant use my foot and push her away. We will not be keeping her. I understand what you guys are saying an agree. When I said that she jumped and played I didn't mean I allowed her to. I always pulled her away from them and told her no.
> 
> *She has the taste for chicken blood and she will do it again if given the chance.*
> 
> We've been hoping to get a new home so this just added an urgency to it.


Not true, my dog has killed chickens while owned by his previous owner. He was also abused and very skittish, barked alot, and not trained what so ever. It took one summer to train him to leave the flock alone, I have not lost a single bird to him.
It's an old wise tale that says once they kill a chicken they go back for more. It just takes training and time.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

My German shorthaired loved is a trained bird dog. When I first adopted him he nearly killed a hen and plucked my rooster tail feathers. 
After some training he does not even go near the chickens... And I never had to kick or pull on. Simple command the dog understands will yield a much better outcome. 
Now he protects the birds.. It's fun to watch


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## leviparker (Jun 13, 2013)

I believe you guys. The bottom line is that my family and I don't have time for her. It's not completely because she killed the hen.


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