Can dogs and chickens EVER mix????

[Lu King]

Quote:
I don't know what anyone else does, but I never hit an animal. I keep them on a leash and any time that acted like they wanted to attack another animal, I pull the leash a bit and say "NO!" I am the leader of the pack and make sure they know it.

 

[ChooksChick]

 

[chickiedoodle]

Training, training, training. It was a year before I trusted our GS with the chickens. We started letting the flock out in the evenings when we were watching and put the dog on a leash. Everytime she started to chase we told her "leave it" and pulled the leash. After a few months we let her off leash, but still stayed right there watching every moment, giving correction as needed. Once she turned two and we had full confidence in her training (in all aspects) we started letting the chickens out all day, watching carefully from the house/yard for the first few days. It was a lot of work, but now she leaves them alone completely and I feel safer with her there protecting them from the fox, skunk, 'coon and who knows what else that we have in our woods.

 

[SimplyForties]

Quote:
'nuff said ChooksChick - that's a great picture!

 

[edb]

A friend that helps me with my chickens has been keeping chickens for 50 years. He always has a couple of border collie's that actually protect his flock. The older one caught and killed a hawk this spring. They sleep inside the chicken fence, their dog houses are attached to the coop.

 

[O.C.Chick]

They make several types of non-shock training collars that have a remote control. One uses a citronella spray, the other uses compressed water. They are designed to give a startling effect / distraction to "snap" them out of focusing on the bad behavior, in this case, the lure of chickens. You could watch out of sight and use the remote when the dog starts focusing on the chickens. Then he will relate the negative reinforcement to the chicken, not you. The you could come outside and give praise and treats for the good behavior.

I've been considering this myself with my Kishu (like an Akita). He is great around the chickens, but sometimes he starts drooling and I can tell he's fighting his natural instinct. He's great when I'm around, but I never leave him alone for any length of time with the ch9ickens unsupervised!

Good luck!!!

 

[Rainstorm]

I let my chickens and ducks AND baby ducks roam around the yard all day, we have 4 dogs, one HUGE lab/border collie/australian shep mix, 1 Cur dog (hunting dog) 1 Catahoula dog (hunting dog) and 1 Dalmation german shep mix, all full grown, I did not have chickens by the time they were full grown, they showed a bit of interest in them when i started free ranging but nothing a hose once or twice couldnt handle, they now lay out in the grass with them and believe it or not they keep our neighbors dog away from them, and when I had baby chicks in a pen before, One had jumped but i didnt see it do so, heard something turned around and their was my Lab mix dog sitting behind me holding the chick gently in his mouth! I checked him he had not bit him or anything he was just holding him!!

though he gets pretty annoyed when the baby ducks follow him around and climb on him when hes laying down
"MOMMA MOMMA MOMMA"

 

[teach1rusl]

Great advise all the way around. Supervised exposure from the get-go...obedience training...continued supervision until you have total faith. And as others have indicated, breed of dog does matter. I would love to have a greyhound, but they are sight animals, and are very instinct driven to chase after anything that runs (cats/chickens). Some breeds are natural herders, some are natural protectors of what they know belongs to them or their family. Labs are usually people pleasers, but young labs need strict training...they aren't really grown till about 2 yrs.

I am sorry about what happened to you. I know I would be devistated.

 

[rhodiegal]

Yes you can, but not so much with puppies. I think that along with the training, they have to mature as well in order to be completely trusted. Sometimes it is just to much for a puppy or very young dog to resist trying to play with a chicken (and inadvertantly kill it). Two puppies would be even worse - they could accidently get carried away.

 

[Hotwings]

I am lucky to have a dog I can trust around any animal. Dodge could care less about the chickens, he has even been chased by a mille fleur roo! Dodge recieved no training, he was born this way. I don't know what he is a little beagle and maybe 5 other breeds HAHA! Dodge doesn't even go after squirrels either. He is very tolerant of all animals. I say only a stuffed animal would be more passive than Dodge. He is tolerant of all livestock but is leery of the big ones ie Horses and cows! The only thing he will run after is if I throw a piece of food. He is very tolerant but the strange thing if another dog starts a fight he won't back down! Even though Dodge is good around livestock he is not a protector. I don't think he would ever protect anything, but thankfully I never had seen him put in this position. He is a perfect little gentleman and I can take him anywhere.