chihuahua wreaks havoc.....advice ?

[Akane]

Fix the weak spots in your fence and make the pens sturdier. Like others have said if a little dog can get in it's only a matter of time before something else does but also if the dog can escape to get the chickens what else can he escape to do? That's one of those situations many on here complain of and comment about how any dog that wanders on their property gets shot. I'd make sure your dog stays in it's pen before it gets itself into even bigger trouble.

 

[MissJames]

Quote:
He doesn't really get out which is why we were so shocked.We underestimated the draw for him.We have 4 dogs and though we have 8 acres they stay in the house or a fenced in back yard.Even our porch has gates on it!
The up side is my husband can build a very good coop and pen.He is a homebuilder. I actually complained to these young men that the chicken wire was not secure enough,but I was worried about racoons!
My husband told me to stop micromanaging them so I shut up.
Thanks for all the advise and encouragement .
When you know better ,you do better.

 

[cimarron]

Sorry to hear about the chick carnage. some dogs have a strong prey drive and go nuts when they're around chickens. and it takes a lot of training to teach them not to. i was horrified when i took my new 6 mo old pound puppy over to a new boyfriend's house, and the first thing she did was bust through a flimsy chicken enclosure and kill one of their pullets. i empathize with you!

now that i have my own chicks in the brooder, i am building a STURDY fully fenced (including the top) chicken run. between the dogs, neighborhood cats, hawks, raccoons, etc it'd be asking for trouble to do otherwise. it IS possible to train a chicken killing dog to leave them alone, but it takes some work!!! so in the meantime for the chickens sake just keep 'em separate.

p.s. my dog is now 3 years old and is really protective and sweet with these chicks, maybe since she knows they're "ours". but i still wouldn't trust her alone with fluffy, spastic, noisy, darting creatures...she has a strong prey instinct and i don't want to tempt her.

good luck with your chicks! are the RIR's gonna be your flock, of the neighbor kids'?