Looking for a guard dog for chickens.

[SunnySkies]

I trained my LGDs to a Petsafe Stubborn Dog fence. I laid the fencing myself around our 7 acres, no problem. I started training my dogs very, very young. They don't wander at all.

 

[SavageDestiny]

I trained my LGDs to a Petsafe Stubborn Dog fence. I laid the fencing myself around our 7 acres, no problem. I started training my dogs very, very young. They don't wander at all.

I'm not the biggest fan of electric fences. Some dogs obey them all right, but a motivated dog- say one chasing a deer- is going to blow right through it. Then get stuck on the other side 'cause they'll get shocked coming back in. Same thing could happen with a dog chasing coyotes or other dogs off the property- they're all worked up chasing the intruder, blow through the fence, and then can't get back in.

 

[Theda's Mom]

Regular hot wire will not hurt kids. If that were the case, none of my cousins, sibs, or I would have lasted past about age three.

Hot wire is also a relatively inexpensive solution to an expensive and heartbreaking problem.

I solved (or it seems I may have solved - fingers crossed) a serious fox predation problem with lots of hotwire (electrified poultry netting with a 5' extension of alternating hot and ground electric fencing above it). Then I expanded my dog's range. She can now roam all the way around the chicken's pen. While she'd never hurt a chicken at all, or a fox for that matter, simply leaving her scent in the pastures and across the game trails will have a deterrent effect.

Zazouse, I LOVE your dogs, and you are so right: it is all in the training, and you've obviously done a bang up job in that area. The same goes for you, SunnySkies.

 

[SunnySkies]

I'm not the biggest fan of electric fences. Some dogs obey them all right, but a motivated dog- say one chasing a deer- is going to blow right through it. Then get stuck on the other side 'cause they'll get shocked coming back in. Same thing could happen with a dog chasing coyotes or other dogs off the property- they're all worked up chasing the intruder, blow through the fence, and then can't get back in.

Yes, that is true. I have also treated several dogs for fight wounds where the client's dog was on his side and another dog came in and injured my client's dog.

However, I LOVE it for my dogs. With adequate training young, most dogs will not challenge it especially if you never give them the chance to blow through it. Also, the newer fences, like mine, have an anti-run through feature.

For the OP, who sounds like they could really benefit from an LGD, a radio fence might be a good option. However, I do NOT recommend them unless one gets a puppy, and a puppy might not deter predators immediately.

However, as soon as I got the pups, our heavy predator pressure (losing an average of a bird a day) disappeared. Have not seen a predator on our property since....I have seen them actually go around. My dogs and I watched a fox go the long way around to visit the neighbor, where the pickings are easier without two huge white dogs!

OP, we have hot wire on our farm to keep the horses in, a fencing system called Horseguard. I told the kids to not touch it. And if they do, they do. They learned. Even my little two year old figured it out.

 

[Triple Willow]

@Zazouse... Can you explain what training you do with pups to train them to be livestock guards? Also, what do you feed all of those dogs? lol

 

[Triple Willow]

Regular hot wire will not hurt kids.  If that were the case, none of my cousins, sibs, or I would have lasted past about age three.    Hot wire is also a relatively inexpensive solution to an expensive and heartbreaking problem.

Ditto on that! Me and most of the kids in my family have grown up around electric fences and we are all still here. It will actually help teach a hard headed kid to listen. LOL

 

[aPrimitive]

I realize you said dog but I have heard of people getting a "guard goose". Apparently they'll attack coyotes, wild dogs, feral cats, and unfortunately your own dog. I've never tried it myself, but might be something to look into.

 

[zazouse]

IMO a guard goose bad idea, they will get killed for sure, they are no match for something that wants to eat them, i have geese and i use LGD to protect my geese as well as my other flocks

 

[aPrimitive]

IMO a guard goose bad idea, they will get killed for sure, they are no match for something that wants to eat them, i have geese and i use LGD to protect my geese as well as my other flocks

I'd still pick a dog any day lol.

 

[aPrimitive]

I got a pitbull, he's on a raw meat diet lol eats raw chicken all the time, and still won't hurt a live bird.