How to get family dog not to eat the chicks.

[Hatrick]

So we have a 18 month old Lab mix who is feeling demoted for sure now that the "girls" have arrived.
We had them outside today for the first time (they didn't want to leave my lap which was surprising and messy for me) and Abbie (our dog) was lying next to me watching them intently and then she licked one of them and then she tried to put her teeth on one of them. She regrets that now I'm sure.
Is this the best way to make her keep her teeth to herself (taking them out, keeping watch and correcting her if she tries to bite)? I'm sure once the "girls" are full size Abbie might think twice, but right now...they're just nuggets to her.

 

[Alyssandra]

I am not sure what the best way is...but with my lab husky mix she has been keeping an eye on the brooder and anyime they make a noise she thinks is an unhappy one she runs over to check on them....well one day one jumped out of the brooder and she went running and I caught her just as she was putting the chick in her mouth (I think she was just going to do the mommy thing to move the chick back) she got scolded and since then hasn't tried to "help" them...but I would deffinatly keep an eye on your dog....and imediatly correct bad behavior (mine you just have to say no and go lay down and she knows she is in the "dog house"). I am sure otheres with more experience have a better answer as I have only been doing this for 5 weeks. Good luck!

 

[NJbirdlover]

IMO the only way to keep your chickens safe is to ALWAYS keep them separated. Your dog is a natural predator it's just what they do. There have been numerous posts about how the "family dog" turned and killed every last one of their chickens.

There are people lucky enough to have a dog who has become the "chicken protector" of their yard but if it were me, I just wouldn't take the chance!

Good luck!

 

[RendonRoo]

Our yorkie is very jelous but she still keeps a watch out for our chicks. It's kinda funny.

 

[columbiacritter]

COnstant correction until it's ingrained in her behavior to avoid them. And, a big AND, always praise her hugely for not bugging the chickens.

 

[cimarron]

i knew a lab who was friends with the chickens and followed them around the yard, playing with them. i know this sounds like "he was getting ready to eat them", but no, he was just being a big sweet ol' dopey lab.

but in your situation, i'd err on the side of caution. your dog will almost definitely need some degree of supervision, and a period of training for her to know the rules with the nuggets.

 

[Davaroo]

How to get family dog not to eat the chicks?

Electric Fence.

 

[Justaheifer]

Hi Hatrick!
Right now I have a 7mo old lab/rotti and a 3year old lab/rotti that have just recently met their first chicks!
Both have been running free with more ducks and chickens than I can count, but the chick thing is a new one for them.
When I first got the chicks, each dog was introduced, and they were given the short series of profanities I use for serious correction, but started with the word "mine"!
I also have a hen that just came off the nest with a bunch of chicks, if I see either of the dogs even looking at them, they get the "mine" followed by the list of profanities!
I did catch the pup following a hen with 1 chick the other day, I reminded him they are "mine"! I haven't seen him bug her since.
I also have another lab/rotti and a retriever. The retriever will shake and drool, watching chicks, but she knows, they are "MINE" and won't touch them!

Please note, I am not suggesting the use of profanities, it's just the words that I have come to use! I was told by a dog trainer years ago, that dogs hate the word "phooey", so the word phooey is in the list too!

 

[astatula]

Dogs are predatory animals and especially predatory to something that runs away and squeaks . Running from a dog, and asking the dog not to chase, is like asking a baby not to cry. Make a place for the chickens and a place for the dogs and never allow either in the others area.

 

[emvickrey]

I have 4 dogs and 3 of them will not bother the chickens. And actually it is the Labs job to fend of predators and she does it with pride. I have a chow mix which is 13 years old. All I have to do is tell her that they are our babies and they live here now and she leaves them alone. She will check them out a sniff here and there but other than that she doesn't have anything to do with them. Well, before we built the covered run and would toss treats for the chickens to get her and the other dogs would stand watch to grab the treats but never bother the chickens. The lab fought off a skunk to protect the coop. The chihuahua heards them. She will make a quick dash just to make them run but she never tries to hurt them. But Beauregard, the Saint Bernard will kill them. He is just playing but they don't hold up well under his huge paws. He hasn't killed any but we have always saved them. One got a broken toe and bruised thigh but was fine. We keep him in a pen.

My answer is to train your dog to listen to your commands. No means no. My older dog knows English. I know she does. People say dogs can't but she does.