Huskys and chickens

[kvmommy]

I just got eggs, but plan on getting a husky this summer. It'll be a puppy and i'll introduce them immediately. But I know they have a killer prey drive...literally, so does anyone have experience with this? Good or bad? Any opinions or advice is welcome.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I've raised Huskeys and in my opinion they'll kill every chicken they can get to. It's not their fault, it's just that they have a high prey drive and are very active dogs. In their eyes a chicken is just a feathered interesting toy.
I'm sure someone will chime in and say they have a Huskey that snuggles with their chickens and would never hurt a little chicky, but that's not my experiance.
To each their own.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Quote:
X2! Besides that, I'm just one of those zero tolerance people who just plans on keeping dogs and chickens separate at all times. And yes, I've had chicken trustworthy dogs in the past. But I can't be outside watching all the time and even a well trained dog can make a wrong decision when it's person isn't around. I just don't ever plan on being the one posting about a dog who never looked twice at the chickens but who suddenly slaughtered a good flock of layers.

One other thing I would have to say about Huskey's, I never felt like the ones I had were really "trained" despite my efforts, just managed! They aren't big people pleasers in my experience, and so even less likely to fall back on any training when faced with something as irresistable as a running, squawking chick or hen.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

This is our Husky Kodi. I still do not trust him around the chickens, especially babies. He did kill a chick that was free ranging with it's mom. He does go loose in the yard with the free range chickens but we try to keep a close eye out on him. I don't think he knows that he is a husky. Mosy Huskies you cannot leave off lead without fear of them running off. We haven't had any problems with that and he is almost 4 years old. Oh and they shed only once a year.....all year long

 

[gritsar]

I agree with the others. I have two GSDs. Both trained to leave the chickens alone in our presence. I wouldn't trust either of them if we weren't around. Kane maybe, since he doesn't have much of a prey drive. Jax, never!

 

[Katy]

I've got two 1/2 husky's......much too high of prey drive to trust them with chickens. Mine have been exposed to mine to since they were 5 weeks old and I know they'd kill and eat them first chance they got. I left the gate open once when I was in a hurry......my fault not theirs but the outcome was not pretty. I'm lucky that mine like and get along well with my cats.

 

[sourland]

The outlook is not optimistic. The only dog that I could not trust around my birds was a malamute shepherd cross. Not the same as a husky, but similar. She knew she was not supposed to kill, but she could not help herself. It was too firmly ingrained in her genetic makeup.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:

Bad

 

[kvmommy]

Oh no...Thats what I suspected. I don't know what to do! It's my dream dog since I was a kid. But my husband hates them and I reeeaaallly want chickens. Why pay for store bought eggs?? *sigh

 

[mississippifarmboy]

You can still have both, just not together.