How do you TRUST your dogs with your chicks?

[Mommysongbird]

We have 2 dogs that live inside, one is a Beagle mix and the other is a ??? Chiuahua/mini pin/rat terrior/???

So the beagle mix has been totally trying to figure out what all the chirping and cheeping is and I keep telling her that it is a baby. Today she was sitting by the table where the incubator is and she heard another chick and I went to take it out of the bator and she just had to see it. As I held it, she tried to lick it, but I didn't let her. She has been trying to look over into the brooder box and I let her a few times a day. She 'seems' okay with them, but I don't know with her breed if I can trust her.

The other one is a totally different story. He tried to bite one when I showed him. He watch my son get a chick out of the brooder and I took it and was holding it cupped in my hands so I could show him (the dog) what it is. Well at first he just smelled and then he tried to bite the chick. I told him that it is a baby, just like with our other dog, but he just doesn't seem to understand. A little background on him, he was found by Animal Control running with a pack of dogs and was brought into the shelter and lived there for a while until we 'broke' him out.

My thing is this. We have lives, my son has doctor appointments every 2 weeks and there are places that we have to go and no one will be home to supervise. How do I trust that they won't hurt the chicks while they are in the house in the brooder??

 

[gamebirdsonly]

Never trust any dogs. Just my 2cents. I've lost plenty of birds to my own dogs. Anyway good luck.

 

[aggie9296]

I would keep the chicks locked in a room away from the dogs. Or vice-versa. They are too much like squeaky toys right now.

 

[arabianequine]

I don't and have 5 dogs. Well the duck is loose and beats up the small dogs so not a problem but my saint can't be out there with the duck.

 

[Mommysongbird]

I am just not sure where I can put the chicks when we leave. The only rooms we have with doors are our bathroom and this back 'porch' room and neither are heated, not even sure if we can get the brooder into either of them.

 

[azalea]

I have 2 dogs. One *might* be okay with the birds, but I prefer not to take chances or have to constantly supervise. So the dogs are behind a fence and the chickens are in a fenced run. It's the only way I get to really relax and watch chicken TV!

 

[aggie9296]

Dogs in the bathroom are fine with water and food. Even over night if you have to. It's bigger than the cages they use at the kennel. Put down a pee pad if you will be gone for more than 12 hours.

You might get away with the brooder up high on a table or counter if the dogs are not good jumpers.

 

[Mommysongbird]

We have dog kennels but kennels and our little dog (the one I def. don't trust) aren't made for each other. When we first got him, we had to put him in the kennel when my son went to the doctor and when we came home, the whole back of the kennel was ripped out. Still not sure how he did it.

We can probably put them in the bathroom, we'll try and see how that goes.

 

[patandchickens]

Perhaps you could *put* a door on the room the brooder is in? Doesn't have to be done all fancy with real door and real hinges -- just a scrap door (or piece of plywood) and some eyebolts and such, as a strong-but-temporary arrangement. Make sure to screw into good solid wood, not just trim.

Pat

 

[Mommysongbird]

Quote:
I would like to find a taller baby gate. That is what we have at our bedroom door way and they don't try to jump it or anything. I would rather put the dogs in the kitchen where their water (automatic, hard to move) is, but I would have to make a 'door' out of something that they could not go through or jump over. I feel a brainstorm coming. Thanks