Coyotes on the Hill

I think my dogs are somewhat innocent in the chicken massacre that happened on Tuesday a couple weeks ago.  I only say somewhat innocent.

The three coyotes I saw at the end of our road at the beginning of the week, and again this morning on the hill behind our place, I feel are more the culprits.  I believe my dogs just finished what these coyotes started.  Doesn't make them less guilty.

We have had our chickens since the beginning of April, as chicks.  Our dogs were curious about them, but did not bother them.  Once the chicks were big enough to call chickens, and let out to roam a bit, the dogs knew they best not bother them or the rath of "mom" would come down upon them.  The dogs had  intermingled with the chickens for five months.  So, in my opinion there had to be some sort of catastrophic event that occurred to get my dogs involved.  I can only think, my dogs were fast asleep in the shade when the coyotes came in for a meal.  The ruckus that followed woke up my dogs.  In the excitement of coyotes and chickens running all over and making a bunch of noise, my dogs continued the game of chase the chickens which were running all over.

This is my opinion since, with seven chickens down and out (dead), there was only one chicken missing.  I would think, three coyotes, three chickens gone.  Not just one chicken gone, and seven dead chicken bodies found in various places all about the place.  Front yard, back yard, down by the horse pen, in the chicken pen.  The Great Chicken Massacre of 2011.  Feathers still strewn all over the place.  Ugly.

They are just dogs.  Should they be held accountable for their behavior?  Out here where we live, they are allowed to chase rabbits.  Both Jack and Cottontail.  They are encouraged to chase, and actually kill, yes, kill, pack rats.  Their hunting instints are strong.  In some circles, my dogs would be put to sleep if it were found they had KILLED.  Sorry, can't do that.  They may be guilty of being involved in the Massacre, but we live by different standards than the norm.

We life off the grid.