Sponsored Post Keeping Dogs and Chickens - Tips for a Harmonious Introduction.

[ksguy]

I love this post! We have several dogs and love to let our chickens roam free during the day while we are working in the garden and such. We live in a tiny farming community at the base of a mountain. Our dogs make great protectors from the predators in this area, especially the hawks and other birds of prey. We currently have 5 Border Collies and 1 Husky, and we sometimes have puppies running around as well. We love that we get to enjoy all our furry and feathered friends together.

Here are some photos I took this week with some of our pack and flock in the yard. We currently have a Momma hen with four little chicks, and we put them into a small kennel during the day so they can play in the yard too. I usually spend a few hours out there with a book, standing guard over the chicks. The last photo shows all my dogs laying guard with me, they have put all their importance into protecting the chicks, since they see me doing it. Lol. I love all my babies.

I love the marching in single file!

Mama and KS
Please be careful about the dogs and eggs. below I copied from PetMD

"One such issue is the presence of the naturally occurring protein avidin in raw egg whites. Occasional consumption is not an issue, but excess avidin interferes with the functioning of biotin in the body. Biotin, more commonly known as vitamin H or B7, is essential for the growth of cells, metabolism of fat, and transference of carbon dioxide, amongst other functions. Even with cooked eggs, moderation is key. No more than one egg a day, unless your veterinarian has indicated otherwise."

Thank you, we were aware of the risks. Our vet has told us that the raw eggs in moderation are great for her digestive system and coat. There's the added bonus that we get to cut down on dog food use ever so slightly due to the additional protein she gets from the eggs. She usually gets three to four eggs a week at random times (sometimes breakfast, sometimes supper). We found that if we went consistently with supper, or consistently with breakfast, she'd hunger strike until she got the egg. Now that it's random she doesn't know what to expect so she generally eats.

 

[Ren2014]

I have a 5 month old great pyrenees that is great with the chickens. In fact, we have caught him trying to herd the chickens back to their pen, and he has already kept the coyotes away. The problem I have is that he makes his way to the nesting boxes inside (and the hole is already so small I can't believe that he fits inside) and eats the eggs. I tried mustard and tobacco on the shell this morning but he still ate them. How do I stop this behavior?

Pyrenees are the houdini's of the dog world. I used to volunteer for a rescue and we had Grown Pyrs get through holes as small as 6" I will never forget the time one of ours got through our Corgi size doggie door with a big plastic cone on. It was amazing. I would suggest taking the dog into the coop with you with eggs in nest and give him a firm 'leave it' anytime he looks at an egg. This will take time of course and patience. If you can ever catch the dog grabbing an egg, make a loud noice like "EECCCH," and then 'leave it.' Good luck to you

Mama and KS
Please be careful about the dogs and eggs. below I copied from PetMD

"One such issue is the presence of the naturally occurring protein avidin in raw egg whites. Occasional consumption is not an issue, but excess avidin interferes with the functioning of biotin in the body. Biotin, more commonly known as vitamin H or B7, is essential for the growth of cells, metabolism of fat, and transference of carbon dioxide, amongst other functions. Even with cooked eggs, moderation is key. No more than one egg a day, unless your veterinarian has indicated otherwise."

