Angry Bean Blog

I have mentioned that I have pet chickens in the introduction entry. Well last November I lost 3 chickens in one day. My husband arrived home to find only a few feathers on the ground and one lonely hen sitting under a bush. These 4 hens were sisters that I raised by hand since they were born. I was really close to them they ate out of my hand and napped on my shoulders or lap. It devastated me when I lost those 3. I ran out the next day and bought new chickens, 8 little babies and 2 full grown ones. Chickens are very social and need others to sleep by to keep warm. It was necessary that I got company for my lonely girl.

For weeks I wondered what ate the 3?? Then one day it dawned on me that it was most likely a dog. These hens were 3 months old and the only other day time predator (they have a coop to sleep in at night) would be a hawk which they were a little too big for. 2 weeks ago I lost another chicken. Then a week ago I lost another one, only this time I looked out of my window the moment it was happening!! I saw the dog as it was getting his mouth around her body. I busted out the door and was unable to save my chicken. But I did see the direction that the dog went. I quickly got all the girls into their coop and went to locate the dog.

I drove down the street next to my house and saw him just roaming freely in some ones open front yard. The dog had no collar nor tags. I then guessed that he is probably a stray that someone feeds. At that point I called animal control. This was one week ago today and the dog is still around. I have spoken to animal control several times sometimes they have been the ones to call me. They have repeatedly promised to come out. I understand that they are busy, under staffed and surely under funded. Mean while I have to stand outside when my hens free roam to protect them and this of course really limits their free range time.

Today I called the police because I wanted to know if I saw the dog in my yard again would I be in my legal rights if I were to shoot this dog? They could not say either way, what?! do they not know the law? The officer I spoke with said that he would call animal control and get them right out. Animal control calls me yet again to only say what they have been saying to me for a week. So in short I am screwed. I should have had the foresight to have said when I first called animal control that he bit my kid (I don’t even have one) then I would have gotten immediate action. I phoned the police and told them that animal control is not going to come out today. The officer then told me he’s done all he can do.

I guess since chickens are just food to most of the world they don’t matter. They matter to me they are my pets and it is my job to ensure their safety. I hate when I try to do the right thing and the people that I call on refuse to do their job. I will do what I got to do.