Dogs!!!!

[Miss Lydia]

no we can't catch them. they are fairly large dogs that i have seen almost get hit by cars and such (hunting do and 2 mixes of some sort maybe german shep mix and a rotti mix). i will be building breeding pens here soon but until then i was hoping to let them free range till i got that set up but i guess i cant do that. they can reach the ground in their coop and are bantams so i hope they will be alright having to stay penned up. the cats were great pest control out by the feed area to and kept them out of the house as well sweet little kitties they were.

What about your ducks do you have a safe set up for them? Makes me sick when i read about people losing their animals to roaming dogs.

 

[hdowden]

What about your ducks do you have a safe set up for them? Makes me sick when i read about people losing their animals to roaming dogs.

they stay penned to prevent them from flying off as i don't clip wings on them and i have not seen anything try to get into their pen. i had chickens on top of my house, in trees, in some tiny little places that i can't believe they fit into. my one missing mille d'uccle showed back up yesterday and i am happy for that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

they stay penned to prevent them from flying off as i don't clip wings on them and i have not seen anything try to get into their pen. i had chickens on top of my house, in trees, in some tiny little places that i can't believe they fit into. my one missing mille d'uccle showed back up yesterday and i am happy for that.

Glad to hear your d'uccle came home. and ducks are safe.

 

[Tazman99]

Sorry about your chickens, hope the rest are okay.

But the dogs are doing what they are meant to do, Dogs are predators, chickens are prey. The dogs are doing what they are meant to do. Keeping them away is the best way to help the birds.

 

[mcoleman12]

When I got my first batch of chickens like 4 years ago my mutt murdered one. I was so not happy and we discipline and tied him up. I had a 3 year period without chickens and he found entertainment in cats, and in the last couple of months with the new chickens I haven't really had much trouble, i get on to him is I see him look at them so this seems to work. I leave him loose in the yard and never have seen any issues but we went on vacation and the neighbor taking care of them came over and said he had one of my older chicks in his mouth.... he was so proud (the chicken was alive). This dog is to smart honestly he knows better, I like him out because he barks at everything and I've seen a fox around lately and I would rather take chances with the dog than the fox. Anyone got any ideas to help him??

 

[Hayleigh Barnes]

Well you could try spending about 15 minutes a day with him and the chickens. If he already knows the command down, you could be out with him and the chickens. Let them (the chooks) wander free and if he knows this command then tell him to lie down on the ground whenever they are out with him. Once he relaxes and doesnt seem concerned witht them give him a treat.

As you said he doesnt seem really overly excited by them so it seems all you need to do is reward him for what he already seems to do, reward him for leaving them alone. It will help him understand that this behaviour is good behaviour.

My dog gets sooo excited by our 2 chooks and 2 ducks but after teaching him to lie down around them hes much calmer. No I can trust him with any animal <3

 

[gg706]

they free range but people dont keep their dogs in their yards we have at least 3 roaming where ever they want at all times, they kill other animals as well even killed 2 of our cats. there is even a person up the road that shots any animal that comes in their yard mainly dogs and cats. these dogs have even gone after the horse and doing that they almost had their heads smashed in by the horse. the people around here do not care. all dogs were going anyways they just dug under the fence and ended up leaving a bit sooner than planned.

I would not try and catch ANY of them! Good way to get yourself ripped to shreds and mangled by a pack of dogs! I would shoot and kill them. A dog that will try and take down a horse WILL attack and kill a human, especially a child! GET rid of them ASAP!!!!! KILL THEM ALL! They are displaying pack behavior! VERY dangerous!

 

[Mattemma]

Yeah don't catch them by hand.I grabbed the neighbors dog while it was attacking my dog.Trying to pull the dog off him.Bad idea.

 

[MetallicBlue]

Dogs are not the bad guys. They sometimes cause heartache, but you love them anyway. I have 3 dogs. Two are fine with chickens and one is not. He didn't even so much as look at my chickens for over a week. We thought that meant he'd be fine with them. Then in the span of about 2 hours he killed 7 of my 15 just for fun. He didn't even want to eat them. He really broke my heart, but I do still love him. The chickens no longer have free run of all 3 acres. We've built them a secure area of about 1/8 acre which they seem content with and my Husky can't get into. Yes, it's a live and learn situation. Just a tough lesson to learn.

Rest in peace:

Snowy, WinterGreen, Lemon, Lady, Princess, Delilah and GatorGirl

 

[ibongopongo]

I just came home to the same scene described by several here. My dog...a rescued local stray that looks like every other broad mix in every country I've seen...is great at obeying commands when I'm around, doesn't charge the chickens, appears disinterested in them from the other side of the fence. But killed one months ago. Then a new rooster a week ago. Then everyone, today--by breaking through the fence that she'd previously seemed to ignore. I had set her up with a new run line but apparently screwed up attaching the leash to her collar...don't know why and am flagellating myself like crazy for not double checking it...

Anyhow...I love the dog, and love the two (possibly, as yet) surviving chickens, and plan to get another flock once i've reinforced all the walls and fences. I did have chicken wire alone and will not do that again. Does anyone have experience with training a dog (not killing to eat them, just from dogness) once she's developed a taste for chasing birds? She clearly knew she'd done wrong...when I walked toward the coop she ran the other way, before I realized anything was wrong. Do I just get rid of her, knowing that there will always be some day that something goes wrong, and hope she gets a good life elsewhere?

I'm in awe of Hayleigh's dog and duck picture...well done, that!

Any recs, or anyone in San Antonio that wants an otherwise sweet dog?