Help! We are trying to find a dog who can live with chickens but doesn't eat ALOT.

[sheldojo]

We have fifteen fenced in chickens..We just got a red heeler hoping he would be more of a herder than an eater but, 8 dead chickens later..we had to rehome him. Trying to find a breed that will not kill our chickens but not over 100 pounds..our family dog will have to be outside most of the time but, with 6 kids, will get lots of attention. Any breed suggestions?

 

[Kaitie09]

There is no good chicken dog breed. It is all about training. Dog will naturally chase after a flighty chicken. Even Livestock Guardian Dogs take months to train before they can really be trusted around birds.

 

[nzpouter]

A well trained pitbull.

 

[Peaches Lee]

We have fifteen fenced in chickens..We just got a red heeler hoping he would be more of a herder than an eater but, 8 dead chickens later..we had to rehome him. Trying to find a breed that will not kill our chickens but not over 100 pounds..our family dog will have to be outside most of the time but, with 6 kids, will get lots of attention. Any breed suggestions?

Is the dog going to live outside or just spend long periods of time outside? It is really hard to say what breed would be best as it does seem to really come down to the individual dog, however you could avoid dogs that were specifically trained to have high prey drives. Perhaps you could go to a shelter and explain your situation and they may have some insight for you. Good luck!

 

[Stacykins]

We have fifteen fenced in chickens..We just got a red heeler hoping he would be more of a herder than an eater but, 8 dead chickens later..we had to rehome him. Trying to find a breed that will not kill our chickens but not over 100 pounds..our family dog will have to be outside most of the time but, with 6 kids, will get lots of attention. Any breed suggestions?

Australian Cattle dogs are herders. But not for fowl. Chickens don't herd like sheep or cattle, they scatter and run. This sets off the prey drive instinct in most dogs (running, flapping, screaming thing = prey).

I think you really need to do a great deal of research for the next dog. It isn't fair when you want a dog to do something it can't. Trying to make any high energy, high prey drive dog (like an aussie cattle dog) be around chickens is asking for dead chickens. And it is not the dog's fault.

You need to find a dog with a very low prey drive. One that is ambivalent towards chickens.

 

[lyoness]

Was your experience with an adult dog? Had it ever been around poultry or other livestock before?

Our Heeler/Border Collie mix, Kota, gets along great with our chickens. HOWEVER, she has been around them since she was a pup, and was taught that they are her friends (not food!).

I think if you have a dog that has never been around chickens, and chickens that have never been around a dog - when they get thrown together, everyone is just going to freak out and let their instincts take over. Like Stacykins said. Dogs are naturally predators, and chickens are naturally prey.

When we get new birds, we still we make it a point to be sure they have quite a bit of supervised interaction with Kota before we'll let them wander where she can get to them. When she does try to chase or herd them, it's actually just comical. Because the chickens know her and are really not that afraid of her either..



I really can't think of any sturdy, middle-sized, fun, attention-loving breeds that would be less likely to have an issue(?). Kota has really been the perfect dog for us, and we had pretty similar criteria... it just took a little work.

If I could offer one suggestion though:
1. Dog-proof your chicken enclosure. Even if your dog isn't a problem, neighbors' dogs and other predators could be.

 

[lyoness]

...a big chain-link dog run is also an excellent tool for keeping dogs and other things out. This is where we keep our young birds while they get used to life on our half-acre farm.

 

[1234ro]

I have a lab, retriver cross (jazzy). we trained her since she was a pup, and has always been great with the chickens once they are full sized, the chickens will even fly onto the dog. And she is great with kids, i think your best bet is a lab or a lad cross

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I agree, it is not the type of dog but the training the dog has. We have a red heeler and he is wonderful with the chickens. He accidentally steam rolled some chicks once barreling down a hill but he didn't do it on purpose. Most of the chickens are used to him and don't even run away. In fact, my geese chase him!

We got him as a puppy (he was an older puppy, but still young enough.) we put him around chickens, goats, and horses right away. We've actually used him to herd back lost chickens (sometimes the herding results in some lost tail feathers, but a safe chicken is all that matters!)

Anyway, a good fence and good manners makes for a better chance of having a dog good with chickens. However, occasionally dogs will have just one moment where they revert back to instinct. That's where supervision and a good fence comes in.

 

[SA Farm]

I've had heelers and they've always been perfect with my birds. But I also do a huge amount of basic - advanced training before they're even 10 weeks old, which helps a lot. I also give them long daily walks and play fetch with them on a regular basis to prevent boredom. Most dogs will find ways to entertain themselves if they're bored and chasing a chicken is highly amusing for a dog. I also don't have my dogs living outside without a run and/or kennel.
I've seen terrier mixes be great with poultry - even my beagle won't eat my chickens. He just sniffs after them. Again, lots of training when he was little.
It comes down to a few basic things: prey instinct in the dog, age of the dog, and training the dog gets.
If you are contacting a breeder ask them about the parents, the temperament and the prey drive. If you're meeting the puppies, I would recommend picking out a few that really seem to suit you, then ask the breeder if you can come back and bring a chicken. Introduce the puppy to the chicken and watch the reaction. If the puppy shows immediate interest in biting the chicken, probably not a good choice. If you're not sure how to introduce a puppy or dog to a chicken properly and safely, contact a local dog training professional to give you a hand.

The main thing is, if you're not willing to put the work and money into training a dog, don't get one. The training you put into the dog in the first 6 months will last a lifetime. The more you do and the earlier you do it, the better.