The hens stayed in their pen for two days, and they were not happy campers. They were still terrified for several days, depressed and not eating. Then, they became eager to be free. Yes, free to be chased, killed.
Today, I gave them their freedom, and they were very leery of me when I went to lure them with oats...heh heh...and lock them up. My doctor's appointment was at 2:20 pm, so I figured I would not be home before 4:00 pm, the hour the devil dog always comes around. This group of doctors has a rule sort of like a university class full of freshman. You do not miss the first appointment. If you do, you are in trouble. So, off I went, leaving the hens vulnerable.
At 4:00 pm, I pulled into the driveway. Over motor noise, the radio playing, and with the windows up, I could hear it. My blood ran cold. My face was aflame with anger. Thelma was cackling for all she was worth, over and over. As I went to the backyard, I could see her standing on the 4 ft chain link fence. The neighbors put a wood fence right up against my fence that was here when I moved here. It would take little for her to be in Blackie's yard.
I went back to rescue her and calm her down, wading through bare wisteria vines. As I reached her and took her off the fence, she exploded in feathers and cackling. I had to drop her because she was getting her wings caught in the thick wisteria vines. She rushed back to the top of the fence. I looked down and the dog was at my feet. No wonder she tried to escape so frantically!I reached down to get devil dog's collar, and he stood still and smiled at me. There was no collar, so I got him by the scruff of his neck and he cried out something awful. So, I let him go and got Thelma.
The devil dog was in their pen when Thelma and I approached but left when I arrived. I put Thelma in and latched the door. Back around the front of the house, Lucy was sitting on the falling down front porch, right up against the door. Louise was nowhere to be seen. Even though I was sad at not finding them, I left in the car to track devil dog.
People in yards were looking at me going 2 mph, so I asked them who the dog belonged to, and no one had ever seen it before. After four blocks I lost devil dog and went home.
Back at the house, Lucy and Louise were waiting to go in the pen. I opened the door and waited until Lucy found her way in. She finally decided that she could get through none of the openings in the chain link and just used the door.
Tomorrow at 4 pm, devil dog and I are going to have a "come to Jesus meeting."
Your turn
Would I be mean to take this dog to the dog pound? Returning him to the owner is difficult when I do not know where he lives.
That dog is a problem. You need to take him in and let them know all of his crimes. He wouldn't keep coming back if he hadn't already had a taste of your hens and he will keep coming back until they are all gone. His owners are irresponsible, that is not your fault. Your are much kinder than I would be. The last dog I knew that killed chickens died of lead poisoning.
ReplyDeleteThrifty Mom,
DeleteThe owner is sooo wrong just to let the dog wander for hours and torture my hens. It is illegal in this town to allow a dog to roam. When exbf gets here tomorrow, we will be out watching for him at about 3:30. If we don't get him, then Charlie will next week when he comes.
Devil dog could not get into lead exposure in the city limits. It's illegal.
Oh bummer. Hope you catch him.
DeleteYour devil dog looks just like one that I turned into the pound around me years ago. Everyone around here knew "Sam", but no on knew his owner. His fur was full of briers and as friendly as he was, no one wants a stray showing up at 3 am every single night barking at the door! He ran around like he owned the farm. The day he ran into the landlords pool was the middle of winter and thankfully it had been drained. I had enough. "Sam" became that weeks 'Star of the Week' in the local paper, he had been washed and shaved and looked like a different dog. I didn't feel guilty at all. I knew whoever adopted him would take better care of him than his "owner".
ReplyDeleteAnon,
Delete"Sam" sounds like my devil dog. You did a good thing. I suppose he was unrecognizable to his owners if they saw his picture in the paper. good for you. Thanks for the tale of "Sam.'
You would be within your rights to take him to the dog pound. Personally I would take him just to get him off my property. If he does belong to someone, they must not care very much about him and he shouldn't be running around without a collar or license. On the other hand, if he was actually attacking any of my animals he would be pushing up daisies by now. Once they start attacking and killing chickens they won't stop.
ReplyDeleteIs he fed? Is he mild? Do you want a dog? lol
ReplyDeleteThe pound is usually a cruel place no matter what pretty sign they have over the door.
IF he's causing no problems, the poor guy will probably get hit by a car and suffer. And people call themselves "owners". sad
He looks fed, I suppose. He is sort of wooly and unkempt. It is illegal to have a dog with no collar/tag. He may have a chip. He is causing problems, like chasing my hens! Who knows what else he is doing around the nieghborhood. This is a very quiet neighborhood with little traffic. However, our dog was hit in front of our house many years ago.
DeleteA strand of electric fencing with some hot dogs tied to it was my daughter-in-law's solution to teaching about boundaries to a certain dog. Another dog that killed a setting hen and all of her new babies, and then growled at me......well that one went into a doggie bag. A dog that doesn't behave is no good to anyone, least of all himself.
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteI wish I could afford electric fencing. I would certainly use it. I only need the electric fencing in a few places. The yard is fenced on three side, and i only need it from sides of house to property line.
A doggie bag? Is that like a body bag?
This dog will be sorry before it is over.
Maybe you could do as I once did. Could you rig up some sort of collar and attach a note asking that the owners call you?
ReplyDeleteYou would NOT be wrong to take the devil dog to the pound.
The dog is afraid of me now. I will have to make friends from him again...sigh. He is over here on Sunday morning, and the police do not have an animal control officer on duty. People know this and only loose dogs when the officers are off duty. People like that would probably claim I hurt their dog with a collar and sue me.
DeleteI had an electric fence once. We bought a house from a Sheriff and he used it to protect and/or contain his service animal. Animals learn quickly and after a few days we were able to unplug it. My little boy tested the fencing many more times than an animal did.
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteThat is funny but it's not. I laughed and then was horrified. Did you little boy forget or just deliberately test it?
I went out just now with some hot, salty oatmeal with figs in it. They love figs. All three refused to move from their nests. I was confused and went to talk to thm. They barely responded and did not vocalize at all. Confused, I decided to lock the pen after all and not allow them out. As I turned to leave, there was devil dog, about 30 feet from me. He must have been out at the pen, looking at them. Chickens are not stupid.
There are plates of food they refused to get down and eat every day. Maybe this weeks will be the end of the pest coming over.