In your experince, do dogs help keep away predators???

[centrarchid]

Most dog breeds or their ancestors were mutiple purpose use, even the hunting breeds. They guarded the home and it contents. Their barking, a behavior much more developed in most dogs relative to their wild grey wolf ancestors, is very likely selected as a method to enhance alarm function of dog. The dog being largely considered generally as a threat to livestock is a relatively recent event as more people confine dogs away from livestock preventing the socialization that prevents dogs from being a predator on livestock.

Dogs are predators that retain capacity / inclination to drive off or even attempt to kill rival predators of same or different species. It has served well with their guarding use.

 

[lambchicks]

Well actually the 2 that I lost today were to the neighbors dogs. Since I have posted this I caught them coming back for round 2 this afternoon. I guess I should have clarified "if you have a good chicken dog"

 

[dretd]

Quote:
Grrr, bad dogs. I guess I would have to say that good fences make good neighbors. That and a trusty Border Collie to patrol the perimeter of the fence.....

 

[secuono]

Yes.
With the right dog[dog not breed] they will help a lot. My doberman protects all the animals on our farm from birds in the sky, unfamiliar land animals, etc. But our little mix dog...she is a killer of anything she can get a hold of. Too bad he cannot protect them from his little sister...
He barks like nuts over anything out there, if he is out in the field he will run around barking into the sky to keep the birds up and flying away. He has tripped several times, but still determined to keep them from landing. He also HATES water, rain, snow, cold, heat, etc. But one day, I went out to the horses and he came with me, it started to pour like crazy and suddenly he wasn't there. I thought he went to hide, but I couldn't find him. I was running around looking for him, soaking wet. He had found a den with some unusual critter in it and he wasn't going to let it come out while he was outside.

You could get a puppy and introduce it to everyone and hope that when it's grown, it will protect. Or you can foster an older dog until you find one who is protective but also does great with your pets.

 

[trailchick]

Dogs do alot to help keep predators away....
I heard that an intact male will help keep coyotes away, but our dogs sleep in the house so they are not much help for night guarding. But we have not seen any coyotes close in the yard in the year and a half since we moved to 80 acre farm 2.5 miles from small town. The peas roost in our large trees and the chickens go into the coop at night so are generally safe.

I should have put this post in the Predators and Pests page:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=565039

about a prairie rattler that is no more.
The peas have actually made us aware of more than 1 snake this summer.
Our cur dogs are also squirrel/coon hunting breed so I am still surprised they have accepted the outdoor free ranging birds.

 

[centrarchid]

My German short-hair pointer serves as the livestock guarding dog. He has already been in a pitched battle with a red fox going after chickens has stopped a fox from visiting that successfully acquired a couple of my free-range birds. As of last night, he made his first directed attack on an oppossum. Dog is not a threat to my chickens or neighbors chickens, geese and ducks.

 

[yinepu]

My Great Pyrenees knows all the birds are her kids... nothing like the maternal instinct when it comes to protecting "her babies"

 

[umanduhbree]

I have two dogs that keep everything away. We used to get stray dogs and coyotes around, but since my dogs have established there territory we haven't lost any more birds. I have an aussie shepherd who enjoys herding the chickens around. He watches over them and will even herd them into shade when a hawk flies over head. My other do, a german shepherd husky mix keeps everything away. A good dog is worth it, though you have to make sure yours dont' think the birds are dinner.

 

[chkn]

Definitely helps keeps the foxes and varmints out. We had no problems until after my GSD's got too old and passed away. They were out on patrol day and night.

 

[KandiandJerry]

Great Pyrenees have worked for us...but it has to be one that is raised with chickens....some will kill them....you just have to find one that was raised and trained to protect chickens...