This is good to know.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Hunting dogs and Chickens. It can be done. One learned as a 4 year old "birdie" adult lab. And just recently (last summer) we trained a pup. No chicken losses in the training. Strict persistence. I will say that I'm sure my Rooster is missing one of his main sickle feathers though due to a certain lab pup. But we're good now.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hello KDOGG331. I am new to chicken keeping and got my 4 girls in Feb this year. I have 2 small dogs... a King Charles Cavalier and a Jack Russell x Dacshaund. Both bird hunting dogs and one is also a ratter. I got my chickens at 4 months of age (4 Light Sussex, so big birds). The day they arrived my dogs went nuts!!!!!!! Runnning aroung the cage and barking. Because the chickens had already experienced being around dogs they got used to them pretty quickly so they were ok. But the dogs were not! OMG I was so stressed for the first week that I had the chickies. For the first 2 weeks straight, every afternoon after work in almost 40 degree heat, I worked with the two dogs to teach them that the chicken were family not food. I used positive and negative reinforcement. One method I used was tying my dogs up to the clothes line while the chickens free ranged in the yard. My dogs are free to roam the yard and house as they please so this was very new to them and they didnt like it. I also used blueberries as treat for good behaviour (for the dogs and the chickens). I did use smacking as well (which I didnt like doing) but there were a couple of occasions where is really was needed. I also put the dogs on long leads and walked them around the chooks. Then one sunny Sunday morning 2 weeks later, everything just clicked! It was wonderful. I still supervised the dogs when ever they were outside with the chickens and corrected them if they looked like they were getting too close. It has now been 7 weeks since I have had my chickens and all my animal babies are best friends. I didnt take as long as I thought it would to train the dogs however thats not to say it will only take others that long. I believe the key is consistancy and patience. If you can work with your dog every day for an hour of so, it will pay off eventually. I had no idea what I was doing in terms of training the dogs to be around the chickens but I just tried different things. Here is a picture of all my babies having a feast of lettuce... Good luck with it

I agree with the occasional smack as well. Some people will argue over it vehemently, but dogs are physical by nature and learn their lessons when they get a good teaching from the pack leader. Think of what happens in a pack of wolves when a lower ranking member of the group steps out of line. We've had our dog, Simba, for just over a year, an extremely high-energy pit bull that we rescued from a kill shelter in Manhattan. He had been surrendered and adopted out twice to two different families who both brought him back after they couldn't handle him. We saved him on his last day before the needle, and brought him back to a nice rural setting with a huge yard and acreage where he could finally get some of his energy out. This is not a dog made for a city apartment! I had no idea what to expect from him in terms of his behavior towards the birds (chickens, turkeys, and ducks). I was expecting to lose a bird or two before he learned. I kept the birds in their pen when I had him out the first few times, and played with him next to the pen. He showed some interest in the birds, but cared more for the ball/frisbee/half-a-tree that he would carry around. After about a week, my first test was to play with him and then stealthily let the two ducks (pekins) out. When he actually noticed they were free and out of their pen, he ran right at them, but not in an aggressive way, more of a, "hey, what are you? let's play!" way. Thinking I was about to witness the worst case scenario, I gave him a good hard kick as he ran past me toward the birds, which stunned him a bit. I think my message was clear, the birds are paws-off, and ever since then he is absolutely great with them. We never had any incidents (except for an accidental collision or two during crazy-sprinting-zoomies time) and he actually herds them a bit and runs to check on them when anyone alarm calls. As seen in the pictures earlier in the thread, he is also very protective of the chicks and poults that I hatch, and they are easily within his reach in various brooders without lids, but he only watches them and sneaks a lick in here or there. Don't get me wrong, he still loves to antagonize them from time to time. He is very intelligent and I suppose he gets a kick out of seeing them panic a bit. Nothing mean, just going out of his way to run a *bit* too close on his way back with a ball, or slowly walk-stalking the ducks relentlessly around the yard. Sometimes he will sneak up on a scratching hen to smell her butt when she's not paying attention, the closest he can get to getting a good whiff of chicken, before she looks up and freaks out. It's all quite funny to watch. I suppose we might have lucked out a bit with Simba, but I believe that all dogs can be trained to accept a flock of birds. They just need to be around them long enough to lose interest. If you keep them separated, it will only make it harder.

That's awesome it worked out for you both! My brother uses a real deep/gruff voice and it seems to work for him. Sometimes we have occasionally smacked him in the past and it did stun him and seem to work but only if you don't do it too much and he knows exactly what it is for. I found when you do it too often his whole demeanor changes so now no one touches him anymore. I think smacking on the side or something to get his attention is different though. But he's also a pretty sensitive dog and responds well to positive reinforcement. For instance, my brother can control him and he doesn't go after dogs or do anything bad but he can't get him to leave the room when he eats or do simple tricks or not charge out the door, all stuff that needs a bit of finesse and rewards, not only control. I think I will try the positive thing with maybe the occasional leash tug or quick smack if he tries something really bad. But either way, you are right that he needs to spend time with the chickens and will never learn if he is kept separate.

