Border Collie to Protect Chickens?

[rmonge00]

Hi everyone,

I am thinking about getting a border collie pup, whose parents apparently have a very low herding instinct. If trained right, will this be a good dog to help me protect my chickens from bobcats, hawks, and anything else? Will it keep deer off of my fruit trees? Any thoughts?? What are your experiences with border collies and free-ranging poultry???

Thanks!!

Ryan

 

[SA Farm]

With tons and tons of training, it's possible that a BC could be a help to you. Most herding breeds require constant stimulation and, when bored, will make up their own games, so keep that in mind when you're looking into the breed. It would probably be a good idea to look into actual Livestock Guardian dogs as well since that seems to be more what you're looking for than a herding dog anyway.

 

[centrarchid]

You can train it just fine. It will be able to handle any predator smaller than a raccoon or fox but will likely have difficulty with coyotes by itself. Larger dogs will likely be a negative. You must watch deer, sometimes they will chase lone dog. Mine did until a second smaller dog was brought into picture, then deer could be run off.

Use dog in conjunction with fence. This can keep larger dogs out and provide a barrier that will slow something like a coyote that has to jump fence.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I have a Border Collie/Queensland mix who is great with the chickens and is very good at running off stray dogs and smaller predators. Excellent ranch dog. BC's are super smart and soak up training like a sponge. Consistent training from day one is what it takes, with any dog. I raised my pup with the chickens and it didn't take her any time at all to learn that they were not to be messed with. She has a high herding instinct and helps me with my goats but she leaves the chickens alone. She is far and away the smartest and most easily trained dog I've ever had.

I agree with Centrarchid about the fencing. I have perimeter fencing and hot wire around the house, barns and pasture to keep my own dogs in and stray dogs out, especially at night. My dog raises a ruckus if any strays are in the area or looking for a way in or if any other critter is roaming around.

 

[SA Farm]

I have a Border Collie/Queensland mix who is great with the chickens and is very good at running off stray dogs and smaller predators. Excellent ranch dog. BC's are super smart and soak up training like a sponge. Consistent training from day one is what it takes, with any dog. I raised my pup with the chickens and it didn't take her any time at all to learn that they were not to be messed with. She has a high herding instinct and helps me with my goats but she leaves the chickens alone. She is far and away the smartest and most easily trained dog I've ever had.

I agree with Centrarchid about the fencing. I have perimeter fencing and hot wire around the house, barns and pasture to keep my own dogs in and stray dogs out, especially at night. My dog raises a ruckus if any strays are in the area or looking for a way in or if any other critter is roaming around.

It's the queensland that makes it great

 

[rmonge00]

Nice advice! I did end up buying a border collie with a very low herding instinct so we will see how it goes... I was considering an LGD, but I know someone who breeds border collies and I was also a bit weary of training the livestock guardians...

Thanks for the help!!

 

[dewdropsinwv]

I have a border collie/blue heeler. She is an awesome dog and if I would let her around my chickens I think she would be great at protecting them..... my biggest fear with Sadie, is that if one of the chickens would get loose she would kill it instead of herd it. She caught a wild turkey last year...didn't kill it but scared the crap out of it. lol

 

[fuzzy5chicks]

Yes, I am looking into getting a herding or guardian dog for my chickens (I'm thinking about getting goats too). My golden is getting old and a different breed is a must for my new pets. She chased my chickens around one day (I don't think she had the intention of hurting them- if she wanted to she would have) and since then I've been weary of having her around. She is a great friendly dog, but it is just in her instinct to retrieve. I'm not sure of what kind to get though...

 

[boyswillbeboys]

I have a pup who looks like a boarder collie, he's 11 months. He has a herding instinct, and that is actually good for him with the chickens, as he rounds them up by going around them, instead of straight for them, so he's not actually chasing them. We had the chickens before we got him, so they were here first.

His mom looks like a pittbull crossed with a lab, but she always throws these amazing boarder collie looking pups, she also has the herding instinct, which is not a bad thing at all.
As for keeping him busy, he's learning fetch with the tennis ball, and when we can't play with him, he throws it himself.

 

[Little Farm Girl]

Nice advice! I did end up buying a border collie with a very low herding instinct so we will see how it goes... I was considering an LGD, but I know someone who breeds border collies and I was also a bit weary of training the livestock guardians...

Thanks for the help!!

How is your BC doing now? Is it doing well with your chickens? We are thinking of getting a BC or a BC/pyr/Anatolian shepherd mix...