Getting my dog used to my chickens!

[Mamachic1967]

I have a 3 year old Lab/Weim. He is a bird chaser. He gets excited when he sees the chickens. I haven't let him near them, tying him today because today was the first day they went outside into their pen. I am telling him "Nice chickens, Nice Ladies (what I call them)".
What can I do to train him to be gentle and calm around my hens? I don't want him frightening them. He's very attached to me and I think there is a little jealousy happening. He is getting as much attention if not more since I brought the chickens home, but sharing me with another person, let alone another animal is hard for him.
Any suggestions?

 

[Toddrick]

Put a choker collar on him and walk (and/or "heal") calmly around the yard. When he lunges at the chickens do what you should always do, tell him to "leave it" and tug the leash. Give him a little treat when he ignores the birds and calms back down (this keeps his focus on you, not them). Repeat daily/weekly. Take him out with you to collect eggs and close the coop, for example. Let him get the smells but never let him get excited, always use the leash to train that out of him. Make him sit/stay at your side while you throw bread to the birds, and give him treats too. After a couple weeks of this he will be bored with the birds and know not to mess with them.

I raise Labs. From what I've seen at the obedience classes, Weims have less self control, so I don't know if you could ever trust him to be out without a leash if the birds are free ranging. But you are guaranteed to have a better outcome of you train him as above if he does get off leash accidentally. If you see him chasing the birds, "leave it" might make him stop, for example.

 

[Mamachic1967]

Thank you! This is very helpful! "Leave it" is something he understands as I use it frequently. Tomorrow morning will be first day of this training. Perfect! Thank you!

 

[Mamachic1967]

Rush is loving the gals! Thanks for the suggestions to train him, it worked!