Do you know what to do if a dog attacks your chickens? This article will cover the most common scenarios and how to best handle each one of them.
font-size:18px">If you own chickens, you are probably well aware of the predators in your area and take special precautions to protect your flock from them.
Most people don’t really think of a neighbors dog or even their own as a chicken predator. Not only breeds with a high prey drive can attack your livestock. Even the most docile breeds can surprise you.
It isn’t uncommon with dog attacks to find feathers everywhere with multiple chickens dead, often suffering from broken necks and bite marks around the neck. Many suffer a heart attack from the stress of the chase.
Dog’s that attack chickens are usually(not always) just wanting to chase and “play” with them, but due to a chicken’s small size, it becomes injured.
Whether it be a stray dog or your family pet, if hungry enough, it may resort to eating one or many of your chickens. This is why it is always best to take precautions BEFORE an attack occurs.
SIGNS THAT A DOG ATTACKED YOUR CHICKENS
FEATHERS EVERYWHERE
MULTIPLE CHICKENS FOUND DEAD
CHICKENS FOUND WITH BROKEN NECKS
BITE MARKS ON NECK
CHICKENS OFTEN SUFFER A HEART ATTACK FROM THE STRESS OF THE CHASE AND/OR ATTACK
Yes, in most states you can kill a dog that comes onto your property and you catch them in the act of chasing, wounding or killing your chickens. And you will not be held responsible for the killing of the dog.
font-size:18px">You can check your current state animal laws to avoid any legal repercussions.
Here is an example of one states laws on dogs attacking chickens:
§ 822.013. Dogs or Coyotes That Attack Animals
“(a) A dog or coyote that is attacking, is about to attack, or has recently attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowls may be killed by:
(1) any person witnessing the attack; or
(2) the
attacked animal’s owner or a person acting on behalf of the owner if the owner or person has knowledge of the attack.
(b) A person who kills a dog or coyote as provided by this section is not liable for damages to the owner, keeper, or person in control of the dog or coyote.
(c) A person who discovers on the person’s property a dog or coyote known or suspected of having killed livestock, domestic animals, or fowls may detain or impound the dog or coyote and return it to its owner or deliver the dog or coyote to the local animal control authority. The owner of the dog or coyote is liable for all costs incurred in the capture and care of the dog or coyote and all damage done by the dog or coyote.
(d) The owner, keeper, or person in control of a dog or coyote that is known to have attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowls shall control the dog or coyote in a manner approved by the local animal control authority.
(e) A p
erson is not required to acquire a hunting license under Section 42.002, Parks and Wildlife Code, to kill a dog or coyote under this section.”
Animal Legal and Historical Center
What to do if a Neighbors Dog Killed Your Chickens
Depending upon the laws in your state, if you catch a neighbors dog in the act of killing your chickens, you have several choices of what to do, each of them having their own repercussions.
WHAT TO DO IF A NEIGHBORS DOG KILLED YOUR CHICKENS
REPERCUSSIONS
SHOOT THE DOG
BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH NEIGHBOR
SCARE THE DOG
DOG WILL RETURN AND KILL WHEN YOU ARE NOT THERE
CALL ANIMAL CONTROL
UNLESS NEIGHBOR TAKES WARNING SERIOUSLY, DOG WILL COME BACK. BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH NEIGHBOR
CALL YOUR NEIGHBOR
NEIGHBOR MAY OR MAY NOT TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
CAPTURE DOG AND RETURN IT TO NEIGHBOR
NEIGHBOR MAY OR MAY NOT TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
CAPTURE DOG AND CALL ANIMAL CONTROL
DOG MAY INJURE YOU DURING CAPTURE. BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH NEIGHBOR
Is it worth risking that your neighbor will do the right thing to make sure that his dog doesn’t come back to kill your chickens?
Do you want to kill the dog and risk your good relationship you have with your neighbor? Or should you just kill the dog to protect your livestock?
font-size:18px">It isn’t an easy decision to make. This is why many people take the “SSS” method of shooting, shoveling and shutting up. They shoot the dog, bury it and keep quiet about it.
How to Prevent a Neighbors Dog from Killing Your Chickens
DOG EATING A CHICKEN
Preventing a neighbors dog from killing your chickens begins with securing your livestock on your own property.
If you allow your chickens to free range, ensure that the entire perimeter of your property is securely fenced in. You will need to routinely walk your property to make sure that there aren’t any areas that a stray dog can get in.
font-size:18px">For chickens that do not free range, there are several different things that you can do to decrease the chances of a neighbors dog getting to your chickens:
Tips to Protect Your Chickens from Dog Attacks
Lock your chickens up inside the chicken coop every night.
