Death by Dog

This was taken a few days ago. Grandpa and the grandkids like to feed the chicks raisens. The chicks will eat out of your hand and some of them will let you pick them up and pet them. Everyone and thing was at peace.

My brother Tom came up from Texas and taught the turkey the 'electric slide' while he was here.




















So we had Ruby (the dog) trained to leave the chicks alone. We had her taught by using a shock collar, very low voltage, and she was doing great. Ruby could go all day without getting into the coop fence or within 3 feet of the chicks. This was without being 'shocked' and she had been good for days.
Well, I've been at Mandy's painting so I've been getting home late some days, just on Mondays and Tuesdays, but still Ruby was good. This Tuesday I got home later than usual and Steve had to go to church. He didn't chain Ruby up since she had been doing so good and he thought I would be home in just a bit.
I got home at 9:30, after dark, and went to close up the coop. Ruby was running in the coop causing chaos and I kicked her out. After closing the chick door I counted chicks (I do this every night) and counted only 24...3 missing. So I recounted and still just 24 (23 chicks and 1 turkey). So I went to get a flashlight and look for chicks. I found the first one laying half-dead (wet - it had been raining- feathers messed, and missing feathers, not moving and barely breathing). iI put it in the coop and figured it would be dead before morning. The next chick was north of the coop in a little better shape - no missing feathers, and sitting instead of laying. Steve found the other chick and it was definately dead, having been mauled. Ruby the dog was trying to break into the coop during all this and the chicks in the coop were running around hysterical.

Ruby was chained immediately. As you can see, both chicks survived the night. The buff one was hesitant to leave the coop this morning but the black one zipped out as if nothing had happened. Ruby has been chained all day. So...we have a dog that needs to go elsewhere. She's great with kids but not chicks.