Chickens and dogs

[cboriskin]

I have a Boston Terrier who loves the chickens. I fully trust him with them at all times. He will sniff at them, but that's about it. When we first got them and they were inside the house in a dog crate, he did try to get at them. But after awhile, he didn't care. One day, I accidently left the crate open and found him inside the crate with the baby chicks! Scared me to death! When we moved them outside, we didn't let them out of their pen until we felt the hens would be safe around him.

 

[calliexw]

I have a Pomeranian and a Japanese Chin. Wouldn't trust the Pom around little chicks, they just look and sound to much like his favorite toys. Both are good enough with the chickens that I leave them out in the backyard together alone. The dogs keep cats from coming in the yard. Main thing is keeping the Pom from eating chicken poo, I hear it can be bad for them.

 

[yorklady]

We have a 7year old Yorkie and a 3 year old Hav. I was so worried when our young chickens came to live with us but both dogs didn't seem to be all that interested. Now I have 3 baby chicks in a brooder and my Yorkie comes to me while I am tending to the chicks to lift her so she can look at them!

 

[ll]

A photo of our chicken & our dog...

 

[joan1708]

Awwe! I love the picture of the chicken and the dog!

 

[Joe.G]

Biggest problem I have is them stealing the eggs out of the coop( not really them but my male female doesn't take with out permission )

 

[JiJis hens]

Goodness, I wish I had dogs like those.

 

[simplifylife]

Wow the pics are great of the dogs who love chickens. We recently rescued a basset hound who is almost 2 years old. I honestly would never trust him with the chickens. IF it ever got to the point of my being able to let our future hens walk around our yard, he would need to be inside in his crate. Peanut has a lot of work to do on him, and I just see his instinct as too high to ever trust him with my new girls.

That said in the past I had three wonderful dogs who were fabulous with my chickens. A cocker spaniel, a lab mix, and a long haired daschund.

I really think it depends upon the amount of time you have to work with your animals. I was out with my dogs and farm animals daily....and my first two children were old enough that they didn't require the nonstop attention of say a toddler, so that my focus was easier to maintain. These days, with a 2 yr old dog, and a 3 1/2 yr old preschooler at home.. I wouldn't trust my ability to pay 100% attention... lol..

Nancie

 

[Lynzi777]

We have a miniature dachshund and ever since I got the chicks it's almost like he's adopted them himself. When they were in the brooder in our laundry room, he wouldn't leave their side the of the brooder. Now that they're in the yard in their coop, the first thing he does in the morning when we let him out is runs up to that coop almost as if he's checking on them to see if they're still ok. When they are out in the run all day or venturing out into the yard, he either follows them around, they follow him around or he just lays down and watches from a distance. It's like he's their "Mother Hen" LOL

 

[bj taylor]

my dogs (german shepherds) have to be supervised. my youngest, 1 yr/old killed 10 of my chickens. they had no blood. i think she scared & maybe crushed them while playing w/them. she's had some pretty intensive training & i feel comfortable w/her & my big boy w/the chickens as long as they are supervised.
my cat is the funny one. he loves to lay among the chickens. i'm just a little worried he's going to decide to play w/them. he can be rough when he plays.