Put all food that is uneaten away at night. Leftover food only invites nighttime predators, including dogs, to your chicken coop at night.
Use 1/4″-1/2″ hardware cloth, not chicken wire, to enclose your flock inside their chicken run. Chicken wire is good at keeping your chickens in, but is not good at keeping predators out. Hardware cloth is much more durable.
Bury hardware cloth up to 12″ below the perimeter of the chicken coop and chicken run. This will deter predators, including dogs, from being able to dig under to get inside the coop.
Do periodic checks of your coop doors and walls to make sure that they are secure. Make any necessary repairs.
Periodically check your automatic chicken coop door to make sure that it is going up and down at the appropriate times.
If you do allow your chickens to free range and you do not have fencing around the perimeter of your property, stay out with them. Keep your eyes peeled. Even this can be risky.
Consider installing electric fencing around the chicken coop and where you allow them to free range.
Consider getting a guard dog that is trained to protect livestock; Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd, or Akbash.
If your own dog kills your chickens, it is up to you as the owner to make any necessary changes to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. In most states, you are responsible for any damages. Keep up to date with your local and state laws regarding this matter.
How to Prevent Your Dog from Killing Your Own Chickens
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CHICKENS FROM YOUR OWN DOGS
WATCH NEW FAMILY DOGS AROUND CHICKENS. EVEN WELL TRAINED DOGS CAN TURN.
SECURE CHICKENS IN COOP EACH EVENING.
CONSIDER INSTALLING FENCING AROUND THE CHICKEN COOP/RUN.
KEEP YOUR DOG FED.
DON’T ALLOW CHICKENS TO FREE RANGE WITHOUT SUPERVISION UNTIL YOU CAN FULLY TRUST A NEW DOG.
USE HARDWARE CLOTH INSTEAD OF CHICKEN WIRE FOR CHICKEN COOP.
BURY UP TO 12″ OF HARDWARE CLOTH AROUND PERIMETER OF CHICKEN COOP AND RUN.
What Happens if My Dog Kills My Neighbors Chickens?
If you own a dog that happens to get out, go onto a neighbors property and is caught in the act of chasing, wounding or killing their chickens, most states will allow them to lawfully shoot to kill your dog. Know the law in the state that you reside in.
How to Prevent Your Dog from Killing Your Neighbors Chickens
TIPS TO HELP PREVENT YOUR DOG FROM KILLING A NEIGHBORS CHICKENS
PUT A FENCE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF YOUR PROPERTY.
SUPERVISE YOUR DOG IF IT IS OUTDOORS
KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEASH WHEN YOU ARE OFF OF YOUR PROPERTY.
ONLY LET YOUR DOG OUT FRONT UNSUPERVISED IF YOU HAVE FENCING AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF YOUR PROPERTY.
ROUTINELY WALK THE PERIMETER OF YOUR PROPERTY AND FIX ANY BROKEN FENCING.
CONCLUSION: What to do if a Dog Attacks Your Chickens + Prevention Tips
Most states allow the killing of a dog that is caught in the act chasing, wounding or killing their chickens while on their property. Keep up to date with the current laws in your state or the neighborhood that you reside in.
As a dog owner, it is your responsibility take all necessary precautions that it takes to keep your dog from attacking both your own and your neighbors livestock. Are you willing to take the risk of a neighbor killing your dog because it came onto their property and killed their chickens?
As an owner of chickens, it is your responsibility to do everything that you can to protect your flock. But does that include shooting a dog that comes onto your property and kills your pet chickens? What will you do if you are faced with this dilemma?
About the Author
Jenny is a chicken enthusiast and has raised a variety of different breeds of chickens in her Northern California backyard for the past 27 years.
She enjoys using incubators to incubate and hatch fertile chicken eggs so she can raise baby chicks from day 1.
Some of her favorites include Crested Cream Legbars, Marans, Silkies, Orpingtons and Olive Eggers. These breeds make a beautiful basket of farm fresh eggs!
Both she and her husband built their own chicken coop and she and her Dad built her current chick brooder.
Jenny likes to share tips and tricks that she has learned over the years to make it easier for others to raise happy, healthy and productive chickens.
I am passionate about raising backyard chickens and love sharing the knowledge I have gained over the years with others. Whether you are an enthusiast or new to the hobby, Backyard Chickens Mama is a place where you can learn everything you need to know to raise chickens in your OWN backyard. Read More
For Your Chickens’ Health, Happiness & Wellbeing…
LEGAL INFORMATION
Backyard Chickens Mama is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
