Keeping non-threat dog out of Run

We have a very nice Border Collie that loves being around chickens. We have been going through a lot more feed then normal and installed a security camera system in our barn/coop/run. To our surprise our dog comes down and eats there feed right after both of us leave in the morning. Our chickens are free range, and we will be keeping them that way. We have the run fully enclosed except for a small door that the chickens come/go as they please. He is squeezing through that door.I installed a strand of electric wire just below the top of the door, but he apparently is not getting hit by it. Any lower with the wire and im worried that chickens will hit it.

Any ideas?

A dog run?

the simplest method would be to invest in a electric fence collar (Pet fence) or a shock/trainer collar for the dog.
The E Fence collar you would have to train the dog to move away as it got to close,
or
With the E shock trainer collar, you would have to manually monitor the dog every time it get near the fence opening and give it a bump and it would eventually learn not to do that.

I would personally go with a trainer collar as you can do more Correction with it as you may have other training needs for your dog. Besides, I seen one dog running down the road with a fence collar on, as it broke free of the range of the fence signal when the electricity went out. With the trainer, you control when the shock is administered.

Trainer collars-you have to understand the logic's of when and how to use them. but that is the best alternative in my book.
but collies are pretty smart and would catch on.

Zoomie said:

A dog run?

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We have one up at the house where he normally hangs out at, but for reasons to long to get into... this is the last option to have him locked up. I think we are going to just try to make the run chicken door as small as possible.

BobDBirdDog said:

the simplest method would be to invest in a electric fence collar (Pet fence) or a shock/trainer collar for the dog.
The E Fence collar you would have to train the dog to move away as it got to close,
or
With the E shock trainer collar, you would have to manually monitor the dog every time it get near the fence opening and give it a bump and it would eventually learn not to do that.

I would personally go with a trainer collar as you can do more Correction with it as you may have other training needs for your dog. Besides, I seen one dog running down the road with a fence collar on, as it broke free of the range of the fence signal when the electricity went out. With the trainer, you control when the shock is administered.

Trainer collars-you have to understand the logic's of when and how to use them. but that is the best alternative in my book.
but collies are pretty smart and would catch on.

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This is a good idea. He is about 9 years old and HATES to be shocked. We run a chicken wagon for our meat birds a couple times a year, that has electric netting around it. He got hit with it once last spring and has not been down to that meadow since.

ArXane said:

We have a very nice Border Collie that loves being around chickens. We have been going through a lot more feed then normal and installed a security camera system in our barn/coop/run. To our surprise our dog comes down and eats there feed right after both of us leave in the morning. Our chickens are free range, and we will be keeping them that way. We have the run fully enclosed except for a small door that the chickens come/go as they please. He is squeezing through that door.I installed a strand of electric wire just below the top of the door, but he apparently is not getting hit by it. Any lower with the wire and im worried that chickens will hit it.

Any ideas?

Click to expand...

When I hot wired my pop door for an egg suckin' pup, I left a little end of the wire jutting out about neck height to a dog, long enough to part the hair on the dog when he pushes his head into the pop door. That little tail of wire never seemed to affect the chickens, just brushed right over their backs but it did hit the pup just right. One time is all it took. Cheap, effective, and final solution.

I'd play with that idea and the wire position until you get it just right. I'd not worry too much about the chickens...I've had them duck under, walk right on top of and squeeze past hot wire before without any shock. I think their feathering must protect them like armor...it would have to touch a wattle or comb to give them any pain.

That pop door you have can be narrowed a bit to allow a chicken but the dog will have to squeeze in....right past that little tail of wire sticking out of the top corner of the door.

Mix ground pepper such as chili, cayenne or paprika into feeder with feed. I do so for hens to be hatched eggs from.

One of my dogs eats feed causing loose stool. She does not like the pepper so leaves so treated food alone.

centrarchid said:

Mix ground pepper such as chili, cayenne or paprika into feeder with feed. I do so for hens to be hatched eggs from.

One of my dogs eats feed causing loose stool. She does not like the pepper so leaves so treated food alone.

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Great info. We will do this. I did make the door a bit smaller today but he has not been down from what I can tell yet.

centrarchid said:

Mix ground pepper such as chili, cayenne or paprika into feeder with feed. I do so for hens to be hatched eggs from.

One of my dogs eats feed causing loose stool. She does not like the pepper so leaves so treated food alone.

Click to expand...

@centrarchid why for hatching eggs in particular?

aart said:

@centrarchid
  why for hatching eggs in particular?

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Hatch rate appears higher hen confined birds fed a diet supplemented with the pepper. Does not appear important with free-range birds. We see similar benefits with fish, especially those fed pellets and bred hard (multiple times in rapid succession).