Introducing chicks to our dogs :)

[VA Jenny]

My lab loves the chickens. She gets in the run with them. My border collie mix could care less about them. Depends on the dog I guess.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I have always had large hunting dog breeds except for one mini dachshund. At one point I had 4 dogs all males of different breeds, but all hunters/bird dogs. I had no issues ever. My dogs know the difference of our chickens vs other birds that they will/can chase. All dogs run free and the chickens free range also. I always introduce my dogs and chickens together with me there. The chickens have no fear of the dogs and will hang out and walk by them and all around them.

The only thing I had an issue with was 1 dog would enjoy running wildly through the middle of a peaceful flock and leave the hens all screaming and going off in different directions .. naturally the rooster would have none of this and attacked Zeus to let him know he was crossing a line. I taught Zeus after this (because I didn't like it either) when he saw the birds to slow down and walk by them. He quickly learned after 3 training sessions we walk by the chickens and not run through them. The rooster never attacked him again and Zeus never burst through a flock again.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Your labs are bird dogs they will try to catch the birds it is their breeding always a good strong leash and a good fence between them is best

I disagree with this 100%. I have had labs, weimaraner, pitbulls, german shepherd mix, and other breeds and mutts. All breeds are deemed as "aggressive" or by genetics are hunting dogs who were taken hunting (yes with little orange vests) and I have never had an issue.. so it shows that this would go by the individual dog itself and the time and training put into a dog. If you just have a dog in the backyard tied to a dog house that you only feed and never really look at or teach anything sure.. it will get your birds if it got loose. If you spend time with your dogs and teach them, what is and is not acceptable you will have a good dog. All of my dogs and chickens run loose together btw with the horses all in the same field. I have no problems only harmony at my house

 

[L1sa]

I have a Boxer, and he free ranges with my birds and if anything, the birds attack him!! They are absolutely not scared of him in the slightest! He has on occasion chased one or two but they soon get their own back!!

I think he likes them really, there are times when I've come home unexpectedly and caught him laying right infront of the coop almost as if he wanted company!

 

[centrarchid]

I have used German Pointers, used extensively a bird dogs in the US, as poultry guardians and my current lead dog still is with her wings covered by English Shepherds. Each dog and situation will pose different challenges. Dog control first. Then work on minimizing stress of the chickens.

Initial effort at current residence. Dogs acquired at start in part to protect free-range poultry.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/planned-poultry-guarding-dog.426408/#post-6633726

Current use of 3 dogs; one German Pointer and two English Shepherds
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/english-shepherd-as-poultry-guardian.1008645/

 

[aart]

I'm feeling much better after hearing from everyone. I think my daughter's fear and how anything bad happening would impact the kids and chicks made me a little less logical than I should've been.

This was the illogical aspect:

My real worry is the chicks dying from fear. In the literature that came home from the school, it says not to expose them to dogs, because even a docile pet can frighten them enough to kill them.

Course many 'school chick' projects lack logic.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Well, I have a small Chiweenie and a few small dog visitors that sometimes sniffed, approached, or chased the chickens as chicks and now as adults. Although my dog is now getting what she deserved, seeing how the chickens outgrew her. Whenever she tries to sniff the hens, one of my Barred Rocks will puff up and jump at her. My dog never fights back since she never expected them to retaliate. But I also have good control of all dogs that visit and my Chiweenie.

My advice would be have a leash as you introduce them and don't actually let them touch, just let the dog first see the birds and let the birds see the dog. See how they react, and judge it from that.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I followed the link from the home page here hoping to see who has the adorable black and tan long haired Chihuahua, but I don't see it here anywhere.

I teach all my dog to "leave it", and use it for chicks, but dogs are dogs so I don't leave my dogs alone. The chicks are always secure from them.

Every breed and individual is different. My Aussies don't care about chickens, my boxer and French bulldog Boston terrier mix want to eat them so they need constant reminders I'm watching. My rat Chihuahua would gobble down the chicks, but only when I pick them up.

Some dogs can be trusted and others can't help themselves. Now who has that Chihuahua?

 

[Dona Worry]

I let Freddie (basset hound) sit and look into the coop when the chicks were little as long as she wanted, but that was the catch-- she had to sit. Once the chicks were old enough to go out into a run, every time Freddie wanted to approach I used my 'be gentle, fragile thing' voice and insisted she sit or lay down as soon as she was near.
Once the birds started free ranging, I would put her in a down stay next to me and call the birds over a couple of times a day. She quickly got used to them running past her face and all directions.
Now she leaves them alone, but does like to sit and watch them. She is not a guarding breed, but definitely understands that there is a distinction between family and not-family, and that the chickens=family. I can leave her home unattended outside, and come back hours later to find her patrolling the perimeter for squirrels, foxes, and wild turkeys.
The cockerels recognize her as a not being a threat. On rare occasions the polish crested will fly at her, but usually when she is moving quickly in his peripheral vision, especially close to the pullets. Once he gets a good look at who it is, he marches off. Freddie never takes offense at this, mostly because she isn't that smart and doesn't realize she is under attack!

 

[Henrik Petersson]

I've never owned a dog, but I've had hens and roosters getting chased by dogs maybe 5 or 10 times, and they've never died from fright. So I think it's pretty unusual that they do.