English Shepherd as Poultry Guardian

[Perris]

Are you sure Peanut knows game stags are part of the flock and not wild animals from which your flock needs to be protected?

 

[centrarchid]

Are you sure Peanut knows game stags are part of the flock and not wild animals from which your flock needs to be protected?

She knows they are our chickens. When the chickens do something different the rules to her change.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

That's interesting. My Sheltie, Gracie, after ten years with chickens, is still not convinced that the rooster is not killing the hens when he mounts them in conjugal visits. Fortunately she is slower these days so the rooster usually has time to complete his job and dismount before she can get to him to make him get off, so I may actually get fertile eggs now. She has never "dispatched" a chicken.

 

[centrarchid]

That's interesting. My Sheltie, Gracie, after ten years with chickens, is still not convinced that the rooster is not killing the hens when he mounts them in conjugal visits. Fortunately she is slower these days so the rooster usually has time to complete his job and dismount before she can get to him to make him get off, so I may actually get fertile eggs now. She has never "dispatched" a chicken.

She then is like Honey although Honey allows mating, she does not allow fighting. The bird she held down is good to go!

 

[centrarchid]

Peanut is has made a behavioral shift. She is now sleeping with herd rather that staying up around poultry area. Even Honey is moving about with herd more. During day all is good because free-range flock and herd seldom more than 100 yards apart and they loaf together.

 

[centrarchid]

We have gone through an exceptional length of time without predator issues that started with completion of perimeter fence. We see arial predators although only Red-shouldered Hawks spend any time here. They do spend lots of time and usually interferent to the chickens. I assume a Coopers Hawk took a Eurasian Collared Dove near the barn which the dogs scavenged. I'm thinking into fencing off yard from balance of property to limit goat activity.

Honey and Peanut are not out 24/7 together. Soon I will redistribute chickens in pens to be used as broodstock. The balance will be allowed out for table eggs.

 

[centrarchid]

It's a mess although everyone seems in good spirits.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It's a mess although everyone seems in good spirits.View attachment 3367785

I think it looks fabulous!

 

[centrarchid]

Those are the type of pens we are switching broodfowl to although they will be raised on ground with a bottom or material that is yet to be determined. They will be organized in a neat row where each pen has at least one blue barrel mounted to a side. Bottoms will be such dogs can get under to dispatch snakes.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Looks like a farm to me, and neater than mine, honestly!