Life with a hunting dog and chickens

[crayon]

We have a lovely 3 year old German Shorthair Pointer. Who has created a berm around the fenced off coop area. He sits all day and watches the chickens. Points, crys, barks (although he is better about not barking now).... He is such a lover, wants to be friends- but I KNOW he is a "bird" dog. He also has no idea that he is 90lbs... He thinks he is a puppy and is totally a goof ball and has no concept of "gentle" or "friends, not food".....

When my chicks are larger (they are only 5 weeks) do you think my Roos will keep him at bay? I want to let them free range larger areas- and the cat seems to have put the dog in his place, so I am wondering if Roos put dogs in their place too?

Thanks!

 

[Carols Clucks]

Sorry to say, my boss has a wonderful German Shorthair who is OCD about hunting, they gave up having chickens and turkeys because of his skills. He torn his knee and is getting elderly so they are going to try chickens again, but with the fully fenced horse corral around the also fenced chickens in the hopes that the chickens make it and he can not get to them.

Their dog will spend the day stalking and trying to catch everything from flies on up, he was skinny skinny most of his life because of all the energy he expends on the hunting.

 

[crayon]

YES! GSP are very high strung. This is my second GSP- my first was a girl and she was very thin also- so active! This one is a brick house! he is not fat (still thin) but totally trimmed- he is so muscular and also a bit calmer than my first GSP.

He is not used for hunting- but for sure "breed" for hunting! He has not gotten in the coop (we call it the chicken corral)

I can't imagine him killing one in anger or desire to kill- but I also can't imagine that he wouldn't either because he has no concept of his size or really his desires.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

It took a good dog who really does want to retrieve (so she has a soft mouth) and hours of training and a good rooster but our dog "plays" with our rooster now and never hurts him. The rooster taught him not to mess with the hens and I taught him not to hurt the rooster.