Anyone See a Problem Here?

[cafarmgirl]

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It's funny - I never considered her a hunting dog until we moved out to rural San Diego County and she started catching gophers and rodents. Perhaps I was being hopefully naive, but I didn't think she'd go for chickens. Even with training I don't think I can ever trust her, given her laser-like focus on the chicks in the coop right now. My hope is that she grows bored with them and goes back to her gopher holes. Still gonna put in that fence, though...

Oh my, yes, she is very, very intent on those chicks! That is a dog on a mission.

You are wise to know that you will likely not ever be able to trust her around them. Some dogs who are facinated with small chicks loose interest as they grow into larger hens. Some dogs. Glad your building a fence to protect your birds!

 

[okiepony]

When we first got our baby chicks in spring our boy Weimaraner would sit with his nose propped up on top of the cage and just stare at the little chickies. He'd wag his nubby tail if you talked to hima bout the chickies. If the other dog or the cats got too close to HIS chick cage he'd shoo them away...
I think he was seeing some chicken nuggets in his future.....

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

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Were the chicks little when they pecked, or were the dogs little when they got pecked?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

As a side note, do you have ventilation on the coop; I didn't see any...

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

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It's funny - I never considered her a hunting dog until we moved out to rural San Diego County and she started catching gophers and rodents. Perhaps I was being hopefully naive, but I didn't think she'd go for chickens. Even with training I don't think I can ever trust her, given her laser-like focus on the chicks in the coop right now. My hope is that she grows bored with them and goes back to her gopher holes. Still gonna put in that fence, though...

Oh my, yes, she is very, very intent on those chicks! That is a dog on a mission.

You are wise to know that you will likely not ever be able to trust her around them. Some dogs who are facinated with small chicks loose interest as they grow into larger hens. Some dogs. Glad your building a fence to protect your birds!

I'm hoping that when they get closer to her size (esp the brahmas) she might become less interested

Or maybe she'll get a whiff of gopher that will get her off the chick scent. But for now, you're right - she is definitely on a mission!

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

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Your Weimaraner and my cocker could be cousins - both hoping for chicken nuggets

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

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I sure do, Carl. It just doesn't show up in the photos I posted. I've got a metal attic vent built in to the run side of the coop that provides great ventilation. That window in the photo is a crank window and there's a matching crank window on the other side. When it gets warm, I open up them both up enough to get good cross ventilation.
Once I have the coop fully 'finished', I'll post a collection of photos in the Coop Build section of the forum. Thanks for checking -

 

[Jean&Mark]

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We have a cocker mix, and when we are in the run with the hens, he will sit motionless a couple of feet away and just stare at the run...and then pounce and send them scattering.

But he only does it when we are giving our attention to the hens. If we're out in the yard doing anything else, he doesn't give the coop a second glance. Maybe he's jealous?

When it's the hens' turn to roam the yard, he doesn't seem to show interest in them when sitting on the lanai or when he's inside the house.

But we don't let him (or our rott/pitt mix) roam in the yard with them. They killed one hen a month or so ago.

 

[hmmcc123]

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Were the chicks little when they pecked, or were the dogs little when they got pecked?

Oh! The chicks where little. lol. Our dogs are over 5 years old.

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

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I sure do, Carl...

Sorry, Cari - just realized my typo!