 

[laurelbrookhens]

Does anyone have dog that will herd the chickens? My border collie/Australian's last unsuccessful attempt was herding cats. The cats told us we didn't need a dog. She's only been around the chickens after we had a major escape of about 50 but she appeared to be trying to help us. Wonder it its worth working on a chicken herding skill.

 

[Ren2014]

Does anyone have dog that will herd the chickens? My border collie/Australian's last unsuccessful attempt was herding cats. The cats told us we didn't need a dog. She's only been around the chickens after we had a major escape of about 50 but she appeared to be trying to help us. Wonder it its worth working on a chicken herding skill.

I think definitely worth it and I'm sure she can do it. Cats are not a good comparison, lol... some of them won't even let their owners move them much less a dog trying

 

[Chook Newby]

I agree with the occasional smack as well. Some people will argue over it vehemently, but dogs are physical by nature and learn their lessons when they get a good teaching from the pack leader. Think of what happens in a pack of wolves when a lower ranking member of the group steps out of line.

We've had our dog, Simba, for just over a year, an extremely high-energy pit bull that we rescued from a kill shelter in Manhattan. He had been surrendered and adopted out twice to two different families who both brought him back after they couldn't handle him. We saved him on his last day before the needle, and brought him back to a nice rural setting with a huge yard and acreage where he could finally get some of his energy out. This is not a dog made for a city apartment!

I had no idea what to expect from him in terms of his behavior towards the birds (chickens, turkeys, and ducks). I was expecting to lose a bird or two before he learned. I kept the birds in their pen when I had him out the first few times, and played with him next to the pen. He showed some interest in the birds, but cared more for the ball/frisbee/half-a-tree that he would carry around.

After about a week, my first test was to play with him and then stealthily let the two ducks (pekins) out. When he actually noticed they were free and out of their pen, he ran right at them, but not in an aggressive way, more of a, "hey, what are you? let's play!" way. Thinking I was about to witness the worst case scenario, I gave him a good hard kick as he ran past me toward the birds, which stunned him a bit. I think my message was clear, the birds are paws-off, and ever since then he is absolutely great with them. We never had any incidents (except for an accidental collision or two during crazy-sprinting-zoomies time) and he actually herds them a bit and runs to check on them when anyone alarm calls. As seen in the pictures earlier in the thread, he is also very protective of the chicks and poults that I hatch, and they are easily within his reach in various brooders without lids, but he only watches them and sneaks a lick in here or there.

Don't get me wrong, he still loves to antagonize them from time to time. He is very intelligent and I suppose he gets a kick out of seeing them panic a bit. Nothing mean, just going out of his way to run a *bit* too close on his way back with a ball, or slowly walk-stalking the ducks relentlessly around the yard. Sometimes he will sneak up on a scratching hen to smell her butt when she's not paying attention, the closest he can get to getting a good whiff of chicken, before she looks up and freaks out. It's all quite funny to watch.

I suppose we might have lucked out a bit with Simba, but I believe that all dogs can be trained to accept a flock of birds. They just need to be around them long enough to lose interest. If you keep them separated, it will only make it harder.

What a happy puppy you have!! And good on you for taking him on. It sounds like he just need a chance And look at that grin.... so beautiful, as if to say 'look at my birds, Im so proud of them'!
I also (now) believe that any dog can be trained to be around the birds so well done you

 

[Chook Newby]

Hunting dogs and Chickens. It can be done. One learned as a 4 year old "birdie" adult lab. And just recently (last summer) we trained a pup. No chicken losses in the training. Strict persistence. I will say that I'm sure my Rooster is missing one of his main sickle feathers though due to a certain lab pup. But we're good now.

Haha, pup looks devistated that the chicken is standing in the food

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Yah that was our old lab. She was so great. We miss her. She's waiting patiently for Rosie to be done there.

 

[FionaRyder]

Thanks for all the tips! My staffordshire is great with my chickens while supervised. My 2 pure boxers and peek-a-poo, not so much. The prey drive just seems to be too much for them.