Medium sized dog for protecting free range flock?

[Egghead_Jr]

I don't believe dogs are good chicken animals. Would take raising a puppy around birds and in that any medium sized mongrel will do. This breed this and this breed that doesn't matter as it's how you train and work your dog. Dogs are a lot of work. Electric fencing is cheaper and easier.

If your a dog person then get any medium to large dog you want. Train it. You hear crazy things like a breed will instinctively patrol, protect and not damage any of your property including animals. I for one don't believe everything I hear. Train the dog from a puppy to be what ever you want it to be.

 

[BuffyBugSlayer]

Any dog can be conditioned to not kill your chickens and hang around your farm and bark at stuff. Some breeds of dogs are more apt to alarm bark at intruders etc. Herding breeds (Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Australian Cattle dogs etc.) usually tend to bark. They also really enjoy human companionship so you may find they require more from you than a true livestock guardian breed. Those breeds are used to being independent and that is why they do so well in that type of situation.

Depending on how much you want them to be with the chickens you may do better with two dogs that have each other to interact with. They will be happier that way. Lots of farms/ranches have a group of outside dogs that hang out and let you know that people are coming and that something has shown up. Keep in mind that they will also bark at night as part of the job so consider if that might bother you or your neighbors.

I run a dog boarding facility and also have 3 dogs of my own. My dogs are inside outside dogs and have never been trained to protect the chickens but their presence and the fact that they bark and run around the property all day keeps predators at bay. I have never lost a chicken to a predator and I live in the wilds of Montana. My chickens free range during the day and are locked up at night.

I think dogs may help your situation but may not completely solve the problem while you are away. If there was a way to lock the chickens up at night while you were gone I think you would have a much better chance and the dogs would do a better job.

 

[Trefoil]

The assumptions made here are mind boggling. Just because I said I was on vacation for two weeks, does not mean I left my farm totally abandon. Geez guys, try some common sense. I had people coming by every day to check on things, gather eggs, and so forth. I asked for advice on a good farm dog for protecting chickens, not your opinion about my person. I know a lot of people on here think they are some kind of animal rights activist and feel obsessively compelled to spew their opinion about proper pet care out on everyone they talk to, but I am not here for that kind of debate, because that will get someone banned.

The subject of this thread is about medium sized dogs for protecting a free range flock; not "Let"s all express are opinions about how other people should care for their animals". Stick to the subject and we will be fine. If you don't know an answer to the question, there is no need to respond.

I understand your point, the problem is that the posters don't know you and unfortunately there are many chicken owners who have no common sense. Just go back through some of the old threads and you'll understand where they are coming from. I'm so glad you aren't one of them.

 

[SJ]

The assumptions made here are mind boggling. Just because I said I was on vacation for two weeks, does not mean I left my farm totally abandon. Geez guys, try some common sense. I had people coming by every day to check on things, gather eggs, and so forth. I asked for advice on a good farm dog for protecting chickens, not your opinion about my person. I know a lot of people on here think they are some kind of animal rights activist and feel obsessively compelled to spew their opinion about proper pet care out on everyone they talk to, but I am not here for that kind of debate, because that will get someone banned.

The subject of this thread is about medium sized dogs for protecting a free range flock; not "Let"s all express are opinions about how other people should care for their animals". Stick to the subject and we will be fine. If you don't know an answer to the question, there is no need to respond.

Any medium sized mongrel then...really. If trained properly a dog will defend the known territory and identifiable pack members. I train my danes that all the animals on the farm are "babies" or pups to their pack thinking. So their role is to guard and defend the pups. This is a natural role pack members play and a dog takes to it instinctively. It took three days with a 4 yr old blue heeler to learn this pack role but once she understood who was in "the pack" she watched for predators during the day (She killed a feral cat and left it with Cuddles our house cat on the porch. Cuddles was in the pack. Other cat was an intruder.) and herded the flock back to the coop each night. My grandfather has had springer spaniels that were excellent bird dogs in the field, but at home never harmed a bird. If your flock is part of the your pack any dog can be trained to protect the pack from what it perceives as a threat to the pack.
That said hounds aren't easily trained.

 

[bobbi-j]

The assumptions made here are mind boggling. Just because I said I was on vacation for two weeks, does not mean I left my farm totally abandon. Geez guys, try some common sense. I had people coming by every day to check on things, gather eggs, and so forth. I asked for advice on a good farm dog for protecting chickens, not your opinion about my person. I know a lot of people on here think they are some kind of animal rights activist and feel obsessively compelled to spew their opinion about proper pet care out on everyone they talk to, but I am not here for that kind of debate, because that will get someone banned.

The subject of this thread is about medium sized dogs for protecting a free range flock; not "Let"s all express are opinions about how other people should care for their animals". Stick to the subject and we will be fine. If you don't know an answer to the question, there is no need to respond.

People can only respond to the information given. You started your first post with, "Recently I took a two week vacation to visit family and when I got back to my farm, my entire free range flock was gone." No where in the post did you say anything anyone coming to check on things. As Trefoil said, people don't know you, and sadly, you can't assume that people have common sense anymore. Many don't. When you post on a public forum, you are inviting people to "spew their opinion" on the subject.

