LGD puppies killed a chicken. Any hope?

[debducttape]

I have two 13 week old Anatolian/great Pyrenees mix puppies that we got specifically to help guard our hens. We have had a couple previous dogs that were chicken killers, but we got these guys specifically because they were raised very closely with chickens and came from great protection-minded parents. Today, I caught them "playing" a young bird to death. I also have a young Brahma rooster that is limping and I suspect they may be the cause of this injury as I found matching feathers near the dog's pen. The puppies are penned and have been securely penned within eyesight of the birds. Today's bird just found a hole in the fence and walked right into the puppies area. My husband is working to secure the fence now, but I am heartbroken. Help? Any advice?

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry!
This is totally natural behavior, with critters who invaded their space. Yes, a safer pen for the puppies, and training has barely begun...
Your birds aren't yet anything but toys, not their birds.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

And two puppies at once? Ouch! It's triple trouble!
Mary

 

[Neggative]

get rid of the dogs... we used to have a great pyrenees and it had terrible problems and loved to roll in dead skunks and the likes.... it always stank and had problems.... get rid of them is my advice....

 

[Folly's place]

@centrarchid uses dogs to guard her chickens, she may have good advice for you here. There are threads about LGDs to look up also.
Mary

 

[centrarchid]

Like you I am bringing up pups to be used a poultry guardians. Mine are about 7 months (28 weeks) so with these we already went through stage you are at. My place of work also has livestock guardians for sheep and goats in smallish herds of approximately 100 animals per herd. Pups are best not allowed to hang with vulnerable stock without supervision. I have been messing with dogs and chickens all my life so have some experience with these matters.

Currently, my pups are not allowed to mingle with chickens when I am not present. They must be watched when out with chickens and then only with adult chickens. There will be times when the pups do treat the chickens improperly and I get on to them about it, but mostly interact in the way of getting growly at them. They know I mean "no" and stop immediately. Early on I had to impress upon them I am top dog which handle very well.


Almost all of my dogs have killed chickens at some point, sometime even eating the chickens. That does not appear to mean much as the dogs can learn over time that messing with live birds is not really a good thing. This means you are not at end of world for those dogs.

You got two pups at once, shame on you. I am doing two myself and having trouble even when experienced. We will both be dealing with that mistake.

I would be making so dogs confined during day when you are not present to manage them. At night is when I would release pups and make certain chickens are in locations protected from pups. Pups can still be an asset patrolling perimeter of your chicken containment as they can run off a fox by now. You do not want them tying into a raccoon yet, let them be a year or better first.

 

[centrarchid]

As of a couple hours ago, I am a dude.

 

[Azzam-Caso Family]

Honestly just making sure your chicken run/coop is secure is your best bet. Not only will they be less stressed because they know the dogs can't get in, it will prevent any injuries or accidental deaths. Make sure there is no way the dogs can get to the chickens. They way I did it was sticking the chicken wire of my run about a foot into the ground so my dog could bury underneath or push any openings.

 

[centrarchid]

Do keep exposing the pups to the chickens. You will likely not have them where you them until they are a good 18 to 24 months old. My adult dogs are good around chickens, but it felt as if it took forever getting them there.

 

[Folly's place]

Sorry, c, Somehow I thought you were a --dudette--!
ONCE, we raised two puppies at the same time. ONCE, and never again!
The sporting breed dogs we've raised from puppyhood were easy to convince that chickens were off limits. Also an adult Dalmation we adopted, easy. The terriers, not at all easy, or safe out there.
Mary