Best Dog to watch chickens

[rocketdoctor]

Whats the Best Dog to get for watching over chickens? my kids think a Corgie but I hear they are high strung and I want something with legs. I heard black labs are good too? I can't afford a thorough bred so was hoping to find a pound puppy close to a breed that is chicken friendly but will help fend off other animals (cats and foxes). Any suggestions?

 

[carrlr]

I've heard that Great Pyrenees are the best, but you won't find them cheap. I know someone that uses them to fend off everything up to coyotes. I believe black labs are a good economical choice too. Since they're pretty numerous, they can often be found pretty cheap. Make sure they are thorough-bred though and still a puppy. I say that because a mix with a black lab and most other dogs end up looking like black labs as puppies. That doesn't mean they will retain the characteristics of a lab. IMHO

 

[reinvestment]

I have a black lab. She didn't hear the neighbors dogs when they came to kill 11 of my chickens. All dogs have to be trained. I'm not sure how to train one to watch over the chickens. I made her stay outside and kept saying watch. She finally laid down and stopped whining to get in.
I am looking into guinneas . They are noisy when something different comes into the area and they stay outside a night . This way t hey could "scream" if a coyote or raccoon came around.

 

[shallowbrook]

Your black lab will be carrying the chickens around. Once they get grown and trained they are nice dogs.
But as puppies they seem to be tremendous chewers.

Hold out for a Pyr. I got one free once, but ended up rehoming her due to she wouldn't stay at home, and we were afraid she would get hit.. The entire extended neighborhood loved her. Just last night the neighbor across the hollow came over looking for his missing chi huahua and was asking about her. Check the rescues, there are a lot of dogs that need homes. and big dogs are the last to get rescued

 

[Ribbit]

I'm not too sure but ones with good herding instincts seem to be the best.
The majority of farmers around my area use your standard black and white collie, but you could probably train most dogs to do the job.
I know some people use Bernese Mountain Dogs.

Just pretty much anything that isn't a lapdog and has fur that can withstand hot and cold if you want it to live outdoors.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

There are NO dogs that are "good to get to watch over chickens"
Livestock Guardian Dogs are meant to guard livestock, not poultry.

Most of the time YOUR dog will be more likely to kill your birds than a predator

 

[pappy1264]

I have rottweilers, and they are not interested in the chickens but just their being out in the yard is a pretty good deterrent to anything coming in (I do wildlife rehab and release from my yard, so they are so used to 'critters' they don't even pay attention to them now.) Dogs can be very tricky, no matter what you get (if you do) every dog is individual, so always use extreme caution with them around your chickens.

 

[aquagolda]

well there are many different breeds do you want energetic or com and cool the best that work for me are German shepherds, beagles, and I had a very sweet dog that we rescued from the pound that guarded our chickens like no one can get past her she was a mix between husky and black lab she was not energetic sweet with family and any stranger she would howl when a predator came luckily only a few times and she is the most preciouses sweet kind dog any one could ever think of.

 

[jewels621]

I have an Olde English Bulldog that will be 2 years old next week. I got chickens for the first time and have been wondering how he would react when they are finally outside. The weather finally cooperated yesterday and I was able to put my 3 week old layers outside in a playpen for awhile. Otis (the dog) had only, so far, been able to see them in the brooder, but not get to them. For three weeks I'd been saying "Let's go check the chickens", and he'd come with me every time. He relates the word "chickens" to the birds now. So yesterday, when we were finally outside with them, we discovered that a couple of my Buff Orpingtons could squeeze through the wire of the playpen and get out. To my surprise, Otis would run over there and gently nudge them with his nose until they popped back into the pen. He would then hover for a minute as if making sure they were all safe inside, and then go about his business until another would try to escape. Same thing....he'd go nudge them back in. Rest assured that I know he is a dog so he will always be supervised around the chickens, but I was thrilled that he wasn't treating them like a Scooby snack! I guess you just never know what kind of dog will be useful!

 

[chickenvillemom]

I have Standard Poodles. I was very concerned that they would harm my chickens (I think Poodles were originally used as bird dogs), so we spent many hours training them -- with professional help. They are smart, sweet dogs and learned very quickly that the chickens are part of our "pack" or "flock" and are not to be harmed. Eventually, the male dog started to "herd" the chickens -- this was his idea -- we did not teach him this, but I love the fact that he watches over them. He now stays outside with the chickens when they free range -- it gives me a little peace of mind as we have many predators here. I agree that you have to be extremely careful introducing dogs to chickens -- every dog is different. I trust my dogs with the flock now -- but it took a very long time before I felt comfortable. Good luck!