Dogs Protecting Chickens

[HomesteaderWife]

We have a Rat Terrier who was very protective of our ducks and chickens (though not able to get to them through the fence). He would immediately make a specific howl/bark whenever something was in the trees above them, or if any other dogs were in the area. Unfortunately, as a testament to a breed that was not good with them, our Husky broke into the pen last Winter and killed all but three of our birds

 

[AAchicks]

Border Collies are herding dogs. Their job is to herd and protect. It's instinctive.

Their job and instinct certainly is to herd, but it’s not natural for them to protect. The herding instinct is actually a modification of the instinct of hunting. In hunting, the canine picks out the sick or weak from the herd and separates it from the rest before taking it down for the kill. Herding is all of that with the exception of the final part (and the weakest is not selected, the shepherd selects the individual from the herd).

To actually have a herding dog that is protective of other animals is rare. Totally possible, but not common. They are very loyal (and can be protective in this case) to their people and super smart.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

i love these stories. i would love this to be my dog.
Today my dog is "fake" limping because i spent extra time with the chickens free ranging. She loves to spend time with me when i garden. however, Doggie goes inside and is not permitted out during free range times. She "knows the chickens since they were chicks. She smells around their run/coop freely.
HOW DO YOU TRAIN A DOG NOT TO KILL YOUR CHICKENS?
Our dog is a chocolate labrador/pit bull mix. She was awesome with the baby, when he was a baby, so soft and patient. AND She will kill anything that enters the backyard.
As long as she is in the backyard the chickens are safe in their coop/run, but her kill record frightens me.

Do not be frightened by her "kill record". Be frightened if she is disobedient. I had a German Shepherd/Lab/Weimaraner mix Rocco who was the best dog I have ever owned. Killed many wild animals, but mid chase if I hollered he would do a circle right back to me. He fought loose dogs also before we moved into the country. He went from a leash to complete freedom of free ranging. I had complete trust in that dog. I did not own him until he was 4 years old. He never once killed a chicken and they all mingled free range extremely well for a dog with such a high kill drive. The key (in my opinion) is obedience / WHAT is allowed to be killed.

I had a new rooster and wanted to make sure he was roosting in an appropriate place. Its dark so I took Rocco with me. The rooster is roosting on the truck. I go to remove the new rooster to show him a better spot and since he was high up I grab him by each leg. Naturally, the rooster and I struggle together as he tries to fly with me hanging on and we do half circles. Rocco is alert dancing next to me and taking in the situation. I get the rooster to the ground for a better grip and Rocco goes in to kill the bird. In all fairness to Rocco he has never helped me re-roost a bird especially such a large bird like a BO. Rocco was my assistant and it appears we are going to kill the chicken together. I yelled and Rocco stopped in his tracks, but is still on stand by .. incase I change my mind or the bird makes a dirty move. He was very protective of me. He would never hurt the birds unless that's what we were now doing. Obedience.

After that day he never tried to chase a chicken or even that same BO rooster (And we only had bright colored chicken) we removed that night from the truck. He 100% knew his jobs were to obey and protect. It is the same concept as a 'junkyard dog'. That dog was not taught to protect rusted cars.. that dog knows an area that is his and he will protect the area. As long as your dog knows his boundaries (property lines/yard) and has a kill drive towards other stuff besides your chickens you could definitely teach a dog to kill what lurks in the coop/run.

 

[candlearo12]

Lexi and her flock (or in her mind, pack)...
View attachment 1490679

Adorable!

 

[Dandy's mom]

Their job and instinct certainly is to herd, but it’s not natural for them to protect. The herding instinct is actually a modification of the instinct of hunting. In hunting, the canine picks out the sick or weak from the herd and separates it from the rest before taking it down for the kill. Herding is all of that with the exception of the final part (and the weakest is not selected, the shepherd selects the individual from the herd).

To actually have a herding dog that is protective of other animals is rare. Totally possible, but not common. They are very loyal (and can be protective in this case) to their people and super smart.

All of our Australian cattle dogs have been protective instinctively. They didn't have to have any training at all.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I heard recently that border collies weren't bred to protect, just strictly to herd, which is also why they have an easier time going a half mile or mile away up a mountain to get the sheep up there and therefore make the best herding dogs where as other dogs like Aussies won't want to leave your side. They also sometimes challenge what you say or I guess a nicer way of saying it is they have their own opinion sometimes on how things should be done (ACDs too) whereas BCs just do what you say without questioning it. Which is again what makes them such good herding dogs. And also, I think Aussies and ACDs were sometimes used as more general dogs to protect the ranch. So some herding dogs are protective but not all

 

[chickengr]

I am glad to hear that german shepherds are good guardians as I have got a 6 mo girl.

I have 2 terrier mixes who kill mice and rats and ignore chickens.

when I let my white silkies out about 10 megpies gathered around their run. my cats never chase megpies but that day they killed one (3 adults and 5 four months olds).

 

[Melky]

Lexi and her flock (or in her mind, pack)...
View attachment 1490679

I think most any dog has the instincts to chase off wildlife. Don't laugh but my 10 lb Papitese has been guarding my flock of four since one day starting with keeping them in the brooder while I cleaned once chics old enough to flutter around. Since then she is occasionally out with when chics free ranging and she sometimes helps me herd them back if they don't come when I call them back to the coop. She checks on them frequently. She has scared off a believed to be black snack close to my run and a racoon on my back deck. She scares off the squirrels and deer to protect the apple trees.

 

[micstrachan]

Precious!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I let my dogs have leashed visits with the chickens and ducks. One could care less about their presence and wants to see what I am going to do (play frisbee, give her treats, take a walk, etc). The other one was so scared, she didn't want to look at the birds and went to the farthest position she could while being leashed opposite of them.
They are lab mixed and golden retriever mixed (respectively). I am actually more concerned about the scared dog than the one that just wants to have fun. But, I am still leary of both.
I probably should have done all of this when I first got the birds, but how do you know when to let them off leash to be close to the birds and not be afraid they are just going to chomp them?
They know commands, but we've never had to use them within a real experience just training really.