Introducing chicks to our dogs :)

[Aunt Angus]

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.

I also have a chiweenie. Love my girl! When I first acquired my chicks (who are only a few months old now), we kept them in a small animal cage in the living room. My dog was fascinated and watched them all day long. Now that they are outside, she paces around their pen. I have seen her go bonkers chasing squirrels and freak out over my mom's guinea pigs, so I was worried. But now my chicks are taller than the dog. They do not put up with her guff! If she gets close, they put her in her place with a quick sqwak or by puffing up. My Barred Rock will actually chase her. It is hilarious! My doggie doesn't mess with them at all anymore, and the chicks hardly notice her when free ranging.

I think being raised next to her, they got used to her and seem to treat her like she's one of the flock. And believe me - she is NOT at the top of the pecking order! I really didn't have to train her. My BR did that for me! LOL!

I think a slow introduction would be good. And exposing them to your dogs often and in a safe, controlled way sounds like a good idea. I was worried, too, but I haven't experienced any problems, and my dog is kind of a spaz. Your dogs sound much better behaved, much smarter, and you sound like you have a better handle on them than I do on mine. You got this!

 

[townchicks]

I think it is WAY TO EARLY for you to expose the dogs to the chickens without a fence/crate/x-pen between them. Especially since your lab was whiny when he saw them, that shows too much interest, IMO. Give them lots of "look but don't touch" with bars in between them, until the dogs show zero reaction to the birds, and vice versa. Meanwhile, work on your obedience, especially leave it and come. I started with my high prey drive dog, with the chickens in an ex-pen and the dog on a leash. At some distance from the chickens, I let the dog look at them, then called him to me and rewarded him. Get closer to the birds as you go along, until you can call the dog away from them with the dog nose to wire. If at any time the dog will not come away from them, increase the distance again, until the dog can focus on you. Do this with each dog separately, then recruit a second person and do the dogs together. Frankly, unless you are planning to free range, there is no need for your dogs to be loose with the chickens, ever. Some people like to do that, however, so if you plan to, do your homework first. Since you have two dogs, be aware of "pack mentality", if one dog starts chasing, the other will too. Lots of exposure will keep the dogs bored with the chickens, and the chickens calmer around the dogs. If the chickens start freaking, the dogs will most likely start chasing them. Also, just because they are good one day, don't think they "know" not to bother the chickens. Always keep an eye on them. I can have my dog off leash with the chickens, but I caught him trying to get my RIR to run, so he could chase her. This was after 2 years of having the chickens, and six months after allowing free interaction between them. I will never trust him alone with them, and he's 12 yrs old. When he was a puppy, it would have been instant carnage. Of course, then he would not have been able to get to them, cause I don't trust to luck.

 

[quackingdom]

Just for some cuteness. Nora thinks our chicks are her babies.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Just for some cuteness. Nora thinks our chicks are her babies.View attachment 1559648

That's sweet!

 

[Mbcox]

Hi

I'm not at all concerned about our dogs harming the chicks; they are very manageable, although they do get pretty rambunctious when they're excited.

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.

I do know people whose dogs are around their chickens without any issues, but now my daughter is absolutely terrified about this. I promised her we will hold off on introductions for a bit, but I'm not sure waiting very long would be beneficial. I guess my way of thinking is if the dogs are "part of the landscape", they're less likely to cause problems.

We are fortunate that our chicks have their own room (spare bedroom) in an in-law suite - with two doors and a couple of rooms separating them from the "main house". It is now referred to as "the chick's room". Lol.
We haven't let the dogs in the in-law suite since bringing the babies home.

I appreciate any insight anyone can offer!

We raised our chicks around the dogs from week old and everything has been great.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hi

I'm not at all concerned about our dogs harming the chicks; they are very manageable, although they do get pretty rambunctious when they're excited.

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.

