Didn't realize that dogs eat chickens... will they be okay now or....?

[greenmtngirl]

My dog, a ten year old puggle who I've had for about four years, killed a friend's chicken before either of us knew what was happening. It was SO fast. That was about three years ago, and this spring I started hatching chickens. I assumed I'd have to keep him far, far away from the chickens, but instead he appointed himself Protector of The Flock. I was surprised to say the least, but I still wouldn't trust him without supervision.

 

[1 hen and 1 roo]

Yes, I know dogs do eat chickens. I have been told that when they get the taste of chickens they will always try to get more.

My first 2 dogs (an Aussie/heeler mix and a red/blue heeler mix) never tried to get my Mom's chickens but her dog (the brother to our Aussie/heeler mix) did get one. My dad whipped that dog with the chicken and then tied it around his neck to stay for several days. That dog never did that again. Of course, our dogs watched the whole thing. We had spent many hours working on training and playing with our dogs and they were way better trained than my Dad's dog was. Our played with balls and freesbies not chickens.

We have worked hard with our two current dogs (1/4 border collie/3/4 heeler and heeler/chow/1/2 great white peranease) teaching them that the chickens are our pets and not to hurt them. We have corrected them when they have shown any action towards the chickens.
With our first 3 Ameracauna chickens, our dog Fluffy (1/4 border collie and 3/4 red heeler) tried to catch one for us so she thought and did so. We were moving their coop and had them out for a short moment. We were trying to get them back in their coop and were saying "get the chicken" to each other. Well, not realizing what we were saying, Fluffy did "get the chicken". You see she has been taught to "GET" stuff for us. Especially to get other dogs out of our yard. I just know that was what she was doing. We called her off and she let go. Chicken wet but unharmed. Daughter screaming and crying over her chicken. Could of been worse maybe but don't know. We watched that dog like a hawk and got onto her every time she looked at them wrong. Well, my husband also gave her a whipping when she grabbed the chicken. For weeks, she would not even look at the chickens at all. She avoided them all together. Would walk way out her way as to not get near them.
Well, she has become the best friend for our chickens. It of course probably helps with her being out numbered (65 chickens).
Well, we think it probably helps with the chickens being hatched in an incubator in the house in the winter and living for months in brooder boxes in our house until we got coops built for them. She heard them all day and night for months. And we picked them up and introduced many baby chicks to the dogs and the cats. Even our cat does not bother the chickens. They free range every day and sometimes even when we are going to be gone for a few hours we leave them out.
We have tarps over the coops for shade for the summer and the dogs go out and lay under the tarps around the chickens. When it is time to put them up sometimes Fluffy will help but mostly just blocks an area for us so we can get them back in their coop. Rose the peranease mix will go in the coops and eat (i think she is eating the poop or maybe the feed-not sure) but she has never shown any aggression towards the chickens.
Oh and by the way, we try really hard to never say "GET" in the same sentence with the chickens. We also reward Fluffy with lovings and.or treats when she helps us put the chickens up or find one that is missing. She loves to get praises for a job well done. Fluffy loves to have a job and if taking care of chickens is her job she will do it and do it well.
I believe that Dogs can be taught just like you teach your children. I especially believe that red and blue heeler dogs as well as Aussie dogs can be taught. It takes much persistence and patience to teach these breeds but the rewards in the end are awesome! They are very people pleasing dogs and want a job to do. They are the best dogs ever.
We do love our pernease mix and she has turned out to be an awesome dog. She is HUGE and is actually a big scaredy cat in the long run but puts up a big front. Her size and bark scares things away.

I hope your story turns out good with your dogs. And bad behavior from a dog must be corrected and taught what actions from them are acceptable. They do not know what they can and can not do without correction and instructions.

 

[Beekissed]

I've free ranged with dogs for the past 6-7 years now without one single mishap. Both are lab mix breeds and totally trustworthy around livestock of any kind. One required no training and the other, obtained as a pup, required about 20 min. training for one day. No amount of flapping or running by the chickens are even noted here unless a hawk or crow is trying to land on our acre....then the dogs will run to the site and defend.

I don't believe breed even matters. I believe the closeness you have with your dogs matters. They respect and protect what is yours no matter what comes on the property if you have that closeness and they are aware of your intent. When I got my chickens I announced, "MY chickens." everytime the pup even looked at a bird. He knew by the tone of my voice that this was something he needed to pay attention to...and has done so very successfully for all these years.

So far you have been lucky but I'd pay real close attention to how they act towards YOUR chickens. Watch their body language and see if they are ignoring all the chickeny behaviors... or watching intently. My dogs walk through a crowd of noisy chickens like they don't even exist. If I had a dog that showed alert behavior over chickens passing by, squawking, running or flapping, this would be the dog I'd be reinforcing on what is MINE and what they cannot touch.

Let the dogs outside and watch from a window. This will give you a true picture of how they act when you are not around...I'd watch the body language.

Keep us posted?