Keeping Chickens Free Range

[OrganicFarmWife]

The old way that shocks most people I tell, is to tie a dead chicken to the dog. The chicken rots and becomes so disgusting to the dog, the very smell of a live chicken disgusts the dog. This is the method my FIL swears to.
I think you could probably achieve results with a shock collar, but really just keeping seperate might be your best option.

 

[mackenzie450]

How can i get Wyatt to stop chasing my chickens? What actual training is involved? Sometimes he ignores them and sometimes he likes to run them.

We had taught our shepherd the "gentle" command when he was a pup. We did that by holding treats out for him and when he is too rough taking them, we pull them away and say "gentle" and try again. He doesn't get to take the treat until he takes it softly. It's amazing how fast they pick up that command. (Faster if your dog is food driven.) we implemented that command with our chicks when they were just days old. (I'm assuming same would apply to chickens.) in a controlled environment such as a garage, we would hold the chick and let him smell them and lick them but we would really stress the gentle command. Eventually we would put one down next to him (one bird is a whole lot easier to supervise and remove from trouble than the whole flock) and tell him to be gentle. We would allow him to sniff and lick but the second he started to get excited we would tell him, "No! Gentle!" We did this every day several times and eventually allow him to be around more than one at a time. Pretty soon you'll be more comfortable leaving him around the birds. It worked for us anyway. Occasionally he will run through the flock just to get a rise out of them but he doesn't have that prey drive towards them. Dogs are pack animals and essentially you are trying to show your dog that these are new members of his pack, just as he sees you as the leader of his pack. This is just what we did, I am no professional but it worked for us.

 

[centrarchid]

How can i get Wyatt to stop chasing my chickens? What actual training is involved? Sometimes he ignores them and sometimes he likes to run them.

What you describe is consistent with a young dog. I invest more time with such a dog around chickens using a leash where practical. Each day take dog away from area with flock and find it something else to get entertainment from. I take mine of patrols of property boundary and run the woods. Then we come back to chicken area to lay down / sit in a chair. This takes some of the dogs edge off. Dog will still be a risk until about 2 years of age. Weather changes, cool fronts in particular, where dogs get frisky is where young dogs will be prone to backslide with respect to poultry safety.

 

[Highcotton]

Only if you stand guard 24 hours a day. I will say the 12 guage is final.

 

[vpatt]

since Wyatt sleeps in our bedroom i think a dead chicken around his neck might punish us more than him....lol.
I had thought about trying the leash. Teaching the gentle command might be good, too. But since we just got him recently at eight months old it is going to be harder. He is so rowdy and hard to control. If i had gotten him when he was much younger it would have been easier, i think. But i have to try.

My husband mentioned a shock collar, but i dont know. He is kind of scared of some things already, i wo u ld hate to make him nervous. Maybe a shock collar wouldnt do that, i just dont know much about them.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

8 months is still very young, he is probably still very teachable. The danger is greater for your birds, but close watching will help that alot and I agree one bird at a time (the most aggressive bird you have)
I don't know that I would want to try the dead chicken thing either...it would greatly depend on how badly I want the dog, and how desperate I became.

 

[mackenzie450]

since Wyatt sleeps in our bedroom i think a dead chicken around his neck might punish us more than him....lol.
I had thought about trying the leash. Teaching the gentle command might be good, too. But since we just got him recently at eight months old it is going to be harder. He is so rowdy and hard to control. If i had gotten him when he was much younger it would have been easier, i think. But i have to try.

My husband mentioned a shock collar, but i dont know. He is kind of scared of some things already, i wo u ld hate to make him nervous. Maybe a shock collar wouldnt do that, i just dont know much about them.

My dog is young as well, under 2. He is very energetic. The gentle command was the only thing that worked for us. In my experience I've found positive reinforcement works better for certain breeds, especially breeds that are prone to aggression later on. From what I've learned through my research and experience shock collars aren't the best way to go. This is just opinion, I hope you are able to work something out! It's so much easier when everyone gets along

 

[AllynTal]

since Wyatt sleeps in our bedroom i think a dead chicken around his neck might punish us more than him....lol.
I had thought about trying the leash. Teaching the gentle command might be good, too. But since we just got him recently at eight months old it is going to be harder. He is so rowdy and hard to control. If i had gotten him when he was much younger it would have been easier, i think. But i have to try.

My husband mentioned a shock collar, but i dont know. He is kind of scared of some things already, i wo u ld hate to make him nervous. Maybe a shock collar wouldnt do that, i just dont know much about them.

He is young and has a lot of energy. If that energy isn't burned off everyday, he'll be wound up all the time; which sounds like what's happening when you say he's "rowdy and hard to control." If you can find an activity -- throwing the ball or frisbee, running with you while you ride a bike....just something that will burn that energy and tucker him out. Once he's spent that pent-up energy, he'll be calmer and teaching him things -- like how not to bother the chickens -- will be easier. Right now, it sounds like he's so wound up, he's not in a good head-space for learning.

 

[centrarchid]

During the training phase, simply deny dog access to chickens when you are not present. In my setting the young dog is confined while I am at work. At night when chickens are on roost the young dog is allowed to help elder dog.

 

[vpatt]

He is young and has a lot of energy. If that energy isn't burned off everyday, he'll be wound up all the time; which sounds like what's happening when you say he's "rowdy and hard to control." If you can find an activity -- throwing the ball or frisbee, running with you while you ride a bike....just something that will burn that energy and tucker him out. Once he's spent that pent-up energy, he'll be calmer and teaching him things -- like how not to bother the chickens -- will be easier. Right now, it sounds like he's so wound up, he's not in a good head-space for learning.

Yes, tho he does go outside a lot and runs a lot when he is out. He acts like an 8 week old. He is always stepping on my feet and almost tripping me. He knows two commands, sit and shake. I hate shake because he scratches me wanting me to take his paw and i can see that he is confused when i dont like it....i feel certain he got lots of positive feedback from that, but it really hurts when he does it. He will understand eventually if i praise him for other things.