introducing dogs to chickens.....any advice?

[bobbi-j]

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That will definitely help, but I'd still get the dogs used to the chickens in case one or the other gets loose. My lab was trained as a pup to leave the chickens alone, so I can't give any advice on training your adult dogs. I think it will help to keep them separated, but at first maybe let the dogs get used to the chickens through the fence, with you there to correct them if they jump at the fence.

 

[ninabeast]

We brought home an adolescent dane three months ago. The first word we taught her was "OFF!". It has dozens of applications, not the least of which was helping her to know that she should leave the chickens alone. She ran into the flock a few times, more for the fun of seeing them scatter than from any prey drive, I'm sure. Three months later, she ignores them.

 

[Summer98]

Are there any particular breeds of dog that could be useful for guarding chickens from wild predators?

 

[cgmccary]

I don not know if it will help or not but I will tell you how I do it. I agree with the post that said it depends on the dog. It depends on you also -- that is, you knowing the dog & knowing if you can trust the dog. Does your dog obey you? The first word my dogs learn is "NO!" Having taken in a number of strays and not having a chicken killed yet, I figure I must either be extremely lucky, know dogs well & be good with them OR perhaps, a combination of both.

Three dogs of the many dogs that have been dumped around here recently, I have taken in. I took two others to the pound. A neighbor up the road has taken in some and is trying to find them homes.

I kennel dogs first, learn how they are and of course, I make sure I am out with them when they get introduced to the chickens, guineas, geese (and I have them on a leash in the beginning until I see how they react). I teach them "NO" and any movement that is threatening to a chicken, even if by accident, in any manner, I loudly tell the dog "NO!" I then will praise the next good behavior in the presence of the birds (i.e. ignoring a bird close by). I do this repeatedly. The only problem I have is sometimes the dogs, being puppies play hard and the chickens, being their curious selves, get in the middle of the play & get bumped into or knocked or something but I haven't had any hurt or injured. I break up play around the birds. I also have to worry about my roosters and a couple of hens because they will jump on a dog attacking it. I make sure I am there when one of those hens does this so I can make the dog move away and not attack in retaliation or anything. The only exception I make to this are the geese. The geese will sneak up on a dog just sitting there minding its own business and bite them. My dogs will sometimes then run at the goose and even snap at them. I do not correct this -- the dog is just defending itself and I have observed that this goes no further -- it is just reacting to getting bit. My geese expect the reaction and can move faster than you would believe.

I now have one stray I plan to keep that I am comfortable with leaving out with my two dogs & around my birds. It is a hound/ lab mix, has shown it can be trusted and runs well with my two dogs who are outside -- it is just one more good dog to keep away the predators. This particular stray only come into my possession a couple of days before Christmas. I have been off work and able to spend time with the dog. You must spend quality time with your dogs & make things routine. My dogs look froward to going to the pens with me and feeding the birds. I teach them not to run through the birds but to go around them.

The other two dogs I recently took in (I have 6 dogs total in my possession at the present-- all strays at one time), I have the two listed on an adoption site; they wanted to chase the guineas & chickens at the start. I worked with them around my Guineas because the Guineas could out-run them. They are fine now and just ignore all the birds. However, I am keeping them kenneled but it is for their own safety-- they are small and would be coyote food if they got out away from the bigger dogs which they were showing the propensity to do.

My most "vicious" stray I found in April, 2010. Everybody was afraid of her and she was even keeping the mail from being delivered on street where she had her puppies (under an abandoned house), and she is the best dog at keeping away predators (coyotes, coons, opossums)-- she is the dog on the right [the light colored dog] & one of the best dogs I have ever had-- (one of her 8 puppies I kept is on the left and she was really going to be great as I had raised her with the chickens -- but someone intentionally ran over her in front of my home [probably the same type of person who dumps their dog -- that is the mentality around here; anyway, I still miss her]:

 

[BunsNChicks]

It really all depends on your dog and how well it has been trained. I have 3 rottweilers that I can confidently let out with my flock without incident. The flock was raised in the house with 2 of the rottweilers and the 3rd rottweiler we got once they were outside. I am not sure if the first 2 rotts just knew they were "my" birds (because I had done herding with both of them on a regular basis) or what. All 3 dogs have tremendous prey drive. When you train your dog you will want to keep him from paying too much attention to the flock..redirect his attention and eventually (hopefully) he will learn to accept them. I have one terrible Roo that will attack me on occasion. When this happens I will scream like a little girl and one of my rotts (always the same one) comes running and then chases off the Roo....just that Roo (and I have MANY). She never hurts him just chases him off.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

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That is such a cute picture!!

 

[peteyfoozer]

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yup, there are several breeds developed specifically for guarding livestock, in the category of LGD (Livestock Guardian Dogs). The Great Pyrenees is probably the most well known and popular of them, I have Maremmas. There are LGD boards and lists online with a lot more information. My dogs guard chickens, goats, sheep and calves for us against coyote, cougar, bobcat, small predators and aerial predators.

 

[NOLAchickenlady]

good luck and go slowly. I am having a very hard time with my fiance's lab mix who is so obsessed with jumping on the coop and chewing through the window that we can't correct her.

 

[BunsNChicks]

If you end up having a dog that you can't trust with the chickens or seriously wants to harm them you could try a shock collar...for the safety of your chickens.