how many of you let your chickens free range...and have a dog??

[mandapanda3186]

Id really prefer to let my chickens free range than to keep them in a run. 1...I bought too many chickens, and the run will have to be huge. This = a not happy husband! We have about 2 acres of a backyard. That is surrounded by woods on all 3 sides(not the 4th...that's my house) then the road is not visible because our driveway is long enough (and surrounded by trees

sooo my husbands dog is a doberman. She's decently obedient. She listens but id be afraid she would try to play when I'm not looking. I.e. doing dishes in the house while kids play outside. Is there a way I can get them aquainted so she knows to respect my hens? What should I do? Would adding a goose be sufficient? Help please! Thanks

 

[Tanichca]

we do! Have an airedale terrier, who just watches them, sometimes chases them if she gets bored. She will also fall asleep in the coop.

 

[AlienChick]

I let mine free range, and we have four dogs.

HOWEVER, I only allow the dogs with the chickens SUPERVISED because my dogs can get way too excited if a chicken begins to flap or run.

Some dogs can, however, be totally trusted with the chickens. Only you know your dogs.

 

[SIMPleChick]

Quote:
Same here! My German Shepherd is a WONDERFUL dog and I think in time won't have a problem but right now the chickens are too new and she gets super excited when the chickens start to jump and fly around. She doesn't try to eat them in a mean way, but will treat them like a toy, which can be dangerous right now! So for now, supervised only!

 

[Papa Rooster]

free range but neighbors dogs break out sometimes. but im always with them when i free range them

 

[zDoc]

I used to let mine out in the evening for the last couple of hours before dark until they started tearing up the lawn and eating my house.

So I have since expanded their run and that's going to have to do, at least until my lawn gets filled in for the summer.

 

[Inkheart]

I think it depends on the dog and their prey drive - mine are only out with the chickens when i am out there . Never unsupervised. My Dobe that passed - well she would go for any furry or feather thing out there! very gamey

 

[Jasper_899]

I let my chickens free-range out with my dogs and I have never had an issue. However, I worry about my neighbors dogs or random stray dogs that will pass through. If a dog is not trained to respect small animals at a young age then they will most likely have a very strong prey instinct to chase chickens. My golden retriever/irish setter mix was never trained around chickens when he was a puppy, but we had rabbits at the time and he quickly learned that they need to be respected. When I got my first chicks I gradually introduced him to the chicks and he treated them exactly how he treated my rabbits. Even though he has that bird dog instinct he knows that the chickens are family and accepts it. He will chase the ravens away and hawks which is a plus

My second dog grew up with the hens so he always had them around and never thought much of them. He is a husky greyhound mix and will chase anything small, besides my chickens, rabbits and the cat. But if he sees a stray cat then he will take off after it. He loves to chase things but I'm glad he grew up with the chickens around. I have a feeling he would have been harder to train to resist chasing the chickens.

You also need to consider wild predators when free-ranging your chickens. I live in Alaska so we have foxes, hawks, owls and other predators. Just be aware of the predators in your area. last summer I became way to comfortable with my chickens free-ranging. So this year I let them out early spring and lost a beautiful buff orp hen to ravens. Now I make sure to keep an eye out for ravens and if I see one I just let the dog out and he takes care of it. I guess in a way dogs can be helpful, or they can be destructive it depends on the personality of the dog and how they were trained. Its great if your dog has a good recall that way if they do get too excited you can hopefully recall them and get them back under control.

 

[HBuehler]

I free range our adult birds that are not in breeding pens and we own Jack Russell's She has some fun with them like lets make the chicken run and squawk gives them both exercise.I don't supervise her while she's out she knows the rules.Now,if it were a half grown bird she would have a snack in a second. My dogs are no different than other prey animals out there that want to eat chicken...everything likes chicken

so I also expect the birds to have a fair amount of predator awareness.

 

[mandapanda3186]

My dog does chase our cats, but playfully(bad habbit my dh taught her as he hates my cats) and we have rabbits...she's never hurt them, although occasionally my Reese would jump out of his pen outside and she chased him but came when we called. As for other predators we have coons and coyotes(rare) but they're nocturnal. And hawks, but we have so many trees I honestly haven't seen 1 flying. And would the dog help prevent hawks?
Would a goose help to keep my dog in control if she got too playful or would it just save himself?

I have introduced her a bit. She sort of acts motherly. She watches and if I let her sniff she tries to lick them. Last night as I was taping my aust. Curled toes she had her head resting on my lap.