Topic of the Week - Dogs and Chickens

[deannalo]

We had our 3 chickens first, then adopted a 12 year old Malamute mix that needed a new home when her owner passed away this past winter. The dog was always known for being aggresive & anxious with her first owner, so we just assumed that she would have to stay away from the chickens at all times - too risky we thought.

But then one day we decided to let the chickens free-range while she was on a leash, teaching her how to be nice to the birds and to leave them alone. It didn't take long - maybe a few weeks, now they are outside together all the time! Every time I let the chickens out, she has to go into their run for inspection and to look for any leftover treat scraps. She gets anxious nowadays when she is in the house and the chickens are out. I don't think she has a particularly strong need to protect them, I think she wants to be "in charge" of them.

I can't say all Malamute types would act like this. I think normally they would have a strong prey instinct. She definitely goes after squirrels and rabbits in the yard, so maybe the birds just don't interest her as much - not sure. We have been lucky though, and we enjoy watching all of them interact.

 

[Happy4Chicks]

I have a JRT and a pom cross and a back yard flock who live in harmony (now). Neither of my dogs where young when I acquired chickens and both have various murders on their rap sheets (mice, rats, quail . However we have reached our bliss!
At first it was total segregation as both of my dogs had way to much intensity for anything less than disaster. the chickens stayed in the run but got use to the dogs presence quickly, became less flighty helping to calm things. I would correct bad behavior from the dogs (with voice tone, shaming, and dismissal into the house) Even without behavior prompts, I would stand with my back to the coop, face my JRT arms out and dance for ownership of the flock.
When interest and intensity started to decline (about 6-7months) I began leash work by free ranging the hens, keeping my lead short at first and walking the dog (separately) as close to the hens as I could get, engaging with the dog verbally the whole time, using words such as: "nice, leave it or never mind" eventually the leash was slack or being tugged to go the other way... For a walk! This part only took a few weeks. Then I started to let them mingle, it was scary!!! but nothing happened.... I still keep close eyes on my four legged roosters (both female lol)
We enjoy watching the chickens orbit around the dogs as they do, I feel the dogs have been placed into the pecking order. I have witnessed chickens dust bathing 6" from a dog catching sun rays. One hen likes to peck and jump assault the dogs just like they where lower chickens (dogs just leave) My favorite is lettuce time.. everyone eats together fur and feathers, the hens are gutsy even taking lettuce right from the dog!
I do believe understanding your dogs behavior, a good relationship, leadership and guide lines with your dog are key to success with everything from the get go. oh and PATIENCE!!!
I hope my experience helps

 

[pattyhen]

I have 2 part australian shepherd dogs a male and a female. I trust them in the yard alone with the chickens. In fact the male has run off hawks if they swoop into the yard. He guards the chickens and the ducks while they free range in the yard. When we first got them they were about 2 months old and they were kept on leashes in the yard. There were several mishaps with the chickens but they soon learned it was bad to touch a chicken. They have been jumped in the face before by a mother hen and they never offered to bite. If the chickens are on the porch they will walk around them to come inside.

 

[DuckGirl77]

My experience:
I have a dog who is part Husky, and I successfully trained him not to chase chickens.
At first, I just left them in the fence when he was outside, but one day, one of my hens flew out and only escaped the dog by running under the coop where the dog didn't fit. Obviously, the dog needed to learn now; it wasn't an option to just leave them in the fence, although I'm pretty sure that hen stayed in after that! So, the dog was punished pretty hard for chasing her, and after that, he pretty much left them alone. I still left the chickens in the fence, though, just in case.
But .... I got more chickens the next year, and they were terrified of him! He saw them running away and chased them (don't worry; they were in a fence), which terrified them even more, which excited him even more, and so on and so forth. I should have punished him right away when he started chasing them, but I didn't, which made it harder for him to learn.
I scolded him for chasing them and kept him on a leash when he was near them. Eventually, he calmed down around them. About a year later, I decided to try free ranging the chickens when the dog was out off-leash. He was very curious, and the chickens were afraid, so they ran; thus, he chased them. This time, though, I was prepared and punished him for doing it. He quickly learned not to chase chickens, and I learned how to teach a dog not to chase chickens! One thing that also helped was letting him sniff a chicken while I held it. The chicken couldn't see him smelling its feet (I know, it's disgusting, but, hey, he's a dog), so it didn't get scared. After a while, the chickens realized that he wasn't going to hurt them, and now everyone's happy. Most of the chickens will get out of the way if he's running by, and none of them will go right up to him, but none of them are terrified any more. (By the way, that's not the reason he's calm around them; the new chicks were scared, and he obeyed me and didn't go after them.)
I wish I had a picture of him and the rooster running after a tennis ball together. (The rooster thought it was food.) The dog doesn't mind any of the chickens at all.

A few things to remember:
Don't ever
- let your dog chase the chickens, even if they're safe in a fence. If one ever was to come out, it would no doubt get caught.
- let your dog see you chasing the chickens
- get excited around the chickens or encourage the dog to "get the chickens."

Do
- punish the dog for chasing the chickens
- keep the dog on leash or outside the chicken fence/behind his/her own fence when he/she is around the chickens
- slowly introduce the dog to the chickens
- supervise, when you let the dog and the chickens out together
- if possible, let the dog sniff one of the less-skittish chickens

 

[The Duck Ladie]

My experience:
I have a dog who is part Husky, and I successfully trained him not to chase chickens.
At first, I just left them in the fence when he was outside, but one day, one of my hens flew out and only escaped the dog by running under the coop where the dog didn't fit. Obviously, the dog needed to learn now; it wasn't an option to just leave them in the fence, although I'm pretty sure that hen stayed in after that! So, the dog was punished pretty hard for chasing her, and after that, he pretty much left them alone. I still left the chickens in the fence, though, just in case.
But .... I got more chickens the next year, and they were terrified of him! He saw them running away and chased them (don't worry; they were in a fence), which terrified them even more, which excited him even more, and so on and so forth. I should have punished him right away when he started chasing them, but I didn't, which made it harder for him to learn.
I scolded him for chasing them and kept him on a leash when he was near them. Eventually, he calmed down around them. About a year later, I decided to try free ranging the chickens when the dog was out off-leash. He was very curious, and the chickens were afraid, so they ran; thus, he chased them. This time, though, I was prepared and punished him for doing it. He quickly learned not to chase chickens, and I learned how to teach a dog not to chase chickens! One thing that also helped was letting him sniff a chicken while I held it. The chicken couldn't see him smelling its feet (I know, it's disgusting, but, hey, he's a dog), so it didn't get scared. After a while, the chickens realized that he wasn't going to hurt them, and now everyone's happy. Most of the chickens will get out of the way if he's running by, and none of them will go right up to him, but none of them are terrified any more. (By the way, that's not the reason he's calm around them; the new chicks were scared, and he obeyed me and didn't go after them.)
I wish I had a picture of him and the rooster running after a tennis ball together. (The rooster thought it was food.) The dog doesn't mind any of the chickens at all.

A few things to remember:
Don't ever
- let your dog chase the chickens, even if they're safe in a fence. If one ever was to come out, it would no doubt get caught.
- let your dog see you chasing the chickens
- get excited around the chickens or encourage the dog to "get the chickens."

Do
- punish the dog for chasing the chickens
- keep the dog on leash or outside the chicken fence/behind his/her own fence when he/she is around the chickens
- slowly introduce the dog to the chickens
- supervise, when you let the dog and the chickens out together
- if possible, let the dog sniff one of the less-skittish chickens

 

[Cynthia12]

- How do you/did you train your dog(s) not to kill or mess with your chickens?
I don't know if we did anything special. I have a lab and a golden retriever. They are not at all interested in them except when they are baby chicks...perhaps the high pitched cheeping? But after that they simply ignore them. The chickens will even eat out of the dog food dishes while the dogs are eating! After a few weeks in the brooder the chicks will sometimes fly out and are tromping around the basement and the dogs totally leave them alone. Outside it is more of the same...they somehow recognize that our poultry (currently geese, guineas, and chickens) are part of the farm and they ignore them all but will chase off anything that doesn't belong...including hawks.

- What is the best/most effective way to deal with/retrain a dog that killed birds already? (No cruel or inappropriate suggestions, please… Let's keep this thread friendly and informative). NA for me as well as mine have never chased or killed a bird.

- Are some dog breeds more or less prone to be a problem around the flock? I am not sure but I think the most trainable, regardless of what they were bred for, would be the best. I don't think my two - bred to retrieve birds - are any more prone to hassle my birds. I think this because while it may be in their genes to chase, catch, and bring back, they are highly trainable and want to please their owner so they leave my birds alone.

[/QUOTE]

Sound the same as mine. My Goldens have always been great around them. And yes, some of the chickens will eat the dog food if I don't keep them away.

 

[Cynthia12]

I have a 6 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback/beagle mix. When we decided to get chicks this year, we let her spend time with them whenever we did. We would hold the chicks carefully to her nose while she was sitting, and after she sniffed them, we would tell her "no". When they were old enough to roam outside, we let her out, too. We would stay out there, and if she made any sudden moves, we would say "no" and have her sit by us. She got to where my kids would put chicks on her back and she'd just stand there. Now that the chickens are 5 months, she leaves them alone. She does have a nasty tendency to think chicken poop is tasty, so we are trying to teach her away from eating that!

We call that doggy chicken candy.

No way we can stop all three dogs finding their favorite one .. or two in the yard.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

That reminds me of the time my Silkie was broody and I locked her out of the run. She was very grumpy when I set her down about six feet in front of my Great Dane. My Dane, who loves the chickens, was just staring at her as she was grumbling. All of the sudden Silkie chicken just flew at my Dane and pecked her right on the nose. My Dane jumped in the air and ran about ten feet just looking at that chicken, you could see her mind asking "What did I do?"

 

[KatyushaB]

- What is the best/most effective way to deal with/retrain a dog that killed birds already? (No cruel or inappropriate suggestions, please… Let's keep this thread friendly and informative)

I briefly lived on a farm with my cousin when I was thirteen. The dog there (A mix between a Jack Russel Terrier and another type of Terrier) had killed on the chickens (keep in mind this was a hunting dog, so technically she was doing her job.) My Uncle simply yelled at her (no hitting, and no extensive yelling.) and she never touched the chickens again. I would even take her with my when I was going to feed the chickens so she would protect me if the Rooster got mad. She didn't even snap when a brave hen decided to peck her.

However terriers are breed to be obedient like that. And this was only my experience. But this is what worked for me.

 

[DrivebyChickenDrop]

We had an awful time with my flat coated retrievers killing my chickens by "playing" with them. We solved the problem by purchasing Italian basket muzzles from morrco.com
http://www.morrco.com/itpoldogmuz.html

We looped the leather attachment around our dogs' collars and left the muzzles on during the day when our chickens were out. The dogs were able to pant, drink and even eat their dry dog food through the muzzle, but could not bite the chickens. At night, the dogs were contained and the muzzles removed. It took about 2 months for the dogs to lose interest in the chickens because they couldn't catch them and it just wasn't any fun anymore. Problem solved and the dogs never looked at the chickens again.