Feeling so guilty. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[Mollybobs]

Hi All,
Have not posted here for ages, but do enjoy reading. I had to post, because I know you will understand how I feel.....

Coming home from walking the dog I found a lurcher lying in the middle of a country lane. She was in poor shape, bruised and battered, so put her in the back of the car, checked in at the farm to see if they knew who she was and was told she had been wandering up and down the lane for a couple of days.

Our dog warden only works mon-fri so had to wait for the dog shelter to open. Left the lurcher in the garden with food and water. We were out there gardening, our dog happily nosing around and you know what happened next, don't you. Stray got into run and killed Winnie, my brave ginger girl who acted as mammy to the other hens.

We got straight in and tried to rescue her but she was gone.

I feel so guilty. Should have used my last remaining brain cell to think about lurcher and chickens, but our dogs (Labradors and golden retrievers) have just never bothered the girls, in fact Molly was frightened of them!

Never, ever again. Dog is at the shelter now, Winnie laid to rest and I can't stop crying. So very very stupid and all my fault.

Anyway, nothing to be said really, just don't ever be as stupid as me with your girls.

[Mo]

Don't beat yourself up.
Yes we do warn people on here about dogs and hens, but it when you say 'she got into the run' it sounds as if you weren't reckless, just unfortunate.
You were much more caring than the people who saw the dog wandering and did nothing, and the folk who buy battery eggs and broiler chicken without any thought for the animals. Your hen enjoyed her life, be glad you had each other (horrid feeling, though).

A warning to heed.

[Kuikentje]

How could you possibly have foreseen that? You took in an abandoned animal out of the goodness of your heart, to keep it safe until it could go to the shelter, and whether or not it would go for one of your hens was the last thing you could have been expected to think about. Animals are unpredictable. And hindsight is a wonderful thing. Please try not to feel too guilty about this unfortunate happening.

[HenPen]

You're not stupid. You're a very kind person and you were doing a good thing.
I am so sorry about Winnie.

[HazellB]

HenPen said it - I think we would pretty much all have done something similar.

I'm a Saluki owner and have had a Lurcher too. One day I know my choice of dog will seriously alter my other pets' life spans one way or another. The current Saluki is young, keen and would kill most things given the chance, so it's up to me to not allow him that chance - but I'll make a mistake some day. It's the price for taking on a rescue. Just because your effort to help went astray, please don't heap blame on yourself. Think about the fact that you've probably saved a motorist the pain of running over the dog, assorted wildlife from being killed and eaten and taken a dog out of the cruelty that coursing is. That's not stupid.

[Mollybobs]

Just to say thank you for your kind responses, they mean a lot. I don't regret 'rescuing' the dog, I could not have left her there, and I don't blame her in any way for what happened, it was just in her nature. I just feel so awful for not anticipating any problem. I live with a cat, dog and chickens and have never had a moment's worry about them all, so simply let my guard down and the guilt I am feeling is awful!
I am down to 2 girls from the 4 I had originally. My other ginger, Lydia was permanently attached to Winnie, so will need to see how she does over the next day or so. Betty, my little grey has always been shy, so her reaction is difficult to judge. No
eggs today, not surprising, just put them to bed and Betty is perching as usual, Lydia is in a nesting box alone, she is usually in with Winnie, so will be feeling a bit lonely.

Again, thank you.

[john h]

So sorry about Winnie.

[Freeranger]

I was really sorry to read this - so sorry that you lost Winnie, and terribly sorry to read that such a nice action on your part had such a sad outcome and left you feeling so bad. Not the reward it deserved at all.

[ChookieBirdie]

So sorry for you Mollybobs. Poor Winnie..

You carried out an act of kindness to that poor dog. No one could imagine such an awful thing would happen to your lovely chicken.

[albertajune]

I'm so sorry about Winnie. As someone else has said, in hindsight we would make no mistakes and as you trust your own dogs, it is understandable that you wouldn't think about the stray getting to her with such a devastating result.
So sad that you have lost her but you are a lovely caring lady for taking care of a stray dog, even though it turned out so upsetting

[bmpsands]

Oh dear - I'm so sorry that your kind action has brought about the sad loss of your hen-friend. I can see myself doing exactly the same thing and by sharing on this site you've reminded us all how thoughtful we have to be.

I hope your remaining chooks are OK after the incident and that you can forgive yourself for a very understandable oversight.

Bea