Chicken bullying the dogs

[PattyO]

Has anyone had trouble with their chickens picking on their dogs. I have two miniature poodles one is 10 pounds the other around 22. The little one got so freaked that he managed to squeeze through a very small space between the gate and the fence to get out. What is the best way to handle this. I was thinking maybe hanging out in the backyard and when they start to come after him unprovoked squirt them with a water bottle. Should I use a verbal correction followed by the squirt bottle or is this futile?

 

[blefky]

Haha, I have an 85 pound American Bulldog (see avatar) who is regularly checked by my birds. When they were chicks she mothered them (or, as some have suggested, liked to "taste" them ;-) ), but as they've grown she gets no respect! They run at her and she hops and scoots quickly in the opposite direction. I think it's hysterical. Sometimes she'll approach them head down, butt in the air, tail wagging - guess they just don't speak dog cuz they're not having it! I don't know, I know your dogs are much smaller than mine, but unless they're penned up with no escape, I guess I wouldn't worry too much. Seems like they'd work it out and set their own boundaries. Block that space in the fence though.
Oh, and as far as the "verbal correction",

I can't even get that to work on my kids most of the time!

 

[sharol]

My 7 chickens have my dachshund completely buffaloed. He is about 17 lbs. and when they come at him, he lowers his head and acts submissive. It is completely out of character for him. My fear is that at some point he will snap at one and someone will lose a head. If he ever figures out he is more powerful than the girls, it may be all over. The chickens gang up on the bigger dogs, too. If the sH pointer goes in their run (when they are out in the yard), they rush over and surround him. Again, I fear someone will peck him and he will bite a chicken, so i intervene on his behalf.

I can't figure out who is smarter (or dumber). The chicken who confronts a predator or the predator that doesn't act dominant.

 

[Moabite]

Our chickens don't hesitate to bully the dogs away from their dog food bowl. Looked like trouble waiting to happen, so I lock up the chooks before feeding the dogs now. I'm happy that the 45 lb (fat) pit bull/border collie mix puts up with it though, she killed off 5 of our original flock over a piece of a cheeseburger back when they were about 5 weeks old. Chickens can be so mean.

 

[jomoncon]

I have 3 little dogs & 8 RIRs who are 8 weeks old. All the dog react differently to the chicks:

Brillo - 25 pound terrier mix. Just loves looking at the chicks. Will stand outside their run all day watching. When free-ranging, She'll just follow them around sniffing at them & poking them with her nose.

Bo - 12 pound poodle. Loves to see the girls fly. Will chase them all day long. But he's great for rounding up the girls when I need to get them back in the run & they are all hiding in my "jungle."

Sammy - 8 pound poodle mix. Terrified of the chicks. One pecked at him when I first got them so Sammy stays fay away. I'm afraid he'll snap at one if he ever figures out that he bigger & stronger.

All that said, I don't let any of the dogs unsupervised around the girls. A seemingly harmless dog can do a lot of damage in a very short time.



Quote:
My Mom has a 115 pound American Bulldog that looks like your avatar. Max is the biggest, goofiest dog ever! If someone ever tried to break in her house, Max would simply love them to death!

 

[blefky]

Quote:
My Mom has a 115 pound American Bulldog that looks like your avatar. Max is the biggest, goofiest dog ever! If someone ever tried to break in her house, Max would simply love them to death!

American Bulldogs are absolutely the best!

Just for the record though, I agree that I haven't personally met a dog who I'd trust 100% around the birds without supervision (though Gracie sure comes close). I know that many others will disagree, but that's just me. You never know when some canine instinct will come up in them. Better safe than sorry in my opinion.

 

[Morgan7782]

I have a 60 lb pit bull terrier who has had a healthy respect for my chickens since they were 8 weeks old. I have a Barred Rock, and when she was literally 8-9 weeks old she would chase my dog off the water bowl, off his bed, and off any food in the yard.

Now as my Barred Rock is 7 months... Anytime Tommy (my dog) walks within a foot of her, or gets too close for comfort, she flies at him hackles completely raised and fluffed out. The other day Tommy came inside with a red dot on his head and I knew Joon my BR had pecked him. One time she pecked him over food and he snipped toward her, but I don't blame him.

I am not worried about Tommy attacking the chickens out of the blue, BUT I do NOT leave him outside unsupervised because Joon WILL instagate some sort of brawl and I don't think she would win lol!

 

[abhaya]

be carefull. the farm dog that came with the farm had been around chickens geese ducks and turkeys for years. One day he killed 13 chickens in about 20 mins and just scattered them around the yard. My doxie will kill a chicken in a heart beat. He killed 3 chicks I didnt think he would hurt the big girls. I watched him grab a full size chicken by the neck and rip out her feathers. If he would have gotten a better grip she would have been toast. Be glad your dog is afraid of the chickens.

 

[PattyO]

ok so the chickens cant be trained to leave them alone and the real danger is one of my little guys turning on them?

 

[redhen]

I would also be very glad your dog is afraid.. My dog killed my whole duck flock.
I just got a pup,.. and you can be sure that while hes still small i'm bringing him out in the yard and if the hens give him a scare its okay with me.
I want him to want NOTHING to do with my birds...