Help!!!STOLEN CHICKENS NEED GUARD DOG!!!!!

[sms1225]

I have 25 free range chickens that free range during the day and are locked up at night in their predator safe run and coop. We have 24 hens and 1 rooster! The rooster is very aggressive, so I have felt good about him being a good guardian.

This evening when we went up to feed and water, I am missing one hen, and no feathers or body to be found. I also had someone steal my eggs 2 weeks ago. We have a 4 acre farm where the chickens reside, that is a 1/2 mile from our house. We also have 2 horses there, and have never had any trouble with the horses.

I am thinking about a guard dog, Can anyone suggest a good guard dog breed that would be good with family members, horses and guard the chickens, and not hurt the chickens. The dog would reside at the farm.

Thanks for any other suggestions, besides a dog,etc.

 

[redhen]

they say great pyr's are really good..

 

[Wifezilla]

Yeah...been seeing lots of posts about those big white fluffy guys. I would have to get a bigger house and yard to get one though...LOL

 

[Anny]

Sometimes simply putting up a "fake" or real camera that is easy to see will keep people away since they think they are being watched

 

[Fredster]

I'm by no means an expert, but I can't say anything but good things about the two Great Pyrs we got to protect our flock last week. They bark at threats (both human and animal), keep watch over the flock (and herd them away from threats), and chase hawks away.

I don't think I could've asked for a more perfect pair of dogs.

 

[gumpsgirl]

So sorry you are having a problem with your chickens. As far as a good guard dog goes, I would go with a Great Pyrenees. You can't beat them as livestock guard dogs. I would love to get one myself!

 

[Poohbear]

"My Girls" as I call them are two snow white Great Pyrenees sisters that weigh in the neighborhood of 150 pounds each. best dogs for chickens I've ever had. They patrol all night and sleep most of the day. No training except what they knew by instinct. They LOVE children (especially my grand-daughter) and are not man aggressive EXCEPT at night. At night they are SERIOUS about their duties of taking care of the fowl and guarding the farm. There are ALWAYS Great Pyrenees being brought into the shelters and dog pounds but if you look at different places on the internet, you can find them cheap or for free. Mine are rescues and I NEVER thought I'd own dogs like this but they were together and I couldn't bear to take one from the other. They are outside dogs but I have built a 6'X6'X6' pen with a wooden bottom and lights as a "Doghouse". they really only go in there occaisionally and prefer to lay on the lawn during the day. Heat bothers them, cold does NOT! they are a perfect cold weather dog. Don't eat any more than most dogs but they SHED alot and will give VERY WET HUGS!

. I couldn't imagine trying to have my birds without them. They earn their keep a hundred times over and I think they listen to me while I ramble on when I'm in the fowl yard.

 

[MTlion86]

If you can't get a GP lookup shetland sheep dogs, the small collies, they were breed for chicken protecting. probably just from foxes and the like.

 

[Verboten]

My suggestion would be to put up a gate if there is not one and get a car or motor home (if there isn’t a house) that looks like it might run - park it there and move it slightly at least weekly.

I got a larger place (land wise) recently, cleaned it up a bit (still looks like something out of deliverance - but I‘m working on it), and put up signs - I thought that would do. Anyway, I had a number of people turn around in the driveway (strange I think because the road goes nowhere and says so a few times) and while I was there one night I had a couple of “kids” drive right past the signs - after reading them (they nearly say that there is a “dead line”) right up to the house that looks like someone who would eat your liver lives there (smart huh?) to presumably have relations (how romantic). Well, I stayed at that rat-hole for 2 days until I got the gate up, no problems since.

I also write down the license plate numbers of people who are “lost” or “out for a drive” and make sure that they see me do it.

Best of luck to you!

edit: I too thought about getting a dog just to stay there but knowing how I am, I would worry about the dog more than anything else = problem not solved!

 

[Redtopranch]

Hey SMS,

I have a Great Pyrenees named Samson. He is about a year and a half old and he watches out for my chickens. He is great!! Although sometimes I'll hear him chasing off some critter in the early hours. I free range about 18 hens during the day and have 15 BO's that are about 10 weeks old in a portable coop. He's good with all of them. Once you teach (scold) the GP not to mess with the chickens... they will "imprint" that this must belong to him and he/she is to protect it. Hope that helps.

Paul