Keeping Free Range Chickens Safe...is it ever possible?

[CluckerFamily]

What kind of dogs do you have? Did you have to train them to guard the chickens?

I have two standard goldendoodles, they had to be trained to not attack the chickens with they "leave it command".
Australian shepherds are good dogs, especially since they herd.

 

[RedLionChooks]

What kind of dog do you have? Did you have to train them to keep the chickens safe?

Turns out we just took this dog in a few months ago. She is a pitt mix, older, found in the road in the middle of the night, skin and bones. We took her in, and believe it or not, she could not care LESS about the chickens! We really lucked out. She barely gives them a second look, even though she gets after squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, groundhogs, etc. I think from what I have read that it can be the luck of the draw with dogs and chickens. Some dogs might not suppress the prey drive, while others maybe can. I have read both sides of the coin many times, in preparation to bring on a dog. Turns out, we just got lucky with no plan at all, just an open heart to look after an animal in need. That said, I wouldn't trust her alone when all are out and about - we keep an eye to be on the safe side. We have electric netting around the run for when we are not around or out in the yard.

Do you have a dog, or planning to get one? Looks like a doberman in your photo. Would love to hear about your experience.

 

[Julie Sachse]

The sheep pen is lined with many trees. 3/4 of the area is in the shade and 1/4 is in the sun. The chickens seem to just like to fly up to the top of the fence and jump over. I suppose it's the old saying, "The grass is always greener..." I don't know. They know how to get back over the fence and sometimes just go back and forth. I wish they would just stay in there since I know it is safer, but aside from clipping their wings so they can't get themselves up over the fence, there isn't much I can do in that area. The are explorers I guess. My chickens are Black Stars and Red Sex Linked. They are pretty big birds so it's crazy to me that they can get over the fence.

How tall is the fence they are flying over?

 

[cmom]

When people free range their birds it's a risk they are willing to take and will eventually loose a bird/birds to predators. I don't free range anymore due to losses in the past. I have good heavy duty netting covering my pens, concrete under the gates and electric wires around the coops and pens. The predators know it and haven't bothered my birds even though I have seen the predators on my game cameras. I have trees in my pens but worked the netting around them. I did have to cut the netting but fastened it back together with cable ties but they deteriorated so I replaced the ties with metal hog rings. The fox will be lurking looking for another opportunity unless you eliminate it. Good luck...

 

[DuckDuckSook]

How tall is the fence they are flying over?

The fence is four feet.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

Turns out we just took this dog in a few months ago. She is a pitt mix, older, found in the road in the middle of the night, skin and bones. We took her in, and believe it or not, she could not care LESS about the chickens! We really lucked out. She barely gives them a second look, even though she gets after squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, groundhogs, etc. I think from what I have read that it can be the luck of the draw with dogs and chickens. Some dogs might not suppress the prey drive, while others maybe can. I have read both sides of the coin many times, in preparation to bring on a dog. Turns out, we just got lucky with no plan at all, just an open heart to look after an animal in need. That said, I wouldn't trust her alone when all are out and about - we keep an eye to be on the safe side. We have electric netting around the run for when we are not around or out in the yard.

Do you have a dog, or planning to get one? Looks like a doberman in your photo. Would love to hear about your experience.

We currently have a 9lb. chiweenie (chihuahua and dachshund mix) who only likes to be outside if we are out there with her. I'm hoping to get a bigger dog that enjoys being outside and will keep guard over the sheep and chickens when we can't be outside. We'll see. I've been keeping the chickens mostly locked up in their run, which I hate. I let them out when we are out there doing farm chores but they are used to having free range for almost the entire day. It's such a tough situation. I know the fox is lurking and I don't want to lose any more chickens. However, I don't want to keep them penned up all the time either.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I have two standard goldendoodles, they had to be trained to not attack the chickens with they "leave it command".
Australian shepherds are good dogs, especially since they herd.

How long would you say it took you to train your dogs?

 

[CluckerFamily]

How long would you say it took you to train your dogs?

They were young when I started, they had the hang of it after week 2 of dog training but training never ends. I continue to practice every day.

 

[cmom]

We currently have a 9lb. chiweenie (chihuahua and dachshund mix) who only likes to be outside if we are out there with her. I'm hoping to get a bigger dog that enjoys being outside and will keep guard over the sheep and chickens when we can't be outside. We'll see. I've been keeping the chickens mostly locked up in their run, which I hate. I let them out when we are out there doing farm chores but they are used to having free range for almost the entire day. It's such a tough situation. I know the fox is lurking and I don't want to lose any more chickens. However, I don't want to keep them penned up all the time either.

My birds have nice large pens. I have let them out but before long they are all back in their nice safe pens. Since the birds go in on their own I think that they see their pens as safe places. I do put flock blocks in their pens under their rain/shade tables and they peck away.