recommended dog breed

[hmwalatka]

I have a small backyard flock and 5 dogs 2 lab jrt and a boston/ chi mix and all do well. My father in law grows and sells blueberries and with the locust due in a few years he wants to get a flock of about 20 chickens to eat the locust and protect his flock. He lives in the country with coons coyote's hawks ect. He wants a dog for the chickens but needs to be great with people. Will more than likely be outside all the time. I'm thinking collie or great pyranese this would be next spring. Any thoughts or suggestions. I've never had an outside dog and need to train to pretty much stay with chickens. All weather located in Ohio. Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Collie would be very difficult to train not to kill the chickens.
Best bet is a Livestock Guard Breed and it will still need training but much better than any other type.

 

[hmwalatka]

My only reserve with a guard breed is he sells the berries and he always has people over picking. Some guard breeds are wary of strangers. Must be a very friendly with people breed.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The raccoons and coyotes won't be around when people are picking so perhaps he can pen the dog when people are there.
Pyrenees would be your choice otherwise.

 

[Irishhenman]

I would recommend a German Shepard, they are easily trained when they are still young to not kill chickens. I trained one with my uncle a couple of years ago it took about a week. for ten minutes a couple of times a day a chicken was put in front of the pup and he was scolded whenever he tried to attack. He is now living on my uncles fruit farm (and campsite) and most of the customers love him. He is a black German Shepard though so he isn't as intimidating as a normal coloured one.

 

[3riverschick]

Great Pyr= death on coyotes. If you have 2 Pyrs , they will also hunt them as a team if needed and kill them. Friendly with humans. White and easily seen. No negative reputation. They will patrol and watch. Always share your dogs presence and photos with local authorities so they don't think there is a wild dog roaming the neighborhood. Post signs.
Here's a good Pyr story. in 1992, we went to the Great Pyr National Specialty in Southern Calif. We took our oldest son, still in a stroller. While we were standing in the aisle talking to a Pyr owner, our son jammed his little fist and arm as far down the mans' Pyr's throat as he could . The dog had never seen us before the show. As we stood there in shock, the Pyr (named David) gently backed off until our son's hand and arm were out of his mouth. Never, ever letting his teeth come anyway close to my son's skin. Then he gave my son a big sloppy kiss. The man said David had been out tending the flock and only brought in the day before to go to the show. What a dog, what a breed. They do tend to stay "young at heart" longer than some other breeds. There are Pyrs in Rescue now with the economy. The Pyr Rescues can help match you with a Pyr to fit your needs.
That might help eliminate the puppy stage.
Best,
Karen

 

[centrarchid]

How many acres of blueberries will the 20 chickens be expected to glean of grasshoppers or do you mean periodic cicadas?


If cicadas, then chickens are going to have a hard time cleaning them up since they can eat only so many. A couple years back my brother had a cicada outbreak that overwhelmed the chickens and the wild predators ability to consume them and he had a very large number of birds. A nice thing about cicada outbreaks is you will likely enjoy a 6 week long reprieve from predators going after your chickens since most with possible exception of coyotes will be eating locusts as well.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Getting a LGD breed to protect chickens is not a good idea
Spend the money on good fences and you'll come out ahead

 

[bobbi-j]

I don't have an answer about the dog question, but have a question of my own. How does he plan on keeping the chickens from eating the blueberries? They're not just going to limit themselves to bugs.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I don't have an answer about the dog question, but have a question of my own.
How does he plan on keeping the chickens from eating the blueberries?
They're not just going to limit themselves to bugs.

Unless they are really TALL Blueberry bushes, he won't