Feeling Very Guilty...Need Advice

[anj8000]

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...

I have same issue. New puppy chases my chickens. We bought a petsafe system that works with a portable unit and collar. The puppy can go within 1/4 acre of the garage where unit is plugged in. She can be outside and the chickens too.

 

[Goddess of Pie]

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...

I'd like to echo the "give it some time reply." I have two rescue dogs and the older one ignores my hens but the younger one wasn't so accepting. First there was definitely a predator instinct and then he'd try to separate one molting hen from the others, which really scared me, then after about two weeks of keeping him leashed while I spent time petting and feeding the chickens with him in close proximity, something clicked for him. Now he'll try to play with the chickens from time to time, but they let him know with one quick swat when they've had enough. I am so confident with his behavior that now I'm teaching him how to shoo the chickens off the porch. He loves it and it causes a kerfuffle, but everyone is getting along swimmingly. It took about two weeks of pretty intense, many times a day, confrontations before he learned that they are family too!

 

[Judy Todd]

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...

Five days is just not enough time for that dog to kn

 

[mctom]

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.

Having a dog with separation anxiety is horribly difficult. I had a very beloved dog that went through that. But you can not let this dog ruin your life (for example: no sleep, husband in other room, anxiety driven destruction when alone, chickens penned up -- these add up to a big deal.) Its a new dog, adjusting to a new home, so you have the opportunity right now to set up its expectations of what the new home will be. I would keep the dog crated or contained when its alone and I wouldn't have it sleeping by my bed. Let it think that its new normal is sleeping in its crate/container in another room. Maybe it was cruelly crated in the past and the crate is a source of anxiety for it? (Mine was that way.) Maybe another type of cage without a top would make it feel better? (Worked for us.) Maybe nothing will make it feel better, its hard to tell. No matter what, it is not cruel to contain your dog at night and when the chickens are out. You have to set boundaries for your own sanity and health … and also for the dog. It needs lots of love from an owner who is not exhausted and upset. Whatever you decide to do, its life is greatly improved with you. Even if it cries all night forever, IF you can get sleep elsewhere -- it is better off in your loving home. Accept that it is a damaged dog and you are being good to it. Then it can have lovely mornings with you and for most of the day with you. All the members of your family -- yourself, husband & chickens deserve to be equally considered with the dog. Someone else suggested consulting a professional dog trainer and that might be a good idea. And here's another thought: border collies are very energetic dogs that require lots of exercise and mental stimulation. Maybe wearing it out every day so that it was really tired at night would help. Maybe obedience training would help it mentally (they enjoy it!). Well, these are just some thoughts. Good luck to you -- your dog already got lucky by having such a caring owner.

 

[Judy Todd]

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. Sh

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...

t you willnot tollerate 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!

Five days is not enough time for either of you to learn each other. The dog , I am sure is very confused. I agree a large chain link kennel is called for, where he can watch the chickens. The separation anziety can be handled with meds for a time being.
I know, I rescued a newly deaf 11 year old cocker, remember, bird dog, he was always trying to retrieve the chickens, so shock collar, it worked like a charm. He also had the separation going on and barking, because he ccould not hear himself. , so meds for a few weeks. Everything finally settled down, but it took over 3 months. My home was his 5th or 6th in his years, so very mixed up. Eventually he became a sweetheart, but died after only 2 and 1/2 years with me. Rescues are such a mystery, we never know what went on in their life. Hugs to you for rescuing,

 

[Judy Todd]

Thank you everyone for your overnight replies. I’ve felt a little better after reading them this morning. I’ll answer a few questions here and provide some clarification.

We have 0.5 acres of our 3 acre property fully fenced in that is connected to our house via the patio/front door. I have been doing leashed walks around our property and to our mailbox (about 1/2 mile from our house) 3 times a day, each time walking past the chicken coop/run. The dog has been staying in the fenced area off leash, but he’s always on a leash when outside the fence.

I could tie him to a tree or put him on a short run within the fence while I let the chickens free range, but the chickens love coming inside the fence to dig through our mulch beds and sleep/preen on the patio with me. They’ve been doing that for over 2 years now and I’ve tried to keep them outside then fence but they just fly over it. I don’t want to clip their wings.

