Are my chicks safe?

[Jessie’sZoo]

So, this is the first time I’m trying backyard chickens. I’ve had chickens all my life but I lived in the middle of nowhere, so I had room for a closed coop. I’ve just set up a fenced off area in my large backyard. My 3 australorps and 3 black sex links have a small coop that’s used for sleeping for now. They’re only a month old. I have 5 large dogs (husky size) and 4 small-ish dogs. (Corgi size) I was just wondering if anything is going to try and take my chicks? 3 out of the 5 large dogs are trained attack dogs and guard dogs. (I don’t need anyone telling me that having dogs with my chickens is bad. They’re all trained but one ((it’s a puppy)). They’ve lived with weird animals all their lives from turtles to cats to ferrets and rabbits and horses. I don’t need to hear it.) anyways, will hawks try and attack them? What about cats? I have a few feral cats that hang out in my yard. Do you think the dogs will be scary enough to keep predators away?

 

[A.M. Eggs]

Welcome to BYC!!! Chickens are one of the most preyed upon animals on the planet. If you think that anything is possible, it is possible. Hawks will gladly pick up chickens. Cats will kill and eat them. Dogs can play too rough and injure them. The best thing you can do, if you worry, is keep them in a super safe, accessible pen. My pen has thick metal sheets that go into the ground about 1' and are mean't to keep coyotes and dogs out. Chicken wire then encases the metal sheets to keep the chickens in the pen and the cats, possums, or raccoons out. I have an aviary net that drapes over the entire coop and pen to keep the hawks, owls, and eagles out. So far my pen has kept everything out and my chickens in! Of course you can let them out if you want, if you were wondering, so long as you're there to watch them! Have fun with your new flock!!!

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Everyone loves chicken! Having a very safe coop is essential, and then a run as safe as possible. Your dogs may help, or not. If they are out there 24/7, and really care, it helps. Otherwise, predators will figure out when it's safe to invade an unsafe coop or run.
Mary

 

[RWise]

My attacks come mostly from dogs and cats, if I can get out there with my dogs, its over fast. Teach those dogs to protect your birds, and what they can hunt!
The biggest problem with big dogs and people, the owner lets his dog run the hood, and so does another. These dogs become a pack outside of their yard and then it starts. Here they will come in when I am not here, beat on the bachelor pads until it gives up, and kill the contained bird. All the while the flock is free ranging, they still go after whats caged. If I am home this ends with a bang or 2. And if the guy next door doesn't like it, I call the sheriff.
The cat next door killed everyone of my chicks last year, that cat is no more. My dogs took care of the cats.
Hawks, yes they are here, 3 nests in sight of the coop, never had a hawk attack, some watching new hatches, they go after the tree rats.
My dogs are Rat Terriers, trained to hunt rats.

 

[Jessie’sZoo]

My attacks come mostly from dogs and cats, if I can get out there with my dogs, its over fast. Teach those dogs to protect your birds, and what they can hunt!
The biggest problem with big dogs and people, the owner lets his dog run the hood, and so does another. These dogs become a pack outside of their yard and then it starts. Here they will come in when I am not here, beat on the bachelor pads until it gives up, and kill the contained bird. All the while the flock is free ranging, they still go after whats caged. If I am home this ends with a bang or 2. And if the guy next door doesn't like it, I call the sheriff.
The cat next door killed everyone of my chicks last year, that cat is no more. My dogs took care of the cats.
Hawks, yes they are here, 3 nests in sight of the coop, never had a hawk attack, some watching new hatches, they go after the tree rats.
My dogs are Rat Terriers, trained to hunt rats.

No no, my dogs are completely trained to protect me, and my property. These chickens are new to them but from day one I’ve made them act as if they were a purse I’d left for them to watch. I’ve even made some foam animals with scent on it and trained them to attack if seen with the chickens.

 

[Jessie’sZoo]

Welcome! Everyone loves chicken! Having a very safe coop is essential, and then a run as safe as possible. Your dogs may help, or not. If they are out there 24/7, and really care, it helps. Otherwise, predators will figure out when it's safe to invade an unsafe coop or run.
Mary

Yes, my dogs are out 24/7. They have access to inside and out. I’ve trained them to sleep by the window where the chickens are so far. My goal is to get them to run outside if they hear suspicious noises or frantic clucking from my flock. I’m hoping this will be the only protection I’ll need. Thanks for your words!

 

[Jessie’sZoo]

Welcome to BYC!!! Chickens are one of the most preyed upon animals on the planet. If you think that anything is possible, it is possible. Hawks will gladly pick up chickens. Cats will kill and eat them. Dogs can play too rough and injure them. The best thing you can do, if you worry, is keep them in a super safe, accessible pen. My pen has thick metal sheets that go into the ground about 1' and are mean't to keep coyotes and dogs out. Chicken wire then encases the metal sheets to keep the chickens in the pen and the cats, possums, or raccoons out. I have an aviary net that drapes over the entire coop and pen to keep the hawks, owls, and eagles out. So far my pen has kept everything out and my chickens in! Of course you can let them out if you want, if you were wondering, so long as you're there to watch them! Have fun with your new flock!!!

Awesome! I might try what you described. I’ve been training my dogs some new protection methods, so I hope this will be all I need for happy chickens! Thanks for your words friend!

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Welcome.
At least where I live, hawks love my house. They have killed two chickens, recently tried to kill my ducks, and I’ve try to eat my kittens. So yes. Hawks are a problem

 

[RollTideChicken]

Everything, and I mean everything eats chicken, even chickens eat chicken, its that good!
So, no they are never really safe if left out of coop/run.

 

[llombardo]

I have 7 dogs. There will be no direct contact with most of them. A couple can be trusted. My hope is they will be a deterrent at the very least. 2 weeks ago one of the dogs I trust with the chickens(he has been with the pekin and he is a golden retriever) started barking and dancing in the yard. Not normal for him, so I went and looked and there was a raccoon in the tree. I was very happy to learn before the chickens go outside that I do have raccoons and the dog I trust with them was able to alert me. I can have it where the dogs are in and out but that particular dog wouldn't stay out there and be happy. I just want the rest to be neutral.

When my younger golden was about 12 weeks, either an owl or eagle swooped down to grab him. It was dark out already and my german shepherd got there just in time. Whatever it was swooped back up but the wing span was at least 6 ft and the puppy was about 15-20 pounds, so not super small. Scared the heck out of me, but I believe the GSD saved his life.