Hi, aspiring new chicken owner here :)

MonicainAZ

Chirping
May 21, 2015
206
23
81
Phoenix, AZ
Hi!

I have been reading this forum for a week or so, and really enjoying it. I am hoping to get 4 or so hens for my urban backyard. My biggest concern is that my two border collies will be able to behave appropriately around the chickens - basically not stalking them through the fence 24/7! Thanks for all the support and I'm glad to be here and looking forward to my first chickens!

Monica
 
700


I recommend half inch hardware cloth for coups.. Maybe section off part of your yard.
 
Welcome to BYC!
Have you already worked to build a good foundation of training with your dogs in general? If so, this gives you an excelling starting point for working on training specific to your birds.
 
Welcome to BYC
My chickens are in a fenced chicken garden while the dogs enjoy the garden. When the dogs are inside, the chickens are allowed to free range the full garden. Just to be on the safe side ;)
 
Nice to meet you Monica. Dogs tend to love chickens in the wrong way. New members tell us frequently that their dog slaughtered all their chickens. Actually they usually say he was playing with the chickens - same result. Dogs + chickens = dead chickens. It's generally best if they never meet. When chickens panic they flap and fly around erratically which is just too tempting for dogs to resist.
 
Yes, my dogs are obedience competition dogs. :) In general, they are pretty compliant dogs and I'm an experienced trainer. But, they're still border collies, so when they decide to get obsessed about something, there's only so far that training can penetrate, LOL. They seem to have been OK when I've had them around ducks a few times at herding events, they know when to knock it off. They also each have about 1/2 an hour of herding training, LOL.

But yeah, I don't really expect they'll get to the point they are safe with the chickens free range, only that they will at least be able to let the chickens mill about in their run without having to stare at them all day!!
 

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