Keeping my dogs away from my chickens

[Jennasaur7]

My chicken coop is connected to my garage and has a large run out behind it. It is all fenced off but I have two large dogs, hunting dogs in fact, that can easily jump the fence. We live out in the country so we always have hawks flying around and sitting in one of our dead trees. So, I just want to know how to keep them safe so I can let them go outside more often with out me constantly monitoring them. Thank you.

 

[bobbi-j]

Train the dogs, put up a better fence if you're worried about them jumping over it, make sure your chickens have plenty of cover and hiding places if you're worried about the hawks, and put a cover of some sort on your run. Hunting dogs can be trained to leave your chickens alone. My last dog was a black lab - great pheasant dog. Never once had a problem with him bothering my chickens. He was easily trained to know that they were mine and not for him to play with.

 

[Jennasaur7]

Thank you for replying!! I have a Black Lab too, but we use him for duck hunting. They will go after anything and everything as long as it moves. And they have gone for my chickens before, but my Rooster protected his family by charging back. Obviously Jack (my rooster) won. But it worries me that he might not be able to everytime. How did you train your dog to leave them alone? And in the run we have pretty tall grass and 6 tall apple trees.

 

[bobbi-j]

My dog was trained as a pup. We got him at 8 weeks old, and the first thing we did was introduce him to the chickens. I didn't trust him with the little chicks for a couple of years, but he never did bother the adult birds. We were spoiled by him, though. He was a good, smart, easygoing dog anyway. Eager to please. It takes more time, patience and consistency to train adult dogs, but it can be done. There are many threads here with tips and suggestions.

 

[Jennasaur7]

Thank you so much!!! My lab is 2 and full of energy, I'm more worried about him than the other one. Thank you for your help!!!

 

[centrarchid]

I have two German Pointers that will match any dog when comes to energy. They chase and kill small birds, all sorts of mammals, plus run off raptors yet have been trained to leave chickens and now darn ducks alone. Your dogs can be trained. For short-term issues consider electrified poultry netting.

Anyone want a darn duck?

 

[TSW99]

I have two German Pointers that will match any dog when comes to energy. They chase and kill small birds, all sorts of mammals, plus run off raptors yet have been trained to leave chickens and now darn ducks alone. Your dogs can be trained. For short-term issues consider electrified poultry netting.

Anyone want a darn duck?

Agreed your dogs can be trained to except the chickens one of my dogs used to want to kill my chickens till I trained him now my birds free range and I have my dogs to protect them from preditors too.

 

[amynrichie]

My dog training was non specific. Every time we took the dogs out when chooks were free ranging, dog was on a leash. Every time he lunged, he was corrected. Months later, he can be out without bothering them. I don't think I would go so far as to leave him with them 24/7 though.

 

[bobbi-j]

I have two German Pointers that will match any dog when comes to energy. They chase and kill small birds, all sorts of mammals, plus run off raptors yet have been trained to leave chickens and now darn ducks alone. Your dogs can be trained. For short-term issues consider electrified poultry netting.

Anyone want a darn duck?

I've never heard of a "darn" duck... Is this a new breed?

 

[centrarchid]

In this instance Ancona. Bird has no respect for my efforts to keep chickens in clean fresh water. Also hard on gamehens.