Fox just chased my flock across the yard in broad daylight!

[Teery]

The dogs should keep away predators.

Do your dogs get along with chickens?

Two of them have been around chickens before one hasn't. They are shelties.

At our old place I rented, we had chickens visit from the neighbors house down the street. The dogs didn't care one bit..No aggression at all although... my wife would herd the chickens with our male. Kind of funny..but again, no agression..he would just get in front of them and cut them off or drive them where my wife wanted them to go...My wife is a chicken herder..LOL..

Our 1 year old puppy may be a problem though. She has a strong chase / herding instinct and she goes after sparrows and other birds that land in the yard...She may be on a leash for awhile...

 

[Bullitt]

All you need to do is train your dogs to keep the chickens out of the garden when you don't want chickens in the garden and you are set.

 

[nab58]

All you need to do is train your dogs to keep the chickens out of the garden when you don't want chickens in the garden and you are set.

I had to put a fence around garden to keep my dogs out! fat chance I can train the dogs to keep the chickens out!

I'm thinking a tractor may be my only alternative. The fox attack really came as a surprise as I always thought hawks would be their primary threat.

 

[Teery]

All you need to do is train your dogs to keep the chickens out of the garden when you don't want chickens in the garden and you are set.

Yah but I don't want the dogs in the garden either...They can be destructive as well...The thing is, the dogs have a recall...It is unlikely that my wife can teach a chicken a recall..LOL...

I have a acre and it is crossed fenced down the middle.... The dogs only get to run on the front half. The garden is in the back half (that is where the birds will be). I planted some tomatoes in the dogs domain...they eat them if we are not watching them...We let them out to go potty and they come back with tomatoes breath.

This year my biggest pest in the garden (other than the dogs) were gophers...but I took care of them fast..One of the easiest pests to get rid of with very little effort.

 

[Teery]

I had to put a fence around garden to keep my dogs out! fat chance I can train the dogs to keep the chickens out!

I'm thinking a tractor may be my only alternative. The fox attack really came as a surprise as I always thought hawks would be their primary threat.

I would think that the electric fence would work well if it was practical for you. I agree...I only have one dog that is garden friendly...the other two just bulldoze through it.

 

[Teila]

Yesterday, I spent many hours doing research on chickens vs. gardens. Many people stated that there chickens destroyed mature vegetable gardens as well. I thought like you, just keep them out when the plants were young....But it appears that many people have had different experiences. I also read that feather footed breeds are less destructive, but others have said that just not true..I read that Buffs Orpingtons are less destructive but others stated they are just as destructive...It is hard to get advice when each situation is unique.

I initially started off with 2 bantams (both feathered feet) who didn't eat their vegies (just seed and meat) and even though they free ranged in the garden whenever I was home; never left more than a footprint in the dirt! Sadly one of them passed away and the mourning Cilla needed company so welcome Britney (bantam leghorn..no feathers on feet). Britney's first free range she turned from cute bantam to wrecking ball! I'm thinking she was on a mission to dig her way to the centre of the earth! "Paved garden path? What paved garden path? Oh, you mean that which is only just visible through a top layer of dirt!" "Tomato plant? What tomato plant? Oh, that green, leafless stalk over there!" "Plant cutting? There was a plant cutting in that pot? Oh, I'm sorry, I thought that was a pot of dirt for digging" Luckily my wrecking ball had wormed her way into my heart or she would have ended up in the pot (yeah, like I could do that!). I learnt one thing though, if that is what a bantam leghorn can do, I am not getting a real sized one (lol). She has, however, taught Cilla (Black Cochin) how to eat vegies and lay eggs! Preparing for the worse that could happen, losing either Cilla or Britney and having one on her own again, I introduced Dusty (bantam Langshan .. partially feathered feet). Now while not a complete garden wrecker she is directly in the middle of Cilla and Britney on the damage scale! So, if it helps, in my experience Feathered Feet = none to minor damage; Partial Feathered Feet = minor to medium damage; No Feather Feet = Feathered wrecking ball !

 

[Teery]

I initially started off with 2 bantams (both feathered feet) who didn't eat their vegies (just seed and meat) and even though they free ranged in the garden whenever I was home; never left more than a footprint in the dirt! Sadly one of them passed away and the mourning Cilla needed company so welcome Britney (bantam leghorn..no feathers on feet). Britney's first free range she turned from cute bantam to wrecking ball! I'm thinking she was on a mission to dig her way to the centre of the earth! "Paved garden path? What paved garden path? Oh, you mean that which is only just visible through a top layer of dirt!" "Tomato plant? What tomato plant? Oh, that green, leafless stalk over there!" "Plant cutting? There was a plant cutting in that pot? Oh, I'm sorry, I thought that was a pot of dirt for digging" Luckily my wrecking ball had wormed her way into my heart or she would have ended up in the pot (yeah, like I could do that!). I learnt one thing though, if that is what a bantam leghorn can do, I am not getting a real sized one (lol). She has, however, taught Cilla (Black Cochin) how to eat vegies and lay eggs! Preparing for the worse that could happen, losing either Cilla or Britney and having one on her own again, I introduced Dusty (bantam Langshan .. partially feathered feet). Now while not a complete garden wrecker she is directly in the middle of Cilla and Britney on the damage scale! So, if it helps, in my experience Feathered Feet = none to minor damage; Partial Feathered Feet = minor to medium damage; No Feather Feet = Feathered wrecking ball !

I have read similar stories...But I have read the opposite as well...It may come down to birds will be birds...maybe I will get lucky, maybe not...who knows....but if I am not, I have some reasonable options (i.e. electric fence, tractor) that might work...

 

[nab58]

We've been thinking through this fox attack scenario and realized the fox attacked when the dogs and humans were all in the house. Maybe the key is to be sure the dogs are always outside when the chickens are free ranging. My dogs are small...3 Boston terrors and a crippled toy poodle, but their presence may keep the predators at bay none the less.
Now that I think of it, the dogs were barking at the side yard the day before. I wonder if the fox was scoping out the area at that time?

 

[Folly's place]

Nab, I'd worry a lot about having your little dogs out alone; They could be someone's dinner too! That fox isn't smaller, and at least here in Michigan we also have coyotes. They will take out small dogs, even in fenced yards in suburbia. Electric fencing, always on, is a good idea. Keep those birds in a predator-roof pen until that fox is GONE. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Nab, I'd worry a lot about having your little dogs out alone; They could be someone's dinner too! That fox isn't smaller, and at least here in Michigan we also have coyotes. They will take out small dogs, even in fenced yards in suburbia. Electric fencing, always on, is a good idea. Keep those birds in a predator-roof pen until that fox is GONE. Mary