How to raise Backyard Chickens: [CHICKENS-101] Re: first 24 hrs with my new chicken kitten

We moved, & was living at our daughter & her ex; we got into it with them & they refused to give Ben back to me; then he turned around & gave him away..

I've missed him since; he was an abused pup when I got him (97-98?), & in 3-4yrs had become a wonderful dog; he was large; big thick-boned dog about 95-105lbs; I got him at 4 mos old after we'd lost a 1 1/2yr old Retriever to a car. Ben was a great dog; but he hated riding in a car (strange for a Golden); I always figured he associated rides with his abuse.. If he was alive; he'd be about 14-15yrs...

I had a Doe rabbit I'd bought die due to heat when I was bringing her home; she was huge; so I got her home & cleaned her; I gave Ben the "cleanings" after I was done; 2 days later; I came home from work, & & he dropped the entire pile of "stuff" at my feet & looked at me; like he was asking "Was this a joke; did you really think I'd eat your rabbit??"

That was when I knew that he was a completely trustworthy dog... He patrolled the yard when coyotes were running, & I never lost a bird to them. However; coons & possums had their smell already across the property, & I think he assumed they belonged there, & I had substantial losses to them... Aside from that; he was an ideal protector..

--- In CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com, CathrynTherese <cathryntherese@...> wrote:
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> Steve, What a sweet, smart dog. I can tell from how you wrote you miss Ben very much. Did he pass on from old age? It's taken my Dixie Blue two years to get where she will go into the chicken pens and barns with me. She was 11 when I got her not the promised 7-8 years of age.

> Cathryn rainbowsilkiesTMMichigan
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> From: Poet <romanticpoet1962@...>
> To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2012 10:18 PM
> Subject: [CHICKENS-101] Re: first 24 hrs with my new chicken kitten
>
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> I used to have a big male Golden-Retriever named Ben; despite being a "Bird Dog" he was just a gentle soul around the chickens; I could let him in my "nursery" with the older chicks; he'd lie down in the pen & I'd sprinkle grower mash all over him; he'd become covered with small birds eating the chicken feed & likely several ticks & fleas from his body; the only danger that any chicken, small rabbit, or quail that was in the pen faced; was from that huge tail knocking them out of the way as he wagged it...
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> He'd also capture, & "retrieve" any small escapee's that might tunnel under the shed walls & collect them on the porch for me; slightly slobbered, but never harmed.... He'd chase wild rabbits & eat then for lunch, if they came through the yard; but he'd attempted to harm a single tame rabbit that ran loose in the yard (I had 3-4 escapee's that decided to squat under the landlords barn....)
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