Dog's first exposure to escaped chicks!

[tomato lady]

My old oversized sheltie always comes to the coop with me when I do anything with the chicks. Sometimes he circles the chicken run barking and acting like a crazy dog. I assuemd that, given the chance, he would have a fresh chicken meal in a heartbeat. They are 6 to 12 weeks old now.

Today while I was in the coop opening the chicken's door to their run, one of the girls must have pushed against the other coop door enough to open it. When I looked I had about 8 or 10 chickens escaping right toward my dog.

That sweet old dog just sat there and didn't act like he would harm a feather on their cute little heads (or wings). He calmly watched me herd those chickens back into their run. Good dog!

Wait! He is a herd dog! Why wasn't he helping me?

 

[shadowpaints]

lol my shelties do something very similar.. when the chicks ( now hens) are in the coop... they circle them but when they get out LOL they sit and stare!!! lol shelties are great 'herd' dogs arent they lol

 

[raspeary]

I'm happy that your poochie didn't harm any of the chickens. Mine would have devoured them in a second.

 

[moose]

I am glad to hear your sheltie didnt harm them. I have a border collie and he has killed at least a dozen of my chickens on a couple different occasions. He is totally obsessed with them. I have a run inside of the dog fence (extra protection, i thought) and he runs back and forth until I yell at him. Last week he made a hole in the fence just big enough fo rhis head and when I got home i had five dead chickens and only 7 remaining totally distressed. I have reinforced the fence thinking "no way he can get thru that" but he has a few times. He doesnt eat the chickens, for that matter it could be one of the other dogs that actually is killing them, but I would bet money he is the culprit.

 

[tomato lady]

My grandson has a boarder collie, smart dog but very hyper. I would not trust that dog with my chickens ever. Fortunately he is not here very often and my grandson watches him.

We have another dog and I think I am lucky he wasn't out. He is a little Pomeranian (sp?). There may have been a different outcome if he had been out. He is little and cute, but.......may be a chicken attack dog.

Sorry for your lost chickens.

 

[moose]

Thanks tomato lady, I dont know what to do with him, he is a great dog otherwise and yes very smart too. He just has to have something to do all the time and he choses to stalk the chickens. The chickens normally ignore him and I am in the process of picket fencing all the way around them so he cant get thru at all. Like I said he may not be the one killing them, he might be trying to herd them back to the run but killing them in the process accidentally. But I suspect he knows what he is doing because he hides from me when he has done wrong. I love having chickend though and am expecting a delivery from Mt Healthy tomorrow morning of 15 baby chicks to raise so I can get back to my egg customers at work by winter. Thanks again and good luck with yours.

 

[John n MI]

I have a dog that I wouldn't trust alone with the chickens for a heartbeat but when they get out, he's a great help. I say "Get 'em" and he'll hold one down with his paws until I can grab it. Then he goes to the next one and does the same thing. I've never taught him to do this. The words just came out of my mouth one day when I was frustrated and he went right to work. Frankly, I didn't think he was that bright.

 

[milleryardchx]

glad to hear your dog is better than my moms dog who got one of my buff O's at 13 weeks and eat most of the bird and we got home to him stuck with a head and shoulder in the coop chicken door trying to get anything that came near him grrrr.

 

[kysilkies]

You're very fortunate, we have 6 dogs that still view ours as snacks...Today, for the FIRST time, as I was rearranging items in the brooder, the 3wk old chick jumps on my arm and flies over my shoulder onto the FLOOR!!!!

I have never had such a rush of fear, guilt, horror and cold run thru me as I threw myself on top of her like the Secret Service shielding the POTUS trying to get a hand on her before a dog got to her...It had to also be the first time there wasn't one of them within 10' of me when it happened or I'm not sure she would ever have hit the ground...I'm still shaking from the thought of what almost happened...

We're having trouble integrating her with the older chicks which are in the coop now, when she can go outside, I'll be able to relax again...WE live and learn, I'm just thankful she did also...

Wasn't trying to be a downer, just letting you know I'm envious of your pooches!

 

[wildorchid053]

sorry about your loss.. we have a zap collar.. haven't had to use it for her being near the chickens.. but she sure chases rabbits, deer, wood chucks.. it works great.. if you zap your dog a few times they will definately stay away from your coop..