How can I ensure that my 10 week old puppy will be good with my chickens??

[Snugypope]

I have a 10 week old puppy that im kind of nervous about when she gets older and is around them... The chickens are very afraid of her for some reason, but they are not afraid of my adult dog. I think that the predator that was attacking my chickens before was similar to my puppy or something... I can not keep her if she ends up killing chickens.. How can i make sure she will be good with my chickens??

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I do not know that you can completely ensure it, some dogs will kill prey regardless of what you do. But getting the dog as a puppy helps alot, that and having an older dog to teach the puppy how to behave. Allow the puppy to be around your chickens, and quickly correct any aggressive behavior (even if the puppy is just playing).

 

[Suzie]

A ten week old puppy will need to be on a lead when introducing to your chickens...it takes a long time to train a puppy to understand the rules...the reward comes when your puppy ignores the chickens...and eventually understands that the chickens are a part of your extended family...you need to spend a lot of time associating the puppy with your flock and it will become desensitised to the chickens.

I do not know the breed of the puppy but with a lot of training harmony will prevail.

I have GSD's that I have been training for many years and they live in complete harmony with my chickens, ducks and geese...

 

[aart]

The chicken might be afraid of the puppy but not the dog because the puppy is new.
I am amazed at how my chickens run and huddle away from someone new walking into the yard, but not from familiar tho infrequent visitors.
The puppy's movements and excitement are probably quicker and more erratic that the adult dogs too, the birds sense this and it makes them nervous.

Train the puppy to leave the chickens alone, just like you will hopefully train it to leave other things alone.
Keeping the puppy on a lead is necessary so he can't 'get into trouble'.

 

[bobbi-j]

Training, training, training! I agree with Aart that the chickens are probably more afraid of the puppy because it's new. Chickens don't do change well, and they are a prey animal so their instinct is to be afraid of anything that they think might eat them. Keep puppy on a leash, correct undesirable behavior, and supervise any interaction for a very long time. Depending on the breed of dog, it could take months or more than a year for you to be able to trust your pup with the chickens. Our last dog was a black lab - great hunter, but never bothered the chickens. He was introduced to them at 8 weeks old, and as far as I know, never showed any aggression toward them. My current dog - a mutt that we believe is part Redbone Coonhound, Lab, and Golden Retriever - killed 11 of my meat birds when he was 6 months old. He just turned 2, and while he's good around them most of the time, I have had a chicken go missing here and there, and I'm beginning to think that he has picked them off. Not often, every few months or so. The reason I think this is because I saw him carrying a dead one into our woods one day when I drove in the driveway. He came out of the woods to greet me (without the chicken) and was acting all happy to see me. When I went out to the woods and found the chicken, he immediately put his tail between his legs and tried to crawl under my car. He knew he'd done wrong. After asking someone who's judgement I trust why he'd do that, I was told it could be from boredom or frustration. So, again - training, training, training, and close supervision for a very long time until you feel you can trust the dog.

 

[Folly's place]

As others have said, TRAINING for a long time! On leash, obedience preferably without the cookie monster approach, and time out there on leash with you and the birds learning 'leave it!' and general politeness. Some breeds and individuals will be MUCH more difficult than others. Mary

 

[wolfchicken]

All my dogs and cats have loved my chickens. Just be around for the first two to three months when ever your dog is around the chickens. If dog acts aggressive pick up and lightly but firmly tap on the nose. If the chickens act aggressive pick up and firmly peck(use finger nail in pecking action) on back of head next to comb. Will definitely help