The chickens have a 16x32ft fully enclosed, predator proof run and a 8x8ft attached coop so they have plenty of room. They just hate being in there when they see me outside, with or without the dog, because they are so used to being outside with me to roam all over the yard. I’m considering getting a not-totally predator proof tractor pen so they can still “free range” if the dog is outside.

I am definitely going to hire a trainer/behavioral specialist, but am concerned with spending $$$$$ to have no benefit at the end of it. I should have taken a chicken with me to the dog pound but again, it’s a pound not a humane rescue so our initial visit with the dog was brief. Hindsight is the best kind of sight and knowing what I know now, I would have done the initial visit differently.

I think the plan for us is to give it a few months, with keeping the dog inside if the chickens are out, along with training. If after doing all that we still haven’t made any progress, we will think about rehoming the dog.

Thanks for everyone’s responses. I’ve gotten little support from my family and friends so it’s been nice to have unbiased strangers weigh in on the situation.

I just remember something a dog trainer told me and it worked. Ihave a 8 month old lab and she constantly lunged at the fence where the chickes are. This trainer said, every time she does that jump up and down and yell at the top of your lungs, scare the sh__ out of her. I know t sounds crazy, but in just 2 weeks it worked, she leaves the chickens alone totally. Some training with a dog means teaching them that there is unacceptable behavior. Plus, when she obeys she gets a treat. Now, if she looks at the chickes crosseyed, I just say her name and she comes to me for a treat. IN the mean

 

[Ferd Berfel]

Do you have a calm chicken? You need one that will let you calmly hold it. Hold it and walk to the dog. Let the dog sniff, but not touch. When he tries to grab, pull the chicken away and FIRMLY say no. Let him sniff again. Good boy, nice chicken! Do this until the dog understands that the chicken is not to be touched. If the dog cannot or will not do this, take him back. Our two dogs have been trained this way to ignore chickens, ducks, and bite-sized kittens. You have to be able to let your dog out with your chickens running free. The right animals will coexist peacefully. Don’t let him ruin your fun.

 

[mctom]

Sorry, I started it. Just can't believe someone would do that.

Back on topic, none of my dogs are terribly interested in toys so trying to keep them busy with toys never works. Food is their only motivator, if that (the newest one was too upset to even eat when we first got her).

One other option that was suggested by our trainer for keeping the dog out of trouble for a short period of time, is to use your car as a crate. I forgot the exact logic behind it but it did work for us when we were dealing with severe separation anxiety with the dog that could even open doors in the house, as we had to have the dog with us every moment of the day, until a combination of medication plus repeated desensitization training mellowed her enough that she could be left alone for brief periods.

I would be careful with leaving a potentially destructive dog in a car, I have known a couple that ripped up and chewed the car, doing serious damage. Also, never leave a dog in a hot car.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would be careful with leaving a potentially destructive dog in a car, I have known a couple that ripped up and chewed the car, doing serious damage. Also, never leave a dog in a hot car.

Well this was under the advice of our trainer, so not something I came up with on my own. Same trainer also helped us with a previous dog with aggression issues, so she did seem to have a good read on our dogs.

Of course we did it in very short spurts at first to make sure she didn't destroy the car (she did destroy two doorframes inside the house and even broke a lock on a door, so containing her inside the house and leaving for even a minute was not an option). She took very well to being inside the car but it wasn't a "fix" - we used it in conjunction with separation desensitization training, obedience training, as well as medication.

And just to show that things CAN work out... it's been a little over a year now, and this same dog that was so anxious that you couldn't leave for even 10 seconds without her screaming and tearing doors apart, can now stay at home without us and calmly nap. Still on medication as she's still generally anxious, but we're hopefully going to start weaning her off it and see if we can get by with a reduced dosage.

 

[mctom]

I’m looking into these options as well. We already have a fenced in yard, so it’s just a matter of keeping the chickens out of his space! Do they make chicken fenceless trainer collars for the girls??? (I’m just kidding)

These invisible fences do not always work. Generally the one we had was great BUT if our border collie was excited enough about a deer or whatever, she would just run right through it, then she would be stuck outside the fence. She did this in the pitch black one night and we couldn't find her so she had to sleep outside in the snow. We found her the next morning, happy as a clam, just outside the invisible fence.