English Shepherd as Poultry Guardian

[centrarchid]

Major dog pack skirmish today. A couple of neighbors dogs came in behind barn to bark and me, chickens and Pup Pup. Then Pup Pup and Flo ran out and around barn to engage where they ran off other two dogs. Then a few more dogs from neighbor got involved and ran Pup Pup and Flo back to me as I walked around to back of barn. The other dogs saw me an retreated with Pup Pup and Flo running them back across property line before our fortunes changed again with Pup Pup and Flo coming back to me. At that point Lucy came up where all three pushed the neighbors dogs back yet again. The owner of those dogs came out trying to control his dogs so they got more courage and chased my three back yet again. Then I notified neighbor that a fence needs to go up and that even he was on my ground. I had to call my dogs back leaving his to think they owned right up to the barn. Until incursions are stopped, chickens at barn will not be free-ranged even with me present. We do not have control over barn yard with even three dogs. Not even Honey added to mix would put us back on top, just too many neighbor dogs. Neighbor is going to have to take some responsibility on this as I will now have to spend a lot on fencing that was not planned.

 

[centrarchid]

I have met someone that may join us in our chicken and small farming operation. She has alpacas and a couple of dogs. One dog is a 3.5 year old Dachsund x coonhound mix. The other is a roughly 9 month old Great Pyrenees. He would easily tip the balance so we can keep other dogs out. He has no experience with chickens and has not been allowed out with alpacas. I'm also going to get some milking goats and hair sheep that need to be kept separate from the alpacas. And we may get a jenny donkey too. This is going to get interesting.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Watch that donkey around dogs. They will stomp them if the occasion arises.

Are you keeping the goats and sheep separately too? They have different mineral requirements, so I have always kept them separately. Goats need copper, and copper can be toxic to sheep.

Alpaca should be interesting. Sounds like a lot of fun stuff.

 

[centrarchid]

Goats and sheep will be kept separate and rotated over pastures. The Jenny is of the small type. Goats will eventually be moved by dogs

 

[Molpet]

I have met someone that may join us in our chicken and small farming operation. She has alpacas and a couple of dogs. One dog is a 3.5 year old Dachsund x coonhound mix. The other is a roughly 9 month old Great Pyrenees. He would easily tip the balance so we can keep other dogs out. He has no experience with chickens and has not been allowed out with alpacas. I'm also going to get some milking goats and hair sheep that need to be kept separate from the alpacas. And we may get a jenny donkey too. This is going to get interesting.

Very interesting
But I'm glad you are moving forward

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Goats scattered when herded. I'd love to hear if you have better luck. We just generally have the Aussies chase them about until they are tired enough to catch. Goats are wonderful when happy, and the most difficult creatures when not happy. They definitely keep you thinking.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Goats are wonderful when happy, and the most difficult creatures when not happy.

TRUTH.

@centrarchid I was thinking about you just today. Sounds like you've got a full plate!

 

[centrarchid]

I will try to train Pup Pup to bring goat does singly up to milking parlor and back. Before that she will be taught to open and close gates. The goats will be enticed to come to parlor for eats too. Training will start well before goats even bred. The sheep should be easy to move with a dog. Alpacas will be trained to follow a feed bucket. I will also have to train a couple of those to load into back of crew cab for transport to events with dog and chickens. Alpacas may be good about not crapping inside vehicle. This is going to take some effort and I acknowledge being a novice with some parts. Dogs and chickens I can handle.

 

[NatJ]

I will try to train Pup Pup to bring goat does singly up to milking parlor and back. Before that she will be taught to open and close gates. The goats will be enticed to come to parlor for eats too. Training will start well before goats even bred. The sheep should be easy to move with a dog. Alpacas will be trained to follow a feed bucket.

I think "follow a feed bucket" works with most kinds of animals, if you want to try the same method on all of them.

I have also read of goats that come when called by name for milking, so you may not need the dog to bring them (feed while being milked is probably a good motivator, so it would just be like having a different "come" call for each one. I have no idea how much work it actually takes to train this, but it sounded like a good idea when I read it.)

 

[centrarchid]

I think "follow a feed bucket" works with most kinds of animals, if you want to try the same method on all of them.

I have also read of goats that come when called by name for milking, so you may not need the dog to bring them (feed while being milked is probably a good motivator, so it would just be like having a different "come" call for each one. I have no idea how much work it actually takes to train this, but it sounded like a good idea when I read it.)

I will have to create map of paddocks and pathways. Part of this is to exploit ability of the dogs. I do not want stock opening and closing gates. The dogs will save us time too.