 

[blucoondawg]

Some of the best dogs I've seen around chickens, as far as easily being taught not to harm the chickens, were mutts from the pound, mostly German Shepard crossed with whatever ones got a little pit bull in it but it looks just like a tall skinny Shepard, my buddy's had 2 of these and they're great dogs around his place, friendly as can be to people and won't hurt the birds but they'll chase other stuff off, the one treed a bear one time. They're easy to come by here they get picked up on the local reservations when the strays have pups and someone catches them and takes them in

 

[SJ]

So some dogs that could make a good match for your situation can be found here.

https://www.facebook.com/AllHerdingBreedDogRescueOfIllinois/

http://www.acdra.org/

Its a starting place anyways, and you never know what life you can save by going to your local shelter. Sorry to hear your chickens got killed.

 

[SJ]

Some of the best dogs I've seen around chickens, as far as easily being taught not to harm the chickens, were mutts from the pound, mostly German Shepard crossed with whatever ones got a little pit bull in it but it looks just like a tall skinny Shepard, my buddy's had 2 of these and they're great dogs around his place, friendly as can be to people and won't hurt the birds but they'll chase other stuff off, the one treed a bear one time. They're easy to come by here they get picked up on the local reservations when the strays have pups and someone catches them and takes them in

I know what your talking about. I lived 8 years on the LDF rez. In the early 90s when we moved to LDF the rez was covered in them rez mutts. most look just like your saying. I remember one of the nieghbors had a half wolf with rottwieler german shepard mastiff mutt. Yup that dog was scary looking. but most were those canaan dog looking things.
http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/canaan-dog/

 

[amymboxer]

I help alot with dog rescue. So I see alot of different types of dogs. I would probably say the best guard farm dogs around here that seem to be very good are mixed queensland/shepherd/lab types. The types that are on the mellow end of the spectrum. That being said don't get a pup with high prey drive..something that chases every ball it sees. Many of these dogs have high prey drive. Growing up I had horses at a ranch I rode at and there were chickens and mixed breed dogs of all types picked up from the local pound. Generally the lower energy easy going ones seemed best around the animals. Only 2 ever had issues. They went up and killed the neighbors sheep. One was a pitbull mix and the other a chow mix. Its a pack mentality issue with more than one dog. I have heard of 3 dogs tsking down a full grown donkey..so be careful with getting more than one. They can pick up bad habits from eachother. Some of the hound types seem decent as well and tend to bark not sure how good they are with chickens. Breeds not well suited to farm outdoor life are snub nosed breeds, boxers, bulldogs, mastiffs do not tolerate temperature extremes well. Pitbull types some are prone to killing livestock as well and small animals, i dont recommend those, they tend to be the #1 livestock killer around here. I like them and some are ok but I see many people having issues with small livestock with these guys. If I were to get a mid sized dog on a farm I would problably get something like a boxer retriver mix or shepherd/retriever mix with a low prey drive so it wont constantly chase the birds. A dog more interested in you than the ball. If it half chases a ball or ignores it but loves cookies instead and looks to you or even a little careful with strangers at first, that might be the best puppy. I prefer a pup that thinks things through before making decisions. Its really picking temperment. If you go with purebred, A reputable breeder should have proper health testing and match you up with a correct pup and has a return policy and health guarantee. You will pay for a quality pup, otherwise pay a reputable dog trainer help pick out a shelter dog. Be careful some areas puppies under 4 months are highly succeptable to deadly illesses. A reputable rescue may have certain policies about how dogs are housed, such as indoors as night and safe fencing when unattended. Same with many breeders. Some of the shyer pups will tend to stay put and not wander off after they bond to you. 3 of my 4 dogs started off shy...they tend to stay close to me even off leash. We have 2 boxers, one is good with small animals the other terrible (usually a breed terrible with cats and birds, too high energy) she already pouced and killed my barred rock pullet grrr!. Then two small dogs. A poodle mix and a 6 lb dog I am more afraid of being eaten than the chickens lol (she is indoors 99% of the time)! More likely to wander off with a doggie friend too if you get two and more likely to cause trouble with livestock. We get some lovely shepherd mixes around here!

 

[Leigti]

My dog is a springer lab cross and I trust her completely with my chickens. And actually with my other animals too. That being said the dog is a dog. And things can happen. My dad uses great purities to protect his alpaca, they pretty much don't do anything during the day but at night they come alive. Since night time seems to be the main danger time for chickens a breed that is known and bred to protect other animals would be a good choice. It is interesting what was said about dogs killing a full-grown donkey, a friend of mine has a miniature donkey that has killed a full-grown mountain lion. Donkeys wouldn't be much help for chickens though.
I'm going to jump to an assumption here since you didn't completely explain, you say your chickens are free range so does that mean that they roost wherever they can find at night? In the woods or in a random trees? Because having a place for them to roost at night up near the house would be very beneficial and easier for a dog to patrol.
May I ask why you don't want a large dog like a great pyranese? I know they are huge but they're not going to want to spend time with you in your house anyway.