So I get the dumbell award this morning. The back porch light went out last night, but this morning I let the dogs out the back door in the wee hours of the morning, including Bandit-the-chicken-killer, because I wrongly thought the chickens would all still be in bed. I'm peering out the window and can't see what became of Bandit because of the dark, but the other dogs looked nervous so I called her back.....
and she had my chicken Scratch in her mouth, dead. My beautiful roo. What was he doing up so early? I'm sooooooooo mad at her. I wish we could get her another home, I'm THAT mad. This is her 4th chicken she has killed in three years. At least it was an "extra" roo, but I wanted to KEEP that one. I tried to prep him to eat and just couldn't finish, I'm a failure at chicken processing. I just keep crying. Hubby was all dressed for work and he couldn't help me, but he came through the kitchen as I'm trying and finally said, "It was just a chicken, why don't you just bury it?" So I hung it on the front of Bandit's cage while I yelled at her and gave her my best impression of a very ANGRY SD. I know it is her instinct to be this kind of dog, but being an escape artist combined with chicken killer is a bad combo. It makes it really hard to manage her. We have resorted to walking her on a leash only, and I was occasionally letting her out in the yard when I thought it was "safe". But apparently that isn't working very well. These EEs fly too well and don't stay penned up, even with clipped wings.
I did not really need two roosters and still have Uh Oh, who is a very pretty rooster, so I guess I should be glad that I won't be feeding two roos over the winter. I could not decide between the two of them, and now I don't need to worry, the choice has been made for me. But I really liked Scratch, he was one of the most beautiful chickens I have ever seen.
I just don't know what to do about Bandit. Karelian bear dogs are NOT good for farms.