My dog just killed my chicken :(

[LavendarFeather]

Well, I'm looking forward to seeing if I can train my dogs well enough that I could be out with them off lead and the chickens out. Right now I'm still waiting for perimeter fencing, so the dogs can't be loose anyway. I have a senior terrier, and she is fine out with the chickens. My Chihuahuas are, too, although the male will grab a chick if there are any little ones about, so he's not allowed out then. The "problem kids" are my Boxer and my Ridgeback mix. They have learned to ignore the chickens when we walk past their runs, however every once in awhile they will lunge at the runs, particularly if the birds are fluttering about. It will definitely take time.

Giant Schnauzer, huh? I had one until about two years ago--what a great dog! Funny though, he didn't chase things. I don't know if he would have been okay with chickens or not, but once when we were out he found some kind of animal that was like a rat or a gopher or something. He picked it up and was carrying it. I told him to put it down, and he set it down and it walked away, unharmed. Another time he walked quietly up to a squirrel and they sniffed noses. It was so weird. I never saw a squirrel not run from a dog. I miss that guy!

 

[mg15]

Today, our German Shepherd killed 8 of my hens. She killed two in October. A total of 10 hens that I rasied from 2 days old.
Right now I have a dead chicken around her neck.
She has the obsession of circling. Goes around in circles for hours.
When I first got the chickens I trained her so I thought not to hurt them. That was in October.
I took her in from someone else.
I am burned out.
All that time in getting my girls going and wiped out. The ones left are in shock.

 

[Mama2M]

I find it unfortunate that you think you will change your dog's genetics through humiliation. German Shepherd were bred to "circle". They are a moving fenceline for those that still use them