Do you trust your dog around your chickens?

[Beekissed]

I had a photo op today that just didn't happen! My son looked out the window in time to see my younger dog lying in the grass with all 20 of my meaty chicks snuggled up to his side except for one....this one he had between his paws, licking away. When my boy tried to get a pic, the dog stood up and ran to him, spoiling the delightful picture of this prey driven breed, bird dog heritage, Lab mix dog mothering my meaty flock!

You all were right! I will never trust him around chickens again....he may just lick the flavor right off them!

 

[Break an Egg]

Quote:
Love the pic! Your dog looks like she'd love to play with them. I've gotta ask. Are those to chickens on the right side... PINK? Or is it my screen?

She would, but mostly she just sits nearby and watches them. My 3 yr old would love some pink chicks, but those are just regular buff orps.

 

[greeneggsandham]

I do not trust my Beagles with the chickens. My female Sheba wants to hunt and eat them, while my male Rascal wants to hump them.
The roosters do not appreciate a dog trying to get with their girls. LOL

 

[The Chicken People]

I trust my GSD and my maltese poodle/ pom mix! I trust the neighbors GSD dog but not their GSD puppy yet!

 

[Chickmano]

We have 2 brown dogs. Most likely some kind of hound mix. They killed one chicken about a year ago just after we got our very first hens. We never knew who to blame...one came running to us carrying the deceased bird, the other one had feathers on her lips. Hmmm. Since then, though, they've never hurt another chicken. We leave them out together when we're not here and they do just fine. I think the dogs actually keep other predators away from the hens when we're not around to watch them. Now we just got some new chicks. They're about 6 weeks old and we do not let them mix with the dogs. When they're as big as the big hens, we'll try it and hope the dogs don't see a difference between the old girls and the new ones. Stay tuned!

 

[The Chicken People]

I think the reason I havent lost any birds to predators is because the neighbors GSD Stray...BARKS ALL NIGHT LONG!! Relentlessly!! I was up sick last night and couldnt sleep because of him!!

 

[rainnotebook]

Well earlier I said I wouldn't trust my dog if we weren't with her... good thing. This morning she snapped at my baby turkey I had free ranging. Good thing I was out there. So she can never be around them... not even close to them when they are out free ranging with me. Sad... I was hoping she'd let them walk all over her!

 

[denanner13]

My RIRs are only 4 weeks old & I've never raised chicks before. My dog has been my baby for the last 10 years & I know if given the chance she would kill every one of them. We are currently designing our coop & run & the main concern is to "Emma" proof it. We live in south Georgia & I'm afraid of the snakes too. We have 5 dogs that roam the property & keep most critters out. Here's hopin.

 

[kickinchicken]

I have an Akita/Australian Shepherd mix-10 years old, and a 7 year old Chocolate Lab from hunting lines (English). I 100% trust the Akita mix with my pullets, the lab...not so much yet. he is "interested" yet, as he comes from hunting lines, and has actually done the "death shake" to at least 3 puppies at the dog park, I will never 100% trust him. I just never let them have access to the girls unless I am out in the yard with them. The girls are only 2 1/2 months old and this is the first time they've been around hens, so its all new to them. So far so good. My fostered squirrel Sandy actually hangs out with them while they free range. She's wild now, not at all domesticated. I let her go in my back yard and she's been there for over 3 years. She LOOOOOOOVES mixed un-salted nuts!!! I really need to get a picture of that! Its ALL in the training. Make training a part of every day and your dog will keep your hens safe. Use the mentality of "nothing in life is for free". Sit to go outside, lie down to eat, wait to fetch the ball, stay until I ask you to come to me. Even after 10 years, I still make them work for simple privileges. It keeps their mind working and gives them purpose. Nothing worse than a dog who is taught to be "human" or dressed in clothing!

 

[DragonEggs]

I have a St Bernard, a year old and still very much puppy. He was originally being trained as a SAR dog before he was hit by a car and had to have his shoulder reconstructed. He now has a permenant limp (though it doesn't slow him down) but will never be able to complete his training. He is now in training as a therapy dog.

The point is he was trained to track and find things in wide open spaces. Now he is being trained to just be still and behave. He has retained every bit of his training from both services.

I was fearful of how my 150lb dog would act with these delicate little birds (I started with silkies) when I first brought them home. He had raised 2 small kittens from infancy and was always incredibly gentle with them and is remarkably careful when playing with any dog smaller than him. I guess being the biggest living thing around (yes even bigger than most people in my household) He has learned how to be gentle with small creatures.

When the chickens are penned he circles the enclosure eagerly, wagging his tail, jumping (as well as he can) and barking. Once the chickens had grown accustomed to his earthquake bark and he had become use to their sight and smell I let a couple of the smaller gentler ones out.

My St. Bernards amazing nose was what always made him eager to be a SAR dog. Now he eagerly sticks his nose under each chicken and sniffs, snorts and snuffs his little heart out, practically lifting the bird off the ground. When he's had his fill of the smell he'll lick the poor bird until its covered in drool (I often have to take the bird away so he doesn't soak them) and when he's run out of drool for the time being he'll flop down in the grass with a bird between his paws and fall asleep cuddled up.

He protects those birds like they were his children instinctivly. I never taught him to be a guard dog. I trust my dog completely with my chickens.