LSG that herds as well?

[zazouse]

got the same here, they will place themselves in an area between what they preceve a threat, i have a couple yotes that try to sneek in for a meal when comming threw, i got some crazy roos that stay way our in the woods and watch for them, somehow my dog knows and sure enough when the roos sound thew alarm you will see one but they never getto get a bird.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"Also, she doesn't wander like others have said theirs do. She has never been behind a fence and while she doesn't know our property line, she has never been out of calling distance."

If she doesn't stay on YOUR property, she "wanders"
You can pretend she's "guarding" the chickens, but I'm pretty sure she's not

 

[zazouse]

"Also, she doesn't wander like others have said theirs do. She has never been behind a fence and while she doesn't know our property line, she has never been out of calling distance." If she doesn't stay on YOUR property, she "wanders" You can pretend she's "guarding" the chickens, but I'm pretty sure she's not

Shame you never had the pleasure of owning such a dog, they are pure joy and we sleep very good with them in charge.

 

[centrarchid]

"Also, she doesn't wander like others have said theirs do. She has never been behind a fence and while she doesn't know our property line, she has never been out of calling distance." If she doesn't stay on YOUR property, she "wanders" You can pretend she's "guarding" the chickens, but I'm pretty sure she's not

Bear Foot,

Where I work several LGD's are in use protecting flocks of sheep and / or goats. Flock size varies from 13 to 50 head. Each flock is moved about as needed for forage management. Paddocks range in size from 2 to greater than 20 acres and are defined by some combination of fixed sheep / goat fencing and electrified netting. The flocks are tight with members generally staying close together at all time. Dogs generally stay with charges at perimeter of flock. Dogs also patrol periodically away from flock, especially at night, as far away as fencing will allow. They still return to flock usually within an hour or so and move with it when moved between paddocks. Distance from dog to flock in larger paddocks can be several hundred feet which is likely greater than reported MrsBachBach. Being away from flock does not mean dog not guarding. Periodic patrolling in case of our dogs marks the "do not cross lines" for coyotes that otherwise clear fixed fences very easily. Some of the dogs would go much further.

The system in place is similar to most sheep / goat producers use in Missouri yet it is not what the dogs were bred for. They normally operate in larger areas often where no fencing is employed and the flocks move about over much larger areas than our tiny little paddocks, in part to compensate for much poorer forage quality than we enjoy.


Folks keeping LGD's for poultry do similar to our smaller paddocks. Dogs are not imprinted to poultry flock but provide protection nonetheless by being confined to same general location and the dogs will still go after animals they do not regard is be friends. The dogs often learn to use birds as alarm systems which is important in recruiting dog against threats that are not normally a concern for sheep and goats such as foxes and smaller mammals and raptors.

You are going have to soften your position about dog breed and livestock species having all importance when defining an LGD. Based on actions of my dogs and legal status of poultry as livestock, even those hunting dogs are functioning as livestock guardians and they do it very well. As a matter of fact, they do their job in a manner more like that of old world LGD's because my dogs are not confined. I admit my dogs are primarily concerned with defense of territory but they protect my birds and even those of a neighbor. Being imprinted on and trying to stay with a multiple flocks would not be practical since chickens do not move about as single coherent group like the small ruminants. The strategy needs to be appropriate for situation.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:
I've owned MANY LGD's and I know how they tend to roam when not confined

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"Folks keeping LGD's for poultry do similar to our smaller paddocks."

The OP wants a "free ranging" dog on a SMALL property that will "herd" birds away from property lines, and no such animal exists

"You are going have to soften your position about dog breed and livestock species having all importance when defining an LGD"

NO, I don't have to change the definition of "LGD" when it's been the same for thousands of years.

" I admit my dogs are primarily concerned with defense of territory"

Isn't that what I said too?

 

[MrsBachbach]

I think it's kind of silly to assume a dog recognizes a persons property line. I know they possess a certain intelligence but I don't think that extends to imaginary lines. When I speak of wander, I mean go a mile or more down the road or in the woods. My dog doesn't even go 100 yards away. Unlike a neighbor who lives a few miles down the road whose Pyrenee's shows up here once in awhile. That's what I mean by does not wander. Also, she has already proved she guards the chickens. I would like to know what you think she is doing when she goes after a dog that is chasing the chickens if you don't think it is protecting them? When she goes after a dog that is just following the farmer down the road before it even looks at the birds cross eyed? When she displays this behavior with these particular dogs, yet my neighbor walks down the road with her dogs and she does nothing to those dogs? Dogs which have never bothered the birds btw. By the way, I didn't socialize her with the neighbor or her dogs. She doesn't know those dogs any better than she knew the other dogs. She's not territorial I can assure you that. She spends plenty of time with the chickens, eats their food when she gets the chance, and their poop to my dismay. She won't touch raw chicken meat, even store bought. AT ALL. Think what you will, but she has saved these chickens from slaughter on more than one occassion.

 

[centrarchid]

"Folks keeping LGD's for poultry do similar to our smaller paddocks." The OP wants a "free ranging" dog on a SMALL property that will "herd" birds away from property lines, and no such animal exists.

Look into English Shepherd. Will guard and herd although not best at either. Much of what OP desires not practical. What you state is simply to strict.

Neighbor we have comes close to OP's desire with a larger Border Collie. Dog does guard and does drive birds without supervision. With a little work that dog could likely do job desired even though that is not generally practical in agricultural settings. Dog also a little nuts which might facilitate how it operates.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"Think what you will, but she has saved these chickens from slaughter on more than one occassion"
Again, any mutt from a pound can do that.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"I would like to know what you think she is doing when she goes after a dog that is chasing the chickens if you don't think it is protecting them?"

Guarding her territory, because she'd do the same even if the birds weren't there