Getting ready for my chicks arrival!...Also Raising chicks near Dogs!

[Chicken7777]

Hi, i am soo excited because this week i receive my chicks from Ideal poultry this week, I can't wait to have them( 3 Golden comets, 2 red sex links, 3 amerecaunas, 2 white rocks, 3 plymouth rocks, and maybe some packing peanut chicks with the order too!) i am getting things ready for them, their brooder, feed (need some help deciding something natural/organic feed brand), and everything else...please tell me if there is something else i should take care of before they arrive.

But i do have a question regarding having chickens; poultry in general around dogs or one Golden Retriever in my situation. My dog is very obedient, and nice she wont be a problem around the poultry, but what i am wondering about is that she does use the bathroom in the yard anywhere she wants to and when my chicks are bigger i would like to have them roam around the yard a little but i am worried if the grass that they might eat in the yard might be infected with something if my dog pees on the grass. Should this be a problem with the poultry(chickens, ducks) being in the yard and eating grass?(can cocci come from other animals?) or would it be a problem around my dog(chicken poop, etc)
Well i appreciate the help, thank you!

 

[gritsar]

My advice? Don't assume because you have such a sweet and loving dog that the dog would never hurt a chick. I too have a sweet and gentle dog, a very obedient irish wolfhound. I never trusted her around chicks and still don't. When I made a mistake and left the way open for her to get to my chicks, she picked one up and carried it in the house. Sure, she only meant to play with it but the chick could have been hurt just the same. It wasn't thankfully, but it could have been. Just my 2 cents.

 

[austinhart123]

i love ideal....they hav the best little chicks........no they should br fine

 

[jossanne]

We have chickens and dogs, and have never had a chicken sick from being around them.

I just got chicks from Ideal less than two weeks ago, and they're dong great. Vigorous and healthy. I hope yours are the same. I'm excited for you!

 

[ears73]

Hi Chicken777!

You most certainly need a thermometer and a heating lamp in your brooder, but I am figuring you know this already...

I have three dogs roaming about and the chickens (now almost 6 months old) free range unfenced together on our three acres. Early on, I left the room to the brooder open and our Vizsla (a bird dog/pointer) grabbed one. Before I even got back in there because of the squawking, he had dropped her, but she died -perhaps of fright -she had no blood or open parts, but the dog certainly could have crushed her insides too.

All dogs went into the brooder room when they were itty bitty chicks to get them used to it -but right away this one dog was transfixed. I knew to be careful with him, but he snuck in when I was not careful and we lost my avatar -Toaster.

Our lovely ee who looks like she would have had amazing coloring, and who was the only chick our youngest son named.

My suggestion is this: take the dog in when the babies are in the brooder, and watch her - does she quiver? Does she sniff then walk away? Two of our dogs just walked away; it was the third one who was all aquiver... Take them in at each different stage. Now when they are all outside together, I am usually there too -but the birds are certainly bigger than their cute-toyinsh looking start. One dog who kills opossum, squirrel, chipmunk, raccoon leaves the chickens alone - he knows that they come before him in the hierarchy at our house -we feed the chickens from our hands often, and he gets food in the bowl! But seriously, watch your dog. Her instinct is to chase and kill small animals -it is possible to have them range together -we do it every day - but I realize if our dog slips up and gets one of the birds it is my fault entirely.

As far as dog poo and pee goes, the birds seem to stay away from that. I am not sure how big your property is, but eating grass that has pee on it might be inconsequential.

Good luck!

 

[Chicken7777]

Well yea, i know i shouldnt trust any dog with anything smaller than its size but i kind of trust my dog is funny to say. But i will take precuations and will let her get accostumed to it. Along with the pee in the lawn i hope it isnt a problem...the chicks are born tomorrow and shipped tomorrow...can wait to see them!!1

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Our dogs seem to want to eat the duck poop

so i try to scoop up any obvious one's off of the lawn, and bury the one's on the dirt...neither of them have had any sickness though so i don't think dog poo hurts poultry or poultry poo hurts dogs

My dogs also seem to think the goats are like a poo-pez dispenser and follow them around munching down too...barf...like i said no sickness from it though...

 

[ears73]

Quote:

ewwww, my dogs do the same. lol@poo-pez, how funny!

 

[rebbetzin]

I don't let my dog be alone with the chickens. He makes "play postures" at them through the wire. I know he would attempt to play with them, but he is way too big.

I had a dream last night he snatched one of the chickens, and carried it off to the compost pile and killed it!

 

[Sequin]

From what I understand, once you have Coccidia(sp?) on your property it remains on your property. If the dog eats the dirt, or licks it paws after digging in the dirt it can pick it up. I could be off base there slightly, but yes, there are things that can pass between different species of animals. If your animals are all healthy, and have a good large area to roam, I think you will be alright. Just make sure everyone stays as healthy as possible and that is the best/only thing you can do. Your dog can bring things home from going on walks, trips, etc. just like you can bring stuff home on your shoes when you walk in the door. There is so much to worry about in that regard - it is better to just practice keeping everything clean, and healthy inside and out with good food and a good cleaning routine than worrying over every little possibility.

Congrats on getting your new chicks!!!