Advice please, dog got chicken. x

[Mrs H]

I'm feeling very guilty tonight!! The man who we get our ferrets off had a labxspringer needing a new home. Its 18mths old and very boistorous. His owner had a heart attack and couldn't care for him anymore. I agreed to bring it round home this morning and see how it got on with my dogs with the view that it could stay if all went well.
Go well it did not, he lasted an hour before being returned!!!! He actually got on with my dogs but not the girls. He broke of his rope, jumped the fence onto the road then came back into the garden and got hold of one of the chickens. Thank god I spotted him out the window and ran, bare feet and all!!! He hadn't injured the chicken he had picked her up and was running to retrieve her. I got him to drop her and she toddled of up the garden. Once we had taken the dog bac I hunted down my girlie, she is definatly not injured but is very shocked. I found her hiding up the garden, I scooped her up and brought her down to their house and got her some food and water.
I notice tonight she isn't roaming with the others, they all gather round the bac door at this time of day waiting to see what goodies the kids hav left after dinner!!!! Ill get out once the kids go to bed to check her. Does anyone hav any advice what I could do for her? I was going to give her rescue remedy but was unsure, any ideas?
I feel awful because I brought the dog here, my chickens hav a great relationship with my two dogs and I really hope it hasn't ruined that. We hav quite a weird house really as dogs, cats and chickens hav all been seen eating out of the same bowl!!! Xx

[Darroch]

You could keep her quiet for a couple of days if you feel she needs it. I have a broody house I use for all sorts of things! Broody house, sick bay etc. Chickens are very tough. Poor you , though, it's horrible when something like that happens.

I have ducks an a friend took her young dog round to play with ours. I asked how he was with ducks and she said fine, he's been around them before. Next thing we knew he came running round the corner with a duck in his mouth. We got it out safelt and he must have a very soft mouth as duck was totally unharmed. I did put her in the broody house for a day, so that she could just have a quiet time and she was fine.
But it's horrible when it happens.

[Millymollymandy]

I'm sure your hen will be fine after a day or two, must have been a massive shock as they are used to your dogs therefore not expecting dogs to do things like that to them!

[boboff]

Agreed, hopefully she will be fine.
We live near a footpath and have had trouble like this before, and even some that have "bled" have recovered.
Don't be too hard on yourself, the dog was just doing what it felt it was meant to do, and was just finding its place in the pack.
Hope its all ok.

[Kaida]

Delurking again timidly to add to the chorus of "Don't worry too much she'll probably be fine."

My FIL's chickens get retrieved whenever they jump the fence of their pen, always unharmed - FIL until recently had two working springers (still got one plus two pointers), with very soft mouths. His older springer, who is no longer with us unfortunately, once tried to flush half a dozen ducks, and when they didn't move (clever ducks!) he retrieved them one by one to FIL's hand, all alive and unharmed. FIL released them and they waddled back to their pond. He also once retrieved someone's yorkshire terrier that was causing trouble. Again unharmed, though it's owner wasn't impressed!

[Millymollymandy]

Delurking again timidly to add to the chorus of "Don't worry too much she'll probably be fine."

My FIL's chickens get retrieved whenever they jump the fence of their pen, always unharmed - FIL until recently had two working springers (still got one plus two pointers), with very soft mouths. His older springer, who is no longer with us unfortunately, once tried to flush half a dozen ducks, and when they didn't move (clever ducks!) he retrieved them one by one to FIL's hand, all alive and unharmed. FIL released them and they waddled back to their pond. He also once retrieved someone's yorkshire terrier that was causing trouble. Again unharmed, though it's owner wasn't impressed!

Love that, especially the Yorkie!

[Mrs H]

Hi guys, thankfully she is all back to normal and started laying again today! Phew!!

[Millymollymandy]

That's good news, yippee!