Halloween Murder Mystery

Deceased: 4 month old chicken

Suspects: 2, 7 month old dogs

Possible accomplices: 2 other mature hens

Location of incident: unknown at this time.

Witnesses: 2 goats

Remains found: 1 wing, a head and crawl, some intestinal material and a stomach.

We keep our dogs in a big pen out back, right outside the door. From there there is a gate 3 ft from the door and another at the end of the pen.

Chickens, 3 now 2, free-range all day and get locked up at night.

We were a little late coming home from festivities and it was dark when I let the dogs in. They came, from their pen right inside the house. I went to put the goats and hens away. First the goats. Then to the hens and thats when I noticed one missing.

I proceeded to scour the yard and woodbine, going over their favorite haunts. No blood, no feathers and no carcass.

Wife comes out crying that the big male dummy had the head and part of the neck in his mouth and promptly spat it out when told.

Obviously it looks like one of the two is guilty. Upon inspection of their pen, I noticed the front gate was unlatched. Not a super big deal as the dogs weren't out roaming and it is also springed to close. However upon further examination I did find the wing and some part if intestines connected to the stomach I think along with a few feathers. Again, no blood and no carcass, certainly not enough feathers for this to be where the bird met its untimely demise.

Further investigation tomorrow. Any tips appreciated.

surely not the pups had to be the hens pushed to the brink by the now quiet cock

originally posted by: tinktinktink
surely not the pups had to be the hens pushed to the brink by the now quiet cock

Hmm I wonder what he knew to draw out that ire!

What breed are the dogs?

Predatory drive varies among breeds.

We have two Belgian Malinois... they are phenomenal protection dogs, but pretty horrible with livestock.... our oldest one likes to chew on goats, the younger one has developed a taste for raw poultry. Needless to say, we are very careful with the Belgians... but, accidents can still happen.

We have a puppy that is 1/2 Rottweiler, 1/4 German Sheppard and 1/4 Belgian Sheppard... and she is phenomenal with the livestock. She is great with the horses and goats, and helps put the birds up at night. Maybe it is the Rottweiler genetics... it is possible...

a reply to: madmac5150

Oh so we will continue building a case to create doubt for the ruthless hens and add the accusatory finger pointing to two innocent young puppies?

Hmm I wonder what he knew to draw out that ire!

Pups are not so clean the blood would be everywhere between the two, The hens carefully peck it all clean and feed the remainder to the goats. The goats got their fill and paid off the pups knowing the pups would be caught with the evidence.

a reply to: madmac5150

Mutts. German Shepar, rott mixed with pit.

a reply to: JinMI

I once witnessed a German shepherd eat a kitten whole when i was a youngin. Scarred me for life absolutely hate em. Forget the hens likely the dogs.

originally posted by: tinktinktink
a reply to: madmac5150

Oh so we will continue building a case to create doubt for the ruthless hens and add the accusatory finger pointing to two innocent young puppies?

Hmm I wonder what he knew to draw out that ire!

Pups are not so clean the blood would be everywhere between the two, The hens carefully peck it all clean and feed the remainder to the goats. The goats got their fill and paid off the pups knowing the pups would be caught with the evidence.

In all fairness, we have had a few instances of avian cannibalism.

They were birds that were seriously injured... the other birds did what nature demands.

a reply to: madmac5150

At Tyson chicken the feathers are an additive used in both chicken feed and dog food.

originally posted by: tinktinktink
a reply to: madmac5150

At Tyson chicken the feathers are an additive used in both chicken feed and dog food.

Which is exactly why we quit eating that crap...

a reply to: JinMI

you just better hope it wasn't the guy in the reading van trying to teach your local sheriff how to read lololol jk

Sorry about your loss though, my neighbor has chickens and they are always leaving him tons of eggs and the kids love them.

It could be either one.

The dogs might have had the prey drive kick in and taken out.

But, if the bird had something wrong with it, the others might have pecked it to death, and the dogs then were the cleanup crew because that's what dogs tend to do.