kcal
Chirping
I have two chocolate labs, littermates that are 2.5 years old, and currently 14 one year old chickens with 10 chicks in my garage in a brooder. Chickens share a run with our two goats. I always hoped to be able to free range my chickens, especially in the spring/summer when I’m outside a lot to help monitor things. I have been hesitant about trying because although our labs have never been trained for hunting or been taken hunting, they were bred from a long line of strong hunting labs and definitely have the instinct. They don’t stalk the chickens in their run, but one of them occasionally runs up to the fence because he likes to watch them scatter.
Nice day a couple weeks back, one of my girls managed to get onto the goat hay feeder and flew out of the run. She was just outside the invisible fence we have for the dogs, but they paid absolutely no attention to her. I decided to put the dogs’ e-collars on (I don’t like the shock feature so have only ever used the vibrate or beep) and I did a trial run with a few of my more laid back chickens. One warning beep when the dogs got close and they backed off, interacted in complete harmony and I monitored the entire time. The problem came when the chickens couldn’t figure out how to get back into the run through the open gate. I tried to guide a couple to the opening and one got startled and ran/flapped for a second. That was all it took for my more “prey-driven” dog’s instincts to kick in. He pounced at her, and since they feed on each other’s behavior, his brother quickly followed suit. It happened quick, and the e-collar did nothing to deter them. My husband grabbed both by the scruffs of their necks and they backed off and I got the hen picked up and put into the run. Thankfully they never tried to latch onto her with their mouths, just pinned her with their feet and had their noses in her feathers smelling her, so she was scared but otherwise unharmed. Put the dogs in and rounded up the rest.
I have not (and will not) attempt bringing them out again without some other safe guards in place. We have 35 acres, so I’d love to let them explore and forage, but not if I can’t trust my dogs. I feel training with the dogs would help, but I fear that if left unattended, they may still slip up when that instinct kicks in and if one starts up the second dog will always follow.
Has anyone had any success in getting a dog with strong hunting instincts to live in harmony with their chickens? One thing I thought of was putting a hot wire fence outside of the dogs’ invisible fence boundary, that way the chickens couldn’t get into the yard with the dogs and vice versa, but I don’t know if that’s feasible with the size of our yard or if it would even keep the chickens out long term or if they’d wind up getting over. I’ll keep them contained to the run if necessary, it’s much larger than what’s considered necessary for my soon-to-be 24 chickens, just thought it would be nice if I could make it work.
Couple photos of my trouble makers for fun -
Nice day a couple weeks back, one of my girls managed to get onto the goat hay feeder and flew out of the run. She was just outside the invisible fence we have for the dogs, but they paid absolutely no attention to her. I decided to put the dogs’ e-collars on (I don’t like the shock feature so have only ever used the vibrate or beep) and I did a trial run with a few of my more laid back chickens. One warning beep when the dogs got close and they backed off, interacted in complete harmony and I monitored the entire time. The problem came when the chickens couldn’t figure out how to get back into the run through the open gate. I tried to guide a couple to the opening and one got startled and ran/flapped for a second. That was all it took for my more “prey-driven” dog’s instincts to kick in. He pounced at her, and since they feed on each other’s behavior, his brother quickly followed suit. It happened quick, and the e-collar did nothing to deter them. My husband grabbed both by the scruffs of their necks and they backed off and I got the hen picked up and put into the run. Thankfully they never tried to latch onto her with their mouths, just pinned her with their feet and had their noses in her feathers smelling her, so she was scared but otherwise unharmed. Put the dogs in and rounded up the rest.
I have not (and will not) attempt bringing them out again without some other safe guards in place. We have 35 acres, so I’d love to let them explore and forage, but not if I can’t trust my dogs. I feel training with the dogs would help, but I fear that if left unattended, they may still slip up when that instinct kicks in and if one starts up the second dog will always follow.
Has anyone had any success in getting a dog with strong hunting instincts to live in harmony with their chickens? One thing I thought of was putting a hot wire fence outside of the dogs’ invisible fence boundary, that way the chickens couldn’t get into the yard with the dogs and vice versa, but I don’t know if that’s feasible with the size of our yard or if it would even keep the chickens out long term or if they’d wind up getting over. I’ll keep them contained to the run if necessary, it’s much larger than what’s considered necessary for my soon-to-be 24 chickens, just thought it would be nice if I could make it work.
Couple photos of my trouble makers for fun -