Help with my dog who wants to eat my chickens!

[BabyGirl2]

I have always been warned by elderly people (former farmers) that young dogs find chickens exciting and think it is fun and playful to chase and catch them. They've also said once a dog kills one chicken he can never be broken of it and the dog has to go. But it sounds like maybe you could try training your dog, he's learned lots of other things, why not this?

 

[yickenscarf23]

I think it's either in their nature or it isn't. I have a border collie I could lock in the coop all night and sleep soundly and I have a pitbull that I have to check and double check the gates around.

It sounds mean but I'd go the shock collar route. Give a leave it command, when he ignores apply the negative reinforcement, and treat him when he walks away. Never trust him though.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I have had dog breeds that are either hunting dogs or considered more aggressive or a mix of both breeds and I have never had a problem or worry with my dogs. My dogs all run loose ( I have had German Shepherd/Lab, Weimaraners, Dachshund, Pitbull, Boxer/Rottweiler mix, Etc) and always have as they are farm dogs. They are able to reach the horses and chickens as the chickens free range and the horse fenced. I am able to trust my dogs that they are not harming horses, chickens or each other. The hardest dog to train was actually my Miniature Dachshund.. He loves to hunt in the barn or wood pile.

The most important thing (I believe) is respect and time put in for training. I am the alpha of my "pack" of dogs. If I say "wait for me" they stop on a dime and literally hold back until I catch up. I love my dogs very much, but I also expect them to listen and I am firm about this. I had to catch one of my hens and naturally my dogs joined in to help me. Of course they thought we were going to kill the hen.. even after this excitement, my dogs never once tried to move in on another bird (except the rooster when he attacked me and I chased the rooster they joined there too). Point being dogs are pack animals and will move and mimic what they think you are doing as a pack OR what you tell them to do since your alpha.. like how I ask my dogs to wait for me. This simple command (wait/stay) could save their life if they ran toward the road or jumped out of a car door..

Make sure your dog respects you and sees you as his leader because this will make a huge difference when your out in the yard with your chickens. I am not in any way a trainer or dog behavior specialist, but I read over this article quickly and it will touch on points to help your dog and you become a better team. Some dogs are very hard wired and take a lot more time depending on the owner/dogs skills, the dogs intelligence, and how the owner lays out the goals/obedience for the dog.

https://specialtydogtraining.com/articles/fifteen-steps-to-becoming-the-pack-leader/

 

[gimmie birdies]

We got a rescue dog, when he was a pup and a stray, the only food I think he had was dead mice and horse poop, all the telling him no would not work in training him. We got a shock collar, and in one walk around the neighborhood he learned not to eat dead mice. (There were alot around that year) We also saw in town they had rattlesnake training for dogs, to prevent them from getting bit, since we have many rattle snakes here. They were using a shock collar for that also. Instead of paying someone $75 dollars to train our dog, we took a run over dead snake off the road and tied it to a fish line and trained him that way. We didn't have to even train him with the shock collar for chickens, because of the mouse and snake training, he knows if we say no we mean it. Also once the training sets in, you really don't have to shock him every time, you can use the beep-beep, just noise of the collar, no pain as a pre-warning, then they know to obey without actual shock.

 

[Skipipi]

I have a rat terrier/poodle. When I first got the chickens she went straight for them. I bought a training collar and video. It was the Don Sullivan system. It worked wonders for her. I could trust her to be with me off leash but under watchful eye. She would shake fighting every instinct in her body to please her master. It got better over time. So there is a tiny shred of hope. Now we have a shock collar. She doesn't even try with that on. I never have to use it and I beep her if she locks eyes with a chicken. Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have had excellent results with a method described in The Koehler Method of dog training, a book so old it might be out of print. I've used it on at least half a dozen confirmed chicken killers, and not one of them ever killed or chased another chicken again. You do need a dead chicken, but in each case the dog provided one. You also need an electric fencer. Basically you wire the chicken without letting the dog see you do it. Then you go in the house and release the dog. You know when the dog grabs the chicken. Then you go turn off the power to the chicken and tie the dog up in close proximity to it, within about 3'. The dog can't get away from this bird that has just given him a serious shock. You leave him there for the better part of three days so he can essentially "brainwash" himself into never wanting to touch or even look at another chicken ever again. Of course you don't leave him unattended, you keep an eye on him and you feed, water and exercise him in a humane manner.

One dog that came to me for this treatment had decimated her owner's flocks repeatedly, probably dozens of birds, and was headed for death row. Afterward, the chickens could flock all around her and even eat out of her bowl while the dog lay quietly, completely relaxed, apparently thinking, "Chickens? What chickens? I don't see any chickens."

I have never had this method fail.