chickens around dogs

[dreamcatcher]

When we first got our chickens I was worried about my sons dog, as she has wolf in her. I worked with her alot when we got chicks. One night right at dark she kept running in and out the doggie door, and I was busy and did not go see what was wrong, next thing I know she is packing a buff orp into the dog door, this was before a top was put on and she flew out, Kira knew that chicken did not belong on her side of the fence. The chicken was missing a few feathers but was not hurt at all. But I still will not fully trust her around my chickens, instinct is always there. And they all will walk right up to her and peck her thru the fence.

 

[95yj]

Quote:
I'm gonna have to disagree, we have a golden who has 0 hunting instincts, couldn't care less about the chickens. One day, just to see what would happen [i was right their and knew he wouldn't do anything anyway] i stuck one of my bantam oeg hens in his mouth, he carried it around for three minutes, put it down and took a nap. My other dog, a field spaniel, has been trained not to touch the birds, but i still don't trust her at all.
*the hen also couldn't care less, she's used to being a prissy show chicken so i'm always bathing her or polishing her legs, she's used to me doing weird stuff and wasn't concerned

 

[MaineChick]

Our foster German Shepherd initially thought he would like to chase/kill/eat the totally free range chickens. He also thought it was ok to snarl at me for getting to close to DH. We worked with him on both issues (plus lots of others -he's a piece of work, this one) and he can now be loose around the chickens. He is very interested in their doings but understands he is not to chase them or show aggression towards them.

One of my Speckled Sussex just hatched 3 chicks, and while she was broody if the dog stuck his nose in the big door of the coop to see what I was doing in there, she'd go nuts and attack him, wings aflappin', pecking at his head, and squawking away. He looked confused and retreated from the door. However, about 15 minutes later I heard some chicken hollering outside the coop, looked out the window to see chickens headed past with a German Shepherd in pursuit. He was ticked that Little Chicken had the audacity to warn him away, and was going to take it out on someone! He was careful, though, to run just slow enough to not catch them. We discussed it and they are all back to their truce again. It's pretty funny if I am in the coop to see a German Shepherd head stick through the pophole, and a chicken inside merely look up and then go back to eating.

The roo will act as though he is going to chase the dog away if the dog so much as heads in his direction, even if it's clear he isn't planning to chase. I don't think they are afraid of Cutter at all, I think that, just as Cutter has learned that we think they are part of the "pack" the chickens have assigned him some sort of addendum status in the "flock". I don't see this as a good thing as I sometimes care for other dogs, and the chickens will run right towards a strange dog if I am holding the leash. I think they assume that a.) I ALWAYS have treats for them and b.) I will keep them safe. Neither is always going to be true!

 

[Kittymomma]

I have a lab/mix and an Aussie, neither have a prey drive to speak of, but the Aussie does have a major play drive.

The lab is fine with the chooks--no interest in them at all and will walk right thru the flock without a glance or sniff when she's following me around. She will not however tolerate any stray canines (or anything else) on "her" property. I really don't think she is a danger to my chooks, but I know she's saved them from many predator attacks while they free range during the day.

The Aussie has 1/4 acre + of fenced backyard that he has to stay in because he likes to go exploring otherwise. Occasionaly a chook or three has flown over into his space and there have been no maulings, but I don't trust him the way I do the lab because it's entirely possible that he would try to play with them. In his world most everything is a toy and I don't think the chooks would like or even survive Bandit in full play mode.

If your dog wants to sniff at your chooks I wouldn't trust him with them unsupervised. In my opinion that is showing too much interest and while he might not be looking at them as dinner I wouldn't be at all surprised if he thinks they'd make mighty fine squeaky toys.

 

[PQ]

We have a terrier/weiner mix. We got him out of "death row" he was 4 years old at the time. We brought that sucker home and he tried to kill every last one of the birds. We had people tell us tie the dead bird to his neck, ha what a joke the only thing that came of that was the coyotes came the other digs came and they all shared the bird on the dogs neck (luckly the dog was not hurt) After countless trys of others advice I took him into the big hen pen, took out all but 1 nesting box, and tied him to it with a 2 foot lead. Got a lawn chair and sat outsied the pen. Everytime the hens wanted to lay they would go by and take turns pecking him. No one was hurt, other then the dogs pride. He has not in 3 years ever tried to hurt another animal. He gives all the animals there space. He is a wonderful dog. Yes I know not many people would tie there dogs in a pen with the chickens after he had killed some, but it worked He now keeps them safe at night even climbs in the pen and sleeps with them, we have even seen him run after and attack coyotes who are to close to his home.

Anyhow with some time and getting to know your dog, I think sometimes even the most horrid animal can be trained to be with kids, chickens, rabbits, chinchillas, doves, pheasants, quail, cats and so on.

 

[L0rraine]

We have a Rough Collie who has been great with our chickens, in fact the chickens seem to feel safer when he is in the yard with them and they will tend to hang out wherever he is resting. I totally understand the poster who was concerned that dogs and chickens don't mix because I've not only heard the stories, but had my own experience with dogs who had previously been great with chickens have some kind of a melt down and go on a killing spree. However, as our neighbor (who shares our flock) pointed out, so far we have never lost chickens or ducks when our collie has been out in the yard with them. I've seen him chase low flying birds of prey and he definitely deters the coyotes and raccoons. The other day, after having been away from 5:00 am to 3:00 pm, I came home to find that I hadn't gotten the door on one of our pens closed all the way and it was wide open. I panicked because my husband had left our collie out because "it was such a nice day" and the pen was empty. A quick run around the house and there were the three ducks sunning themselves and the two chickens happily foraging away. I'm certain that if the dog hadn't been out I would have lost at least one of them - but I was also VERY thankful that the dog hadn't harmed them in our absence either.

 

[horsejody]

My neighbor has a Bernese Mountain dog and a lab. We walk our dogs together most nights. When she comes in the yard with her dogs on a leash, my Buff Cochin hen will walk up to within 5 - 10 feet of the dogs and stand there yelling at them. It's like she's telling them to leave. She reminds me of a little old lady yelling at the neighborhood kids to get off her lawn. All she needs is one of those flowery house dresses and a garden hose to complete the picture.

 

[Warthog]

I have a German Shepherd/Bull Mastiff X and a Rotweiller/German Shepherd X. When our chicks were very young about 6/8 weeks I would take the dogs on their leashes into the chicken pen and make them sit there with me and just watch the chickens.

My cats (3 of them all nuetured males, would climb the fence posts into the chicken coop and play stalking or just sit and watch them.

I have had my chicks now about twelve months and all free range, sit with the dogs or on the dogs backs and no trouble whatsoever.

With the cats, the cats go into the chicken pen all the time, they are out an about when the chicks are free ranging, and no trouble at all, in fact I have seen the chickens chase off the biggest of my cats.

So I have to say it can and does work with some dogs and cats.

 

[Martytherooster]

I wouldn't let my chickens near our dogs. They are scared of dogs because the people next door, their dog got out and chased our chickens, so now our chickens never trust dogs.