...(or would I have been) to give the dog fresh chicken for breakfast?

[SignoraStronza]

At 7:15 this morning there is a knock on the door and the neighbour's son informs me that we have a chicken wandering around the veg patch, eating everything in sight.

I'm in the kitchen with houdini baby in the highchair eating porridge and eldest faffing about upstairs before school, so can't really do anything about it. Have a brief look to confirm that, yes, the little fucker is indeed destroying dh's good life efforts out the front and fail to chase it away.

Meanwhile, the hound of the basketcase (6 month old gsd pup) is going bananas at the gate separating back from front while the bloody thing continues to cluck and peck at the veg.

So, when dh finally calls back (he's away at the moment), he asked me why I didn't just release the dog and let her deal with it. Must admit that the thought had crossed my mind, but thought it might have been a bit messy and upset the children.

So, in the event that it friends for a second course, would I be unreasonable to give the dog a hot roaming buffet? Must admit that, had I not been told, it would have happened anyway because she usually accompanies me on the school run and gets put on the lead just before we open the gate.

DH is generally soppy about animals btw and I was quite surprised at the suggestion - although he tends his veggies with fierce dedication.

returns for a second course. Certainly isn't going to befriend me with its beady little eyes.

YABU.

Find out who owns the chicken, ask them to pick it up, keep chasing it until it's free of the veg.

Killing it or allowing it to be killed is extreme.

YANBU to consider it, but to do it would be!!!

Is it wrong that I found OP hilarious? The way you have worded it paints a colourful picture in my mind. Sorry............

Hahaha bloody hilarious, you should write a book lol. I also have a Houdini baby and a faffer and a few hounds of basket cases. My eldest dd (the faffer) is well used to offering of bunnies and rodents. My hounds (three terriers, a husky and a GSD) all providing their fair share lol. If the chicken bit the big one, sure it wouldn't have been your fault just so as if you dogs had been worrying sheep and the farmer saw fit to........... Your land, chicken shouldn't of been there wrecking the place. Yes, you could be diplomatic and find out the culprits address but if it happens again, there will of been fair warning ;-)

My other neighbour eventually knocked on the bloke across the playing field's door, asking if it was his (think he's diversifying from being the village drug dealer to egg selling, judging by the big coop that's just appeared). He grunted about having had its wings clipped twice and must have grudgingly retrieved it, as wasn't there when we got back from school run.

Either that, or someone's cat has a bloody great big present waiting for them.

Our dog killed one of the neighbours hens last spring its actually not that messy, seemed to be scared it to death by him bounding up and licking her face/head - so yes next time I'd let him out. (The neighbour has the hens for eating so didn't care to much , thankfully.)

bloody annoying about the veg, the crows got loads of ours - have to buy netting for next year's attempts.

My dog killed two of our chickens. They got in his yard and he thought they were shiny new toys. Surprisingly, not messy.

When someone has chickens they usually understand they'll inevitably lose some to foxes, cars, etc.

However, it would be very nice of you if you caught it and returned it to its owner.

It might be some child's pet....so YABU. Or rather your DH was BU.

I wouldn't have done it primarily because I couldn't imagine dealing with the aftermath! If you can save the poor thing and return it to its owner then do that. As you say though, if it turns up agains and you're not aware of the fact, the dog may well get it anyway. The drug-dealer/poulterer is completely at fault for not keeping them better.

But your DH is not unreasonable in his zealous veggie defence. I will kill anyone who messes with my teeny weeny crop of about 5 strawberries!!

I think you would have been unreasonable for two reasons :

A) you can't guarantee that your dog would have dispatched the chicken quickly and efficient and it would been cruel to allow an animal to die a slow death being played with my a dog. Just not fair.

B) you probably don't want to encourage your puppy to bother or taunt small animals, as this could become a pain in the future, especially if you ever fancy getting chickens or a guinea pig in the future

It must have been frustrating for you though, hope the neighbourhood chicken didn't do too much damage.