How do you safely keep chickens and dogs?

[Nostalchic]

I agree with teach1rus! It's important to teach your dogs to be around the chickens, even if you don't intend to let them freely interact, because accidents happen- as you've sadly discovered- and they need to know that the chickens are OFF LIMITS. It can be done, and sometimes amazingly quickly - dogs are, for the most part, hard-wired to recognize a dominant leader and understand that leader's ownership of something. I have a new foster dog that has been here only 10 days (a weimaraner) and initially was absolutely INTENT on going after the chickens, and the cats... I now take him out with me, off leash, with the chickens free-ranging, and he avoids them meticulously, as do my other two dogs. Would I trust any of them unsupervised? No, not really. But the alternative is having to be always on guard, and this wasn't that hard to accomplish. I certainly wouldn't let anyone else's dogs around my chickens, though!

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I keep the dogs and the chickens seperated when not supervised.

 

[nzpouter]

Quote:
you're not the odd one out, we run our 3 dogs with all our other animals. We can leave them unsupervised 24-7 if we need to.

The other thing that people seems to forget is you got to socialise the other animals with the dogs as well, a running cheeping prey can trigger any untrained/ badly trained dog chase instinct.

 

[kaddidle]

Thanks teach1rus and everyone else for sharing your experiences and giving such useful, concrete advice! I've been doing animal rescue for a number of years and have socialized my dogs with animals from mice to ferrets to cockatiels, but after one of my own dogs killed a chick I was starting to wonder if I'd made a huge mistake. I was also wondering if it was a bad idea to socialize the chicks with dogs at all as I was wondering if I'd want them to be afraid of potential predators, but the above advice about socializing the chickens to the dogs makes perfect sense, especially since I'm sure it was my Dane's desire to chase that led to the death of the second chick.

I think that I'll plan to just use common sense and caution in the future. I'm very interested in hearing about anyone else's experiences keeping dogs and chickens together.

 

[cap1717]

Mostly, you've got to have the right dog. One without a strong prey drive. One who can be taught not to "chase" them, even if they run. . . .my collie is great with them. . . big brother to the chicken sisters. I wouldn't trust my sisters dogs to be near them unless they (the chickens) were securely cooped.

 

[kaddidle]

cap1717, I think you're right. My sheepdogs that I had growing up were never a problem with the birds. I don't ever even remember training them to be gentle; they just were. My spaniel/basset mix seems just fine too and isn't the least interested in chasing them. The pit bull that killed the first chick should never have been around them.

Great Danes are descended from sight hounds (among other breeds) and a lot of sight hounds have a tendency to chase animals that they see moving off in the distance. This is something I'm definitely going to need to be conscientious about. I've heard of greyhounds that would live peacefully with cats inside the house but then would chase the same cats when they were lose in the yard. Either way, she'll require close supervision and training...a 135lb dog can make short work of a bird even just by trying to play with it.

 

[ty_09]

i got my dog used to being arounds my chickens. put him on a leash and took him with me to go feed the chickens. whenever it looked like he wanted attack one i would pull the leash and say no. after awhile he got used to the chickens and hasnt chased or attacked any since then. here and there he will go near one but he doesnt do anything to it.

 

[kota1369]

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH TEACH1
Dogs are pack animals. Keeping them away from each other makes them different packs.
I have 4 dogs with 2 (rescue cocker spaniels) 110% trustworthy left with chickens, one recently trust worthy off leash,
while we are all outside. (my starving rottwieler rescue) and an 8 mo. old german shepherd puppy who is also a work
in progress. And she is doing great on ignoring the ladies. We will be advancing on off leash with her most likely within the
next month. I am looking forward to the day this summer when all my dogs and chickens are out in the yard with us. I
will post pics on my page for sure when that happens.
Just remember it takes time and dedication, but it is possible. And I to am sorry you have lost some birds. And as far as
the pitbull grabbing the chick out of your hands. It was wrong befavior, but not what I would call agressive. He was being
a terrior who DID NOT know the rules of the house. And his owner was not paying attention to the body language of his
dog. Or does not know how to read the language. Either way, it sucks you lost it.
Keep working with your dogs. And it will be a bit easier once you have bigger birds.

