Feeling Very Guilty...Need Advice

[lbgreenfield]

Hello all. This is slightly embarrassing for me and a long read. We have a current flock of 11 chickens (Five 2.5-year old hens and six 12-week old chicks). I am the primary caretaker of all of them, and I am very, very attached to my chickens and they are attached to me. My husband jokes that he thinks I love the chickens more than I love him sometimes.

We’ve been debating rescuing a shelter dog for almost 5 years now and we finally adopted a 3-year old border collie/pit bull mix who comes from an abusive home. We have had him for about 5 days now. The dog pound didn’t know much about his background. He’s a surprisingly good dog despite his upbringing (friendly towards people, is semi-house trained) but as we’ve come to find out over the past few days, he has a very strong prey drive when it comes to any animal (rabbits especially). We’ve done a very controlled (fully leashed) distanced introduction with the dog/chickens and the dog has lunged and pulled to get closer.

We are keeping the chickens in their run/coop for the time being and I am feeling INCREDIBLY guilty about it. The chickens are used to free ranging during the evenings and have been vocally complaining, making crying sounds, moping around the pen/coop. I feel so horrible and have been trying to spend as much time in the pen as possible but it has been difficult with the new dog (husband works a lot and I’m the primary care taker of the dog while working from home FT). It is making me so emotional and sad and almost resentful towards the dog. Am I being crazy? Over analyzing every move the dog makes? I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to my chickens because of the dog. Just looking for some advice from others on this...

 

[CoopedUpFamily]

I can understand this. We have young chickens and 3 older dogs. We have just learned to give them time in the yard separately. I know this can be difficult for sure.

 

[TwoShepherds]

Is it possible to keep the dog in the house or a kennel in the evening while the flock free ranges?

 

[lbgreenfield]

Is it possible to keep the dog in the house or a kennel in the evening while the flock free ranges?

Thanks for your reply. The dog has some separation anxiety issues so if I leave him in the house to go free range the chickens (and supervise them), he whines and is starting to become destructive. The dog pound didn’t know he had these issues. We’ve been trying to crate train him but it has been extremely slow going. I’m on Night # 6 of getting only 2 hours of sleep because of the night time whining/barking while in the crate next to me in bed (husband has been sleeping in our guest room). I don’t know what to do. I feel so bad for my chickens, this is causing me so much anxiety.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The rule in my house is if chickens are out, dogs stay inside the house (or the kennel, wherever you have him). If dogs are out, chickens are inside the run. If your family can stick to that there shouldn't be an issue, even with prey aggressive dogs.

 

[lbgreenfield]

I can understand this. We have young chickens and 3 older dogs. We have just learned to give them time in the yard separately. I know this can be difficult for sure.

Thanks for your reply. This is so difficult for me. I’m seriously considering taking the dog back, but would feel guilty about that too. Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ah ok just saw the update about separation anxiety (I have 2 of those). Is there a place outside where the dog can safely be chained or housed for the time being while the chickens get their time outside?

 

[Pghelp]

Hello all. This is slightly embarrassing for me and a long read. We have a current flock of 11 chickens (Five 2.5-year old hens and six 12-week old chicks). I am the primary caretaker of all of them, and I am very, very attached to my chickens and they are attached to me. My husband jokes that he thinks I love the chickens more than I love him sometimes.

We’ve been debating rescuing a shelter dog for almost 5 years now and we finally adopted a 3-year old border collie/pit bull mix who comes from an abusive home. We have had him for about 5 days now. The dog pound didn’t know much about his background. He’s a surprisingly good dog despite his upbringing (friendly towards people, is semi-house trained) but as we’ve come to find out over the past few days, he has a very strong prey drive when it comes to any animal (rabbits especially). We’ve done a very controlled (fully leashed) distanced introduction with the dog/chickens and the dog has lunged and pulled to get closer.

We are keeping the chickens in their run/coop for the time being and I am feeling INCREDIBLY guilty about it. The chickens are used to free ranging during the evenings and have been vocally complaining, making crying sounds, moping around the pen/coop. I feel so horrible and have been trying to spend as much time in the pen as possible but it has been difficult with the new dog (husband works a lot and I’m the primary care taker of the dog while working from home FT). It is making me so emotional and sad and almost resentful towards the dog. Am I being crazy? Over analyzing every move the dog makes? I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to my chickens because of the dog. Just looking for some advice from others on this...

Don't give up too soon! As a rescue I'm sure the dog is having quite a bit of anxiety. Could you consider a compromise of fencing off a section for the chickens that they could free range within? That was our compromise. The ladies have about 1/4 of the yard. It's not a predator secure fence since I shut them in the coop at night, but it means they can roam around and we didn't have to worry about my son's dogs. Here's a success story. Both dogs are rescues and came with their own quirks. The retriever/shepherd/collie potluck went crazy for birds. She would leap and bark at anything flying. She is so mellow now and lays beside the fence watching chicken tv. I wouldn't have trusted her or the terrier mix alone with the chickens, but recently our 6 week old chicks have flown over and we've discovered dogs and lone chick co-existing peaceably together. If you can figure out a way for the dog to have time to get used to the chix without endangering them, you might find it can work out. Best of luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

As for the dog, you may want to consult a trainer and/or your vet for the separation anxiety, if it's severe. 2 of my dogs have separation anxiety, and we handle each one a little differently. I know it's tough at the start when you're having to try a lot of different things to figure out what the triggers are for this dog, and what he responds well to, and I admit with our last 3 dogs I gave serious thought to taking each one back, but after you get through that rough initial period, they all turned out to be very sweet (albeit imperfect) dogs.

 

[chickens45]

could you maybe take your dog outside on a leash? And take him for a walk or play with him while the chickens are out for a bit?

or maybe tie him to a tree or post on a long leash so he could still be outside but your chicks could free range?

do you always stay outside the whole
Time your chicks are out? You could turn them lose then head back inside the house with your dog.