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

[chump]

i think you shouldnt trust a young dog, or one with to much energy and nothing to do. i tie my great parenes when i let mine out and he can guard them with out playing with them (he is like 12 weeks old) so i dont trust him alone.

 

[andalusn]

As so many have said.. it depends on the dog.. My dogs know that what's moms is off limits.. I have Schipperkes while small and about the same height as the hens they hunt rats and kill them. The dogs will walk around the chickens and only get nose to beak when scraps are out and the dogs are amongst the hens. I have one Cochin hen that is fascinated by the dogs and will sneak up on them to get a good look. When I first introduced the dogs to the chickens I had them on a leash so I cold control the exposure and response.

 

[audrey02026]

I lt my free range when I am home only. I have to rotties. the female pays no mind to them at all. My male usually pays no mind buy sometimes like to heard them back into the run/coop....it's pretty funny to watch.

 

[earnhardtlvr]

Max gets along/tolerates the girlies...and let's Momma make a fool of him!

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

Yes, very much depends on the dog! My dog will chase anything that moves outside...except the horses and the chickens! It did take a lot of training as she did almost kill a chicken when she was one. (She's five now). My chickens relaxed behavior around her tells me I can trust her.

 

[Jake1297]

I have one dog that I tie when she goes out. She likes to run off when let loose. My other dog free ranges with the chickens. He could care less about them, but he does like squirrels.

 

[cram]

i've got 3 dogs....2 catahoulas and a small terrier who all do very well with the chickens. One of my catahoulas even chases crows and random birds who try to eat the chicken scratch!!! She loves her job!

 

[Darklingstorm]

I free range my chicken but unfortunately I now have to get rid of one of my dogs. He killed one my 5 week old Wynadottes the other day. I thought about trying to train him but after watching him and seeing the way he actually stalks the chickens, DH and I think its best for him to have a new home. And it really is different from dog to dog. The one that killed is 1/2 lab 1/2 chow, but our full blooded lab female (which I was actually worried about before the chicks) isn't interested in them at all. I still wouldn't trust her not to accidentally hurt one but to purposely kill one...no

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

I let my egg-laying flock free range. I have two dogs... one wouldn't touch chicken unless it was cooked and handed to her

and the other has to be confined at all times. Go figure.

 

[erijn5]

I let my Geese, Chickens, ducks, Peacocks, all free range with our dogs on 7 acres...I only do it when I am home due to the neighbors dogs have came over and terrorized before..I always keep a hand full of bottle rockets on hand and when I see their dogs heading up the hill, I just shoot a couple off and it is slowly training them to stay away and off our land...