The lady with 4 dogs, 4 city chickens, a rabbit with more on the way and a lizard.

 

[kaddidle]

He was being
a terrior who DID NOT know the rules of the house.

Kota1369, I think that you are right. He is dog-aggressive but he was definitely not being aggressive to the chick--he just thought he was doing his job as a terrier. He didn't growl or anything and he dropped the chick as soon as I told him to but of course it was too late. I think that's part of what has me so on edge about dogs and chickens--it only took seconds for the two chicks that I've had killed by dogs to die and I didn't have time to react.

As for the pit bull, there wasn't really time to read his language--he rounded a corner and found himself face to face with a chick (I was sitting down and holding the chick away from my body right at eye level). As his owner was apologizing profusely afterward he explained that the dog probably thought I was holding the chick out to him like a toy, which made perfect sense. That dog just should have been leashed or kept in a different room.

As for my Dane--I now know that she needs training with the chickens outside so that she understands that they're the same animals that she needs to be gentle with inside.

I probably won't ever let any of my dogs interact as closely with tiny chicks as I did with this first bunch simply because the chicks are so fragile and I realize now that even just a misplaced paw could crush one. I started off with the attitude that I'd treat chicks the same way I do newborn puppies or kittens with my dogs (which we've handled a lot of since I foster a lot and bottlefeed litters sometimes) but chicks are smaller and use different body language. I like the idea of letting the dogs watch the birds from behind a baby gate or other type of divider and I think that's what I'll do with the next young chicks that I get.​

 

[kota1369]

When I got my chicks they were in my living room with, at that time my 3 dogs. My two cocker spaniels were interested in them but in a very freindly way. Both have been fine with any animal they have been around. The black one once picked up a sparrow eating bird seed. I yelled at him to "spit it out" (he does know what it means) he opened his mouth and it flew away. He is very soft mouth and was a big help with them once they got older. I have always used the chickens as a training tool for my dogs. I will bring their training into the yard & around the chickens or there coop. I would on down and sit and heel around the chickens so they are working in the presence of the birds. It is a good distraction. Working their obediance around the chickens also is an easy way to teach them how you expect them to act around the chickens.
Take a look at the foster dog I took in who had 14 puppies at my house. This was a dog who came from a pack of five dogs and a very mentally messed up owner. This picture is after she had been at my home for 6 weeks. The puppies at this time were 4 weeks old. We taught her the rules from day one. Do NOT look at the chickens.

Well that was fun! I just had to send the cocker spaniels out as I am on my computer in my living room and see a hawk come up over the back hill.............. Love watching him race to the back fence and stomp and bark.
So..... thought well it is time to let the rotty out "off leash for the second time" She did great!!!!!!!!!! She never even looked at one. My friend went in the house and the rott and one chicken stood together waiting for her to come back out. They were about a foot an a half away from each other. My friend came outside and I went in and got the shepherd puppy on a flexi-leash and went outside and we walked all over and again........... everyone did what they are supposed to. She got up to one of the girls and sniffed her butt curiously and Peaches squawked and jumped. I said "down" in a calm matter of fact voice, and she went into a down and looked at me. The chicken was not threatened and stayed right there wil us. That is what I want!!!!!! Great second close up and personal lesson. But, this puppy is from the foster dog I had and has seen chickens from the time she was 4 weeks old. She has been very easy to train on this because of it. She also has some good (dog)examples and we clearly communicate to our dogs what we expect from them. We are all one flock or pack or family......... what ever you want to call it. We were all outside about a half hour and here came the hawk and partner............ the black cocker stomped and barked. The ladies saw them and got up close to the house and the shepherd puppy looked at them and barked twice and watched them leave. I was so proud of her. She is going to be one great dog!

here is the main chicken guard. he can go running through all 4 chickens and they will just move out of the way. They trust him as much as I do. When he barks at something they will run to him. I do not know if they are running to the safety of their dog, or if they are running to help him kick butt. I know dogs.......... I am learning chickens.

The lady with 4 dogs, 4 city chickens,