Elderly cat breathing difficulties when purring

[Squatlobster]

Hello and sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but I am looking for some opionions please!

 

I had 4 free ranging chickens (back garden) and have already lost one to a fox.

 

My remaining three have been fine for a couple of months, but today, we found one of them dead, with the back of it's neck bitten open. This chicken MAY have been under the weather yesterday, but it had laid today and seemed fine this morning.

 

Could my six month old border collie cross have done this? He has been fine with them since I got him 2 weeks ago, even sharing a food bowl and actually ignoring them at times. I want to think that it wasn't him, but I am willing to be open-minded. He is getting the blame for it whether guilty or not - which seems harsh.

 

Any words of wisdom?

 

Thanks very much.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

So sorry to hear about your hens . I have heard of dogs killing chickens but without evidence I suppose you'll never know . A fox would have taken the body, wouldn't it?

[Egluntyne]

It is possible, but unless you actually witness the act you can't be certain.

 

Sorry to hear about it.

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

I doubt whether even an 'ill' chicken would suddenly explode open in the neck region. How horrible for you. I'm sorry for your trauma and your poor chicken.

 

It could have been any toothy mammal. There are reports on here of mink as well as foxes going for the kill. If you are living near predatory mammals, it could have been anything.

 

On dogs, on ITV recently there has been a programme called Martin Clunes: A Man and His Dog which basically reminds us dog owners (I've got a lab collie cross) that dogs are essentially wolves at heart and will sometimes be instinctive despite what they've been taught by us humans. There was a gobsmacking bit which I caught where Jack Russells went rat catching. Suffice it to say I wouldn't trust a Russell with so much as a teddy bear after watching that. There are episodes on the ITV website I think if you want to gen up on dog behaviour.

 

My dog is curious to nonchalant about the chickens, and to my surprise, not aggressive towards them. He is also seeming to be a bit protective of them, barking at foxes and waking us to alert us to foxes in the vicinity at night (bless him and my lack of sleep this week!) But that said, I wouldn't underestimate his desire to hunt the chickens or play with them over-vigorously. He's a bit turncoaty. It's his nature. He doesn't always 'get' the boundaries, even when he is sort of aware of them.

 

Good luck.

 

Anna x

[Squatlobster]

Thank you for your kind replies. I suppose I was naively hoping that my own dog didn't do this (after his exemplary behaviour), but I am trying to be objective and accept that a) he is just a puppy and b) it is always a risk.

 

It may be possible that he saw a weak victim, or even mauled her once she had died.

 

We live in Edinburgh....does anyone know any local suppliers for replacement chooks? (The originals were a gift from Fife).

 

Many thanks again,

 

Squatlobster + 2

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I got my girls from George Ogilvie at Ballancrieff Mains Farm near Longniddry.

 

He does other stuff as well (livery, pigs etc) so not sure if this is the right number, but you could try it. I got a Rhode Island Red, Columbine and Pied Suffolk from him. I think he had other breeds too.

 

Ballencrieff Mains,

Longniddry,

East Lothian.

EH32 0PJ

 

Tel: 01875 870238

Mob: 07971 60 70 34

 

http://www.eastlothianlivery.com/map.php?s=1

[Gamebird]

So sorry to hear about your chicken.

 

Unless you caught your puppy in the act of killing the chicken then it won't have a clue why you are blaming him.

 

Best to err on the side of caution and keep an eye out at all times when the puppy is out and about with the chickens and then he can learn that they are not play things.

 

Good luck with getting your new chickens.

[Squatlobster]

Hello and thanks for that,

 

Don't worry, we have only been 'blaming' the puppy in our minds, not physically or verbally!

 

I have got two lovely new chickens today from Longniddry [thank you, Ain't...] and as I type, my existing two are clucking the place down with concern about their new house/garden mates.

 

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That was quick . What breeds did you get?

[Squatlobster]

Yes it was quick! I was off work today, so I decided to go for it.

 

I got one Light Sussex and one Mendlesham Blue. They are all snuggled up with my existing two now. I hope they will be friends in the morning!

 

[fowlbird]

we had four dogs and kept hens, our jack russell killed one and very nearly killed a second. The other three took no notice at all of the chooks except that our basset hound used to, one at a time, pick them up under the wing and carry them round the garden, dropping them after about 5 - 10 minutes. Why he did this and why the silly hens never ran away we haven't discovered. The hens would look at us as if to say "Why me?"

 

2 weeks is not long to acclimatise a dog of any age to hens. Your pup would have seen it as a game. My advice is to let the hens out and keep the pup on a lead, praising it for ignoring your girls and scolding it for getting too interested. I'm sure in time the pup will get used to them but, as said earlier, dogs aren't that far removed from their ancestors and they do have to be watched.

[Mumpty]

On dogs, on ITV recently there has been a programme called Martin Clunes: A Man and His Dog which basically reminds us dog owners (I've got a lab collie cross) that dogs are essentially wolves at heart and will sometimes be instinctive despite what they've been taught by us humans. There was a gobsmacking bit which I caught where Jack Russells went rat catching. Suffice it to say I wouldn't trust a Russell with so much as a teddy bear after watching that. There are episodes on the ITV website I think if you want to gen up on dog behaviour.

 

I saw this programme too and he also visited a farmer and his border collie. It seems that border collies are chomping at the bit to kill the sheep and it is the farmer who controls them to herd them around. I never knew this and just thought they were really well trained (which they are) but had no idea that they would kill at any moment if allowed. I think that you must not lay the guilt trip on yourself and don't hold it against the dog, they will do what their instincts tell them and sometimes even with all the training in the world, they can't help themselves. Best not to let the two alone together and keep a watchful eye. Very sorry to hear about it, it must have been a terrible shock for you.

 

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

yay for the Sussex and blue. I have one each of those. GREAT choices. Here's to their long and happy hen lives.

 

Anna x