Is there ANY way to introduce dogs to chickens?

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No cause the bones will splinter in their throat and can be dangerous to your dog.
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Seriously, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Search for dogs on this forum, there are a million posts on dogs, killing chickens.
 
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Not all dogs kill chickens. My dog is really good with the chickens, ducks and turkeys. It is the goats with the hard heads she likes to chase.
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Lot's of opinions on this one. My dogs are allowed with my
chickens on a supervised basis and to round them up when they
won't get the featherbutts back in the coop.

Read this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8154

It will save me some typing.


Hey Barg if it hurts their throat can you imagine the poor things
trying to pass them? Ouch
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There's no easy answer to this one. You just have to decide what you believe is best. So many people have lost chickens to the 'perfect' or 'best' or 'most gentle' dog. IMO, they are trustworthy only under supervision. It's such a hard, hard thing to deal with when your best pal kills one (or more) of your flock.
Another thing to consider- IF your dog does kill, are you prepared to deal with the dog? What would you do? Dogs hunt...it's natural and instinctual. Would you then kill the dog? Give him away? Or would you still be able to love the dog, knowing ultimately that the fault would lie with you and not him?

Not trying to be a pain on this one- I just think we have to think of the worst case scenario AHEAD of time.

I would love for my girl to be able to be around the chickens, but as much as I love her, I know dogs will be dogs...
 
I'll add this. When I was a kid I had 2 seabrites. My dog was a very nice dog. She slipped her head into the coop when I opened the door one day and snapped the neck of my hen. This was a small dog. Took her all of half a second to kill it.
 
I'm of the mind that regardless of your dog's history, breed, mannerisms, whatever, they should not be left alone with the chickens. Dogs will be dogs and I feel it's unfair on the animals (both chickens and dog) to underestimate your dog's most basic instinct.

As Accidentalfarm said, should a dog do what it's instincts are telling it and kill a chicken, would you be able to keep the dog without resentment? It's unfair on the animal to expect so much and then punish him when he does what nature intended him to do.

I'm of the feeling that my dogs were here first and I'm not willing to put them in a situation where I would feel animosity or dislike towards them. They are my babies and I love them dearly, but I know myself and know that should one get ahold of another one of my babies, I would not be happy.

My dogs will never be allowed out with the chickens unsupervised for any amount of time, period. We're still in the 'training' phase to see if it's even possible for them to coexist with the chickens while heavily supervised.

Many people argue with me on this, but I believe that whilst training an animal, the first lesson you are teaching it is to not misbehave in your company. They're smart creatures. Ever see a dog do something wrong when they think your back is turned, but they cower immediately when you get home even before you've seen what they've done? They know it's wrong and they know you don't like it.

I think the best possible outcome would be having your dogs behave with the chickens while you're around. I wouldn't strive for them living in harmony on an unsupervised basis. Like I said before, it's unfair on all involved, including you!
 
AccidentalFarm,

You summed it up perfectly.

Like I said, I allow my dogs with my chickens but realize that if
something happens only I am to blame.

I can't help but wonder though, most people allow dogs around
kids. Aren't we taking a similiar risk, albeit with a slimmer risk
of attack but with aweful scary consequences. If either of my dogs
hurt a child I would shoot the dog myself. I would also blame
myself.

This is a hard subject.
 
I wouldn't trust my dog for a second...she gets a very scary look in her eyes every time she sees them. My dog is also a Shiba Inu and were originally bred for hunting small animals and birds...mmmm, not a good choice for a chicken person, but she's a great dog with the family.
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