Can dogs smell out individual chickens?

[Gill-b]

Random question about a random thought I had...

Can dogs smell out an individual chicken from a flock of chickens like they can with an individual person in a crowd of people?

Same question put in other words... do birds have an individual unique sent from one another?

 

[EmmaDonovan]

I would think the answer is yes to both. Dog's noses are incredible.

 

[Gill-b]

I would think the answer is yes to both. Dog's noses are incredible.

I am thinking the same.

Do you think there has been any studies done which presents conclusive evidence to the fact?

 

[townchicks]

I'm sure they can. Years ago I used to have a dog that always knew when I would bring in a new budgie. I used to breed them, and also had several as just pets. She completely ignored the birds until a new one was brought home. Then she would sit in front of the cage for hours. By the next day she would be back to ignoring them again. If budgies have distinct scents that a dog can tell, even in a cage full of them, I'm sure chickens are the same.

 

[fowltemptress]

I know this is an older thread, but I just now saw it and it inspired me to text my mom. She does scentwork with her dogs, and has one dog who can smell out skin cancer.

Sometimes I wonder about that woman.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Well ... say if one of your chickens went missing. Just like looking for a lost person. Some chickens can be quite valuable. What if someone stole one?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I mean sometimes people are devastated because their prize breeding rooster disappears. Wouldn't they love to have a dog that could track it and find it, or find out what happened to it. That dog would be worth something!! But how would you start him on the scent? You'd have to have a feather or something you knew belonged to THAT chicken, to get him started.

 

[SourRoses]

Oh, I thought of another purpose too!

Have the dog also trained to herd the chickens (gently).
Then you could tell them "Go get Bob, he's being a je_k"
Or
"Susie, Lola, and Pepper are for sale. Please go fetch them before I leave to meet the buyer at 3 pm. Put them in the big crate."
(not in that many words, hehe)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Dog like that ... priceless! Sammy tries to help us "herd" chickens back into the pen when necessary. He's a past master at chasing them past the open gate the wrong way, terrifying or confusing them into a hysterical muddle and letting caught birds out. In other words, he's bloody useless although as a herding dog he insists on trying and is convinced he's doing a wonderful job. Our best bet is to lock him in a bedroom and do it ourselves.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Oh, I thought of another purpose too!

Have the dog also trained to herd the chickens (gently).
Then you could tell them "Go get Bob, he's being a je_k"
Or
"Susie, Lola, and Pepper are for sale. Please go fetch them before I leave to meet the buyer at 3 pm. Put them in the big crate."
(not in that many words, hehe)

THAT dog would be worth his weight in gold!