Consolidated Kansas

[chicklover56]

Hello Everyone!

Wondering what the best way to teach lgd puppies barriers would be. We have 20 acres, and neighbors to the sides. My parents do not want me to put up any fence, but I'm not sure what the other options would be? Just wanting some opinions and help!

 

[rlh1]

I went out to check on the chicks this morning and one of my hens had just dropped dead. She was still warm when I got to her. I have no idea why. The coop was in a panic. I don't know what to do now. Poor thing, I hadn't even named her yet.

 

[tlzimmerman]

Easiest way when training my own dogs is while they are puppies and mature into dogs, they are only outside while under your supervision and control or in a kennel or run. If they are outside, you are outside with them and they have to do what you say. If you tell them to go somewhere and do something, it has to be done every time, no matter what. In that time also practice what the concept of HOME is...practice making them "Stay Home" while you walk or drive farther away and then come back. Anytime they are caught near the boundary of where they should be....give them a "Stay Home" and make them go back towards the house. Then, slowly, as you trust them, you can start leaving them unsupervised for short, and then longer periods of time as you peek at them through the window. Anytime they are near the boundary or caught off of it.....chew them out a little and put them in their kennel. Took me about 6 months with our current dog, a Cane Corso Mastif, and now he stays "home" really really well. He will sit at the house and whine and bark at me if I am 1/4 mile away at the shop where I work, but he won't come over unless I hollar at him and give him permission. He has always been easy to train though. We also have him completely taught how to deal with strangers driving up. He he sits at the door and waits to be talked to before he decides if they are a good guy or a bad guy. The UPS and mail people love him, he hops up on the truck after they call him, goes on the school bus when invited so the kids can pet and love on him real quick. With a complete stranger he is a really good judge of character. If we greet them warmly he tends to follow our lead, he has decided a time or two that someone didn't pass muster, hair rised right by our sides and low growl. Made him go inside and we interacted and got them off on their way.

Basically the long and the short of it is don't let them decide that they get to go and do whatever they want. Stay in control. If you are going to have a dog off leash and on your property it is still your job to be in control, they have to know exactly what is expected of them before they are allowed to be out on their own conscience.

 

[Trish44]

Hello Everyone!

Wondering what the best way to teach lgd puppies barriers would be. We have 20 acres, and neighbors to the sides. My parents do not want me to put up any fence, but I'm not sure what the other options would be? Just wanting some opinions and help!

Walk the perimeter with them & show them where they need to stay. Walk it with them every day, they need consistency. If you can train them to a leash, it sure makes things easier when having to take them to a Vet or even to teach them commands. Even LGDs need to learn commands such as come, sit, & leave it is what I teach mine & that's important if you have birds. As they get older they will want to stay & do their job as long as they have enough to do. With no fences, which is my situation also, I noticed that mine really don't pay a lot of attention to the chickens, but if they make a distress sound they will run to see what's going on. They were happier when I added sheep & goats to the farm as that is something they have an real instinct for watching over. However, they will when they're old enough to really seriously work watch over everything on your place, including you. I usually have one at least watching over me when I'm outside doing chores or whatever I'm doing. The important thing to remember is that they are puppies & large breed dogs & they do mature slower than other smaller dogs. Having said that though my two GPs started working about 7-8 months of age, but they really get even more serious at a year. Until that time you have to supervise them all the time to make sure they're doing what they're supposed to be. I put mine in a dog run at night till they were big enough & old enough to fight off a coyote for their own protection. They were left out during the day with supervision but that's only when you're available to watch them. LGDs normally have great instincts & will be great guardian dogs if they have a job.

 

[Plinky]

Hello folks,

A question and information!

Question: just out of curiosity, really...I noticed a while back that Blinky the RIRed was coming out from the roost in the morning and doing a huge poop. Since I had read that they did most pooping during the night while roosting I was wondering why she would save it up until she got outside. Then, more recently I have noticed her spending more time in the nesting box. Often in the evening when I go to close them in she is in there and I've even seen her in the morning. There is little or no poop in the nest. Is she broody? without a rooster and just herself and Pinky laying eggs? I don't see a problem anyway, but interested in others' take on it.

Information: there was a post from someone in Lawrence recently who was interested in learning about chickens.
Probably to correlate with this winter's book selection, the library is having a "Chickens 101" presentation by the County Ext. people and others. 2-3 pm Feb. 12. New chicken people (and others too!) might find it useful.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Yes!!!! we have our first chick my son made us a video cause Im at work this has to be the one that started peeping away last night.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Yes!!!! we have our first chick my son made us a video cause Im at work this has to be the one that started peeping away last night.

Dani... Thanks for sharing the vid and Congrats! So cute!

 

[rlh1]

So far so good. Everyone seems happy and healthy. Now we are waiting for the rest.

This little chick is from my BO, I love her coloring!

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Dani, I love new chicks! You have a nice little group there, good luck on the rest of the hatch. Looking forward to seeing how many you get.

Karen

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Peep peep appears to be doing great other then lonely and crying up a storm about that. Don't know who its father was its mom is a Dominique and the egg it hatched from was tan, as my Dominique is from a hatchery so yea Peep Peep is a beautiful Calio Chick and also as we speak one of Spunky's my white EE green eggs are pipping so hopefully before too long Peep Peep will have a friend besides my super soft and furry hedgehog glove. As requested here are more pics of Peep Peep and a video...