anatolian dog

[Suthrn]

I have an opportunity to get anatolian puppies, I have heard that if they are raised with chickens they will protect them NOT eat them.. does anyone know personally if this is true????? These pups come from working parents but they guard goats.
Linda in e. Texas

 

[SoJoChickens]

I have no personal experience but I did a Google search and it seems that they can be trained as poulty guardians. Here is one example article:

http://www.anatoliandog.org/poultry.htm

 

[Suthrn]

Thanks for that link... I still hope someone on here has had one.

Linda

 

[startingover]

I have 2 anatolians. Yes they are good with chickens. But not every one is going to be a good chicken guardian. I would like to talk to you more about it. I use my phone to check internet and don't like typing long responses. PM me with a phone number and a good time to call and we'll talk more.

 

[Chickhick]

Yes, I have an Anatolian named Jasmine, and she is GREAT with the chickens! She learned to respect the chickens because the rooster came after her a time or two.

Even though she is still a puppy she knows her job and is wonderful. I had her mother when we had sheep and she was a great guardian, too.

Jasmine did kill one young cockerel early one morning while the rooster and hens were roosting in the barn. The latch had come undone and all the cockerels came out into the pasture. I think the key to the pups learning not to play with them is having a rooster to tell them to chill! Now she doesn't even think of playing with the main flock and they just hang out together. I can let the cockerels out in the pasture while I'm out there, but I want them (or her) to get a little bigger before I trust her to guard and not play with the young ones. After all, she probably figures that aif the rooster is chasing them away they must not be a part of the flock!

I close the chickens in the henhouse at night, but during the day the rooster and hens are free-ranging, with the dog walking and napping among them. The cockerel pen and the pullet pen are not predator-proof, so it gives me peace of mind to know she is patroling.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

does anyone know personally if this is true?????

Most any dog can be trained not to bother chickens.
LGD breeds are sometimes easier to train, but don't expect miracles, and don't expect your birds to be safe until the dog is well over a year old​

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I have raised and adopted Maremmas for poultry guardians and had great luck. Yes the pups need to supervised till they are older, for Maremmas that seems to be 14 to 16 months of age. They should have livestock around them, and lots of time with them while your watching, but never allowed to think of them as playmates. A few older roosters would be great training aids, I wish I had some when Neve was a pup. The older dogs I have rescued I just introduced and they have been great. I have now also rescued an English Shepherd and he was interested in chasing the chickens only till he got told NO! After I caught one and let him sniff it all over, then told him Good, NICE! every time he looked at them calm he had it. He was a city dog and had never been with livestock to guard but his instinct is intact. It's great to see the chickens run toward my dogs when they feel a threat, or see the snuggled up to a nice warm dog in the hay in winter. The time you put into raising one of these pups will be well worth it. If you can take on an older dog I would suggest it, I am really glad I had the older one to start. I disagree that they have to be raised with poultry to guard them, 3 of my dogs now have not had poultry before they came here. LGD instinct seems to be very strong to guard that which belongs at home. None of my dogs knew cattle either but when a sick one needed to come here for a week while it's owner was busy they took my word that it belonged and guarded it. They were reluctant to let the owner pick it up.

 

[Chickhick]

With a small flock, that has a macho rooster, and a pup with superior instinct, you can put them together unsupervised as pups. I put Jasmine in with mine at 3 months old and she is great. She tried to play with the goat kids, so we sold them, but she has always been great with the chickens. I'm sure if I'd have had a mama goat or a buck she'd have learned to respect them, too, but she just thought they were puppies. I have to feed her before letting the chickens out in the morning because she will let the chickens steal her food.

 

[Suthrn]

I only have l rooster right now and he is a cochin bantam and very laid back. I don't know where to try to find an older dog that I could afford.

Linda

 

[Suthrn]

I brought home a male pup.. and 2 baby geese!!! will go back for guineas soon as they hatch prob. next weekend. Will have pictures tomorrow. am at work now.
Linda