I do know people whose dogs are around their chickens without any issues, but now my daughter is absolutely terrified about this. I promised her we will hold off on introductions for a bit, but I'm not sure waiting very long would be beneficial. I guess my way of thinking is if the dogs are "part of the landscape", they're less likely to cause problems.

We are fortunate that our chicks have their own room (spare bedroom) in an in-law suite - with two doors and a couple of rooms separating them from the "main house". It is now referred to as "the chick's room". Lol.
We haven't let the dogs in the in-law suite since bringing the babies home.

I appreciate any insight anyone can offer!

I have two dogs and I just kept all my chicks in the brooder, but they were in the living room and the dogs are in there all the time too. I kept the chicks outside in a wire brooder during the day and the dogs used to see them all the time. I waited until the chicks were about a two months old before I let them run around loose in the backyard and then I just kept the dogs on a leash for about two or three weeks when ever the chickens were loose in the back. It’s all been fine and the dogs basically just ignore my chickens.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hi

I'm not at all concerned about our dogs harming the chicks; they are very manageable, although they do get pretty rambunctious when they're excited.

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.

I do know people whose dogs are around their chickens without any issues, but now my daughter is absolutely terrified about this. I promised her we will hold off on introductions for a bit, but I'm not sure waiting very long would be beneficial. I guess my way of thinking is if the dogs are "part of the landscape", they're less likely to cause problems.

We are fortunate that our chicks have their own room (spare bedroom) in an in-law suite - with two doors and a couple of rooms separating them from the "main house". It is now referred to as "the chick's room". Lol.
We haven't let the dogs in the in-law suite since bringing the babies home.

I appreciate any insight anyone can offer!

Wait till the chicks are big enough to not get stepped on by accident. That can happen if the chick is tiny and the dog does not see it.

 

[HedwigsMum]

I think it is WAY TO EARLY for you to expose the dogs to the chickens without a fence/crate/x-pen between them. Especially since your lab was whiny when he saw them, that shows too much interest, IMO. Give them lots of "look but don't touch" with bars in between them, until the dogs show zero reaction to the birds, and vice versa. Meanwhile, work on your obedience, especially leave it and come. I started with my high prey drive dog, with the chickens in an ex-pen and the dog on a leash. At some distance from the chickens, I let the dog look at them, then called him to me and rewarded him. Get closer to the birds as you go along, until you can call the dog away from them with the dog nose to wire. If at any time the dog will not come away from them, increase the distance again, until the dog can focus on you. Do this with each dog separately, then recruit a second person and do the dogs together. Frankly, unless you are planning to free range, there is no need for your dogs to be loose with the chickens, ever. Some people like to do that, however, so if you plan to, do your homework first. Since you have two dogs, be aware of "pack mentality", if one dog starts chasing, the other will too. Lots of exposure will keep the dogs bored with the chickens, and the chickens calmer around the dogs. If the chickens start freaking, the dogs will most likely start chasing them. Also, just because they are good one day, don't think they "know" not to bother the chickens. Always keep an eye on them. I can have my dog off leash with the chickens, but I caught him trying to get my RIR to run, so he could chase her. This was after 2 years of having the chickens, and six months after allowing free interaction between them. I will never trust him alone with them, and he's 12 yrs old. When he was a puppy, it would have been instant carnage. Of course, then he would not have been able to get to them, cause I don't trust to luck.

He was whiny because of the unsual circumstances of being crated, likely.
They've had several great, calm encounters since.

 

[HedwigsMum]

Just for some cuteness. Nora thinks our chicks are her babies.View attachment 1559648

 

[HedwigsMum]

I have two dogs and I just kept all my chicks in the brooder, but they were in the living room and the dogs are in there all the time too. I kept the chicks outside in a wire brooder during the day and the dogs used to see them all the time. I waited until the chicks were about a two months old before I let them run around loose in the backyard and then I just kept the dogs on a leash for about two or three weeks when ever the chickens were loose in the back. It’s all been fine and the dogs basically just ignore my chickens.

Nice!