How to train my Border Collie to herd my chickens

[Stse586]

I have two working line border collies that I do sometimes use for the chickens. I mainly use them on my sheep, but they are useful if I need to catch a couple of loose chickens or round them up. The dogs have to remain calm since if the chickens panic, it kind of becomes everyone for themselves and they don't regroup like sheep. Atleast with the chickens I have, I think it would be frustrating for the dog if I was asking anything complicated. It would be easier for the dog to learn commands and work on runner ducks. If there isn't anyone near bye, you could buy herding instruction videos. I am nowhere near an expert and I take lessons so I can hopefully do a novice level usbcha trial next year. It really helps to have someone critique you.

As far as GSD's as a livestock guardian, I think it depends on the dog. I know my two have high prey drive since I train in schutzhund, but they leave the chickens alone. I think any laid back dog that would leave the chickens alone and alert/investigate to a strange animal on the property would be ok. That would scare off most daytime predators.

 

[dainerra]

oh a GSD could DO the job. After all, they were bred to be a "moving fence" constantly circling the flock to keep them confined in an area. Border collies, for instance, are drivers. They "drive" the sheep where the shepherd says he wants them to go. They get behind them (or in front) and move them where they need to go. A GSD, on the other hand, keeps the sheep contained. He is constantly moving and circling to keep the grazing flock in the meadow where they are grazing. GSDs can "drive" as well, but it's still not the same as other herders. They are more along the lines of "stupid sheep, I said go that way" and take "herding" to a literal sense in that they will physically push the sheep in the direction they want it to go.

However, they are velcro dogs and they are NOT good to be left outside alone. They are meant to have a close one-on-one with their owner. They love to have a job, but that job NEEDS to include their owner.

 

[kfacres]

the dog is a waste of time.. your chickens will return to roost in their coop every night, without herding...

btw, we raise BC dogs... Your dog will need to know come by, away to me, and down, very well, very well... chickens are easy to herd, they just need steared, instead of nipped at...

 

[kindir]

I have border collies (who are all trained on sheep at varying levels). My dogs will not herd ANYTHING except sheep. I had my sheep in with some goats at one point and the funniest thing - my dog went in and carefully herded the sheep out of the group of goats excluding EVERY SINGLE GOAT from the group. I couldn't believe it! I also tried them on Indian Runner ducks before I had sheep because they have some "flocking" behavior. Nope, wouldn't even look at them.

I eventually managed to get my oldest and most well-trained dog to hold chickens in one spot for me, but she wouldn't move them despite being magnificently whistle trained and highly experienced on sheep. She just couldn't transfer the behavior to chickens

I have seen lots of BC's who will herd ducks (just not MY BC's!) but haven't known of any who would herd chickens - they don't flock terribly well for a dog as far as I can tell. But I never say never - I'm very sure there are some out there and if you are one of them - post video, I'd love to see it!

 

[Fidgekitty]

Thanks for the great advice everyone.

For the GSD/Mal, it really does depend on the dog, like I said, I personally know neighbors who leave there Mal's unattended with their chickens in the back yard, never an issue, but they worked for a long time, and very carefully from a young age to show the dogs that the chickens are part of the pack, not prey. Also knew some ranchers in CA before I moved who had similar success with an Aussie and a GSD. But it depends on the dogs and owners. I personally wouldn't leave my BC alone with my chickens, even though she's never show agression toward them or any small animal.

As for hand signals and whitstles, that was kind of an unintentional training for her, I would make the same signals when I'd want to her to sit, lay down, or if she tried to walk in front me or away from me while walking off leash, never really gave it much though, I'm just a talk with my hands kind of person. Now I hardly have to make a noise to direct her to do what I want, so she's likely a good canidate for herding.

I would leave the chickens to go back to their roost but that would mean leaving the fence open and there are several free roaming dogs/foxes/coyotes with zero fear of people who would likely snatch them up. I'd rather have them in the roost before dark anyway. I live out in sticks in Wyoming, predators galore. I'm also going to see if DH will build a little tunnel/run that leads from the gate of the yard to the door of the coop, then I can herd them myself lol.

I'll definitely look into some herding videos though

 

[Hinotori]

I haven't trained my GSD to herd, but from a young age I taught her to go find my old deaf schipperke and bring her back. Since my schip has been gone, I started steering this toward chickens. I can tell her to go get the chickens and she will go pick out ONE from the group and bring it to the coop at a time. If they are free ranging and we need to leave this helps so much.

Left alone, she doesn't like them ranging to far out and will push them in to where she is comfortable with it. Other than that she mostly ignores them now. She finally got over wanting to lick their bums.

 

[Maggiesdad]

I haven't trained my GSD to herd, but from a young age I taught her to go find my old deaf schipperke and bring her back. Since my schip has been gone, I started steering this toward chickens. I can tell her to go get the chickens and she will go pick out ONE from the group and bring it to the coop at a time. If they are free ranging and we need to leave this helps so much.

Left alone, she doesn't like them ranging to far out and will push them in to where she is comfortable with it. Other than that she mostly ignores them now. She finally got over wanting to lick their bums.

LOL - doggie treat dispenser...

 

[Ole rooster]

True. The way BO's herd is not the way you want them to work chickens. One nip and a chickens could die. The dogs don't always just run and bark. Morgan, my founder, will herd the chickens, especially if they get to far away from each other. I had to work with them to get um in the coop at night. I don't know that Morgan understands that's where they spend the night. That's a good idea though.

 

[Maggiesdad]

I've got a mixed breed BC pup that's showing strong herding instinct with my chickens. If I could train her to work with them the way I want her to it would be sooo helpful, since I want my birds free ranging.

I lost a hen to a hawk yesterday, and when we got home my roo came barking (?!

) to tell us something was wrong, Our 8yo Black Lab led us straight to the scene of the crime.

 

[kizanne]

Ok not trying to go off the OP's questions but....

It would probably be easier to train your chickens than your dog.

I don't have any trouble getting mine to go where I want them (most the time). I keep live mealworms and they'll do anything for them. I have a clear bowl and all I have to do is tap the side of the bowl and call chickie chickie boom boom. (that is the phrase I chose to train with). They come running and go where ever I go waiting for me to empty the mealworms onto the ground.


If you are interested in that kind of training it is easy. Get some mealworms or other really tasty treat. Anything your girls LOVE but don't get much of. Then get a bowl that you will use each time so they get used to the look of the bowl. Pick a catch phrase.

When they are all together like in the morning before you let them out. Use the catch phrase and let them eat out of the bowl. Repeat several times. Over several days.
Then when they are out foraging find them. Use the catch phrase, let them eat out of the bowl.
Repeat several times. Over several days.
Then when they are out foraging find them. Use the catch phrase, dump the bowl on the ground.
Repeat several times. Over several days.
Then when they are out foraging find them. Use the catch phrase, walk several feet away, dump the bowl on the ground.
Repeat several times. Over several days.
Then when they are out foraging find them but stand away from them. Tap the bowl, use the catch phrase and wait for them to come toward you, dump the bowl out.
Repeat several times. Over several days.

Depending on how far away you are at this point you should be able to pied piper them back to the pen no problem with a small treat in the bowl. Some times mine are quite far from the pen and I have to stop and let them get a few quick treats out of the bowl and them keep walking.

Mine are well trained and quite easy to move around the yard where ever I want usually back to the enclosed run. I have very little trouble with my flock of 11.

If you do the training each day you should have them trained in less than 2 weeks. Give each step about 3 days. Chicken may have bird brains but they are totally food motivated. If you have a delicious treat you should have no trouble. I now don't have to have something super great but in the beginning I used only mealworms. They are easy to raise and there is a thread for that if you are interested.