Dogs!!!!

[MrsBachbach]

I've heard of that method also although it was the whole chicken, not the head. I guess the dog gets so tired of having that chicken tied around it's neck, it will never get near one again!

 

[MrsBachbach]

I did this with a dog we had. The chickens were a new addition to our place and she took an unhealthy interest in them. I chained her to a tree near the chicken house the minute she started after the chickens. Then I let the chickens out. Now this dog had never been chained or penned a day in her long life. This depressed her so much she didn't so much as look their way ever again. She would even leave her bowl of food if she was eating when the chickens approached it. Poor Sassy. She was a good girl who was much smarter than I thought she was.

 

[CantSkate]

The biggest issue with dogs (especially those with high prey drives) and chickens is that chicken's react in such a way that actually excites the dog more. Think about it chickens under attack make lots of noise and fly/hop as fast as they can from the danger. For a dog who has been bred to hunt this is like the Holy Grail, they love the chase and the more chaotic the fun they seem to have.
I have lost more chickens then I would like, but in every case it was the dog being a dog and the chicken being a chicken. I have learned that the two generally don't mix and as the Robert Frost wrote "Good fences make good neighbors"

 

[jjthink]

CantSkate, I totally agree.'Good fences make good neighbors' applies well to dogs and chickens. Personally, I would never experiment with interaction, as I don't believe even one bird deserves to lose its life to an experiment gone wrong. JJ

 

[pinusresinosa]

I don't agree with all methods (tying a dead chicken to the neck of a dog etc) in terms of training, and whether or not this works for most dogs seems a little outlandish to me. However, I do believe that some dogs can be taught to be around the homestead birds without having to worry if the dog is going to take it upon itself, instincts regardless, to have itself some fun and a meal without permission. Dogs are smart enough to know and learn this difference, and I believe that part of teaching them that difference has to involve the birds alive, doing what they do, in close proximity. It also teaches the birds that this is something that they don't have to flutter and scurry away from. It's good for both. But this requires an appropriate foundation that I don't think most dogs ever learn, because I believe that most people are fine having dogs live with them that act like unruly children. And what works for them is up to them. These dogs can never be around chickens or fowl without a fence, agreed.

 

[Sonya9]

I don't agree with all methods (tying a dead chicken to the neck of a dog etc) in terms of training, and whether or not this works for most dogs seems a little outlandish to me. However, I do believe that some dogs can be taught to be around the homestead birds without having to worry if the dog is going to take it upon itself, instincts regardless, to have itself some fun and a meal without permission. Dogs are smart enough to know and learn this difference, and I believe that part of teaching them that difference has to involve the birds alive, doing what they do, in close proximity. It also teaches the birds that this is something that they don't have to flutter and scurry away from. It's good for both. But this requires an appropriate foundation that I don't think most dogs ever learn, because I believe that most people are fine having dogs live with them that act like unruly children. And what works for them is up to them. These dogs can never be around chickens or fowl without a fence, agreed.

Yes, I agree with everything you have said. I have 6 dogs, mostly rescues, and some of them are VERY high prey drive (what you would term "unruly" dogs). When you take in a 6 year old lost true hunting coonhound with an incredibly high prey drive you have to deal with the reality of the situation and NOT try to imagine that you can change that reality.

Fencing is the key. If my dogs ever get in to hurt the chickens that it is MY fault because I didn't provide secure fencing. I also rely on the trusty super-soaker to teach the dogs NOT to bark and harass the chickens through the fence. They figure out quickly that when the big super soaker comes out and I tell them to be quiet they are best off listening, that thing can nail them at 20 ft. Saying "quiet" and then nailing them in the face with a blast of water when they bark again gets the message across real quick (it does not harm them just makes barking at the chickens very un-fun).

One of mine (a 5 year old livestock guardian) is very trustworthy and I expected him to be. I kept the brooder in the house with the dogs so the chickens got used to the dogs and he realized they were "our chickens". The chicks now have no fear of barking or the dogs and I make sure they stay safe and have no reason to fear.

 

[jjthink]

TY both - very wise

 

[Sonya9]

Not to encourage others to take "risks" but here is a short video of my 5 year old LGD in with the 7 week old chicks for the first time. The chicks and the dogs have seen each other for a month, this was the first time the chicks and my beloved and trustworthy LGD were in a pen together. If he had wanted to do something I couldn't have stopped him, he is much stronger than I am.

He is a mature dog, he was raised by older LGDs and taught how to guard livestock for the first year of his life (and those dogs are MUCH harsher/better teachers than I could ever hope to be!). Don't want anyone to think they an just go out and buy an LGD puppy and expect similar results, it is much more complicated than that. He is the only dog out of my 6 that I can trust, I won't ever introduce the others.

Disregard the messiness, the coop was being worked on and the chicks were just out for the afternoon:

 

[pinusresinosa]

I think that if you're at all unsure about your dog, you should just do the fence and call it a day. Dogs can be good dogs and companions no matter how well you happen to have them trained or what personalities they have because ultimately, it's all about what works for you.

Wonderful video!

 

[Trishala]

Sadly, I am feeling your pain at this very moment. Came home to an empty chicken pen (my first chickens). My sweet Meg, the killer, got out of the backyard AGAIN. I am angry but I know she can't help it. She has killed six out of a total of 7 - 3 last week and 3 today, one is unaccounted for.