LSG that herds as well?

[aart]

......I really think it's more the individual dog, and what he sees as his responsibility, more than what breed it is......

Also GREATLY depends on the dog owner and if they know to train a dog.

To the OP: Get some fence!...it can take up to 2 years to properly train a dog to do what you want it to do....and they often need fencing anyway.
It sounds like you are renting? Maybe some electric poultry netting would work well in your situation, it's pretty easy to move to rotate ranging, it will keep most predators away and you can take it with you when you move.

 

[centrarchid]

Term wise LGD is better than LSG.


Bear Foot is correct, no dog breeds currently in existence were developed specifically for poultry. That being said, the same is true for ancestors of True LGD's as Bear Foot defines them. True LGD's are almost certainly derived from pariah dogs of some sort, not directly from wolves, and initially filled role like current farm dogs do to day. Selection promoted size and independence from barnyard to stay with mobile flock and be willing to take on larger threats. You must start somewhere but such is a very long-term effort as in human generations and methods and conditions would need to be consistent with respect to husbandry and selecting of dogs for breeding.


A very well trained dog could do as you desire but that requires skills and time very few people have around dogs and livestock. Folks desiring guarding and herding usually got same from two different breeds of dogs that complimented each other.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"No offense, but you seem kind of snobby about the whole 'dogs guarding animals' thing"


Your St Bernard is guarding TERRITORY
LGD's guard ANIMALS

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:
It matters little what y0ou can TRAIN a dog to do . LGD's guard by INSTINCT, and a German Shepherd is NOT an LGD

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"I don't even know why you're being such a breed snob about this"

I'm not being a"snob"

I'm stating facts.

It's not my fault so many are ignorant about what LGD MEANS

 

[Maemujwok]

Not renting per se. My chicken coop is on someone else's property. We co-op the birds with three families. I will look into electrical poultry fencing. my main concern is that the birds have as much land as possible to roam.

 

[nicole63021]

I've used my aussies for sheep and duck herding, and they seem just as inclined with the chickens. I wouldn't call them livestock guardians so much as property guards. I spent years training them to do the work, and if told they will and do herd even wild geese. However, they do live indoors, and much prefer too. I just want them to be able to keep the birds in the fence and to help round up any strays when it's time to close up the coop. I've looked into Briards as well, since they tend to be much better at running off predators. I hope you find an answer to your problem.

 

[zazouse]

There are no dogs bred to "guard chickens"You can train a dog to NOT bother chickens, but they will not "guard" them as they will true livestock

I disagree . i have several breed that go see what is going on with my birds when they are making a racket, it took some training to get them to respond to birds alert and they do their job well.

 

[zazouse]

A herder is no good if you are not there to tell them what to do and herding birds is risky for the birds sometimes, i have a herder and she does her job well and she will herd anything on command, it came natural to her and i do use her here but i have to tell her what i want her to do .

You only have 3 acres so your birds don't have to go far to be off you place, you can teach them to stay away from an area but it takes alot of time

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

That's a tricky one. The herding instinct is a modified hunting instinct. We have an Anatolian x Border Collie--who looks like a 100lb Border Collie with an Anatolian head. LOL He is doing great with the chickens but he really struggles.

I occasionally let my chicken flocks out and he watches them for a while and then decides to put them away and wants them away (i.e. he will not let them out). He actually does help me put away the ducks and geese at night. The chickens, not so much. LOL