Our black lab has never, ever, bothered any of our chickens. In fact, one day I watched as he lay in the barn and one of our young pullets hopped up on his back and started pecking dirt off him. I had to shoo the chicken away because she was getting too close to the dogs face for my comfort. I hope it does all work out for your sister. I'm sure with your guidance and knowledge, she too will become a happy chicken keeper!
I have 2 labs. One chocolate and one black. My chocolate is almost 12 years old so getting at chickens is the last thing on her mind. It might mean she has to do something they call running.. lol.. but my black lab got flogged through the coop one day and got in before I could get to her. She tore through the chicken wire like it was a sheet of plastic. Killed one chicken and wounded another. I got the point accross that she was wrong for doing that, and now she walks down to the coop every morning with me, and sniffs out the bottom of the coop. She dont bother them anymore but im still cautious when she is with me.
my border collie is to energetic to be around the chickens. She wants to play and well, they can't play rough. The black lab mix is awesome with the chicks and ducks, despite being attacked by the drake a few times. She babies the chicks. They aren't fussed by her at all. A sparrow lands on the fence near the coop and run and she chases them off.
It seems to me that labs and goldens are pretty easy to teach that the chickens arent THE BIRDS that they are supposed to get. I sure wish my Parson's Russel Terrier could be taught that easily! THe prey drive is just too great! Terri O
Quote:I had a relative also jumped into farm/chicken rising. Came over to look at my successful twenty year setup, asked a few questions, and then proceeded exactly opposite of what my setup was. (See my BYC page for pics of my setup). They built their coop on concrete, got too many birds, resulted in a ammonia reeking mess the first summer and dying birds, then proceeded to allow free range which resulted in 99% dead by predation within the first week of that from mostly their own dogs, then the remainder killed by night time predation, probably raccoons. I can help ignorance, I cant fix stupid.
Quote:just started introducing my LGDs (who live with my goats) to the flock... turkeys chickens guines ducks geese... at first they wanted to pounce those that flee... then sniff those that don't... and then, eat all the poop. I figure by the time they finish "becoming one" with the flock, I'll have a very clean bird yard.
My Chicken Protector. I dare anyone to try and hurt his girls. My do g love his chickens to lay around with and play with and protect. My dog has taken to be their CHAMPION!! Funny Rhodesian Ridgeback Steve
If she hasn't thought of it, she will when a dog gets one of her lovely little ladies. We had 2 dogs when we got the chicks, and one of them ended up locked in the basement for the day with the chicks, she ate the feed out of the bag, but didn't touch the birds. Our other golden is curious, but did nothing. Then we took in another golden, and was let into the temporary pen by my 4 yo and had his way with a chicken, it killed my favorite buff. I believe he was playing and not trying to kill it. In any event, when the chickens get out and fly over the temporary pen we have set up, they keep a watchful eye, but I'm pretty sure they won't eat the chicken. Yes, we have an electrical fence boundary, but the chickens do roam within the dogs' limits and they really just watch, and don't approach. I've worked with them slightly to teach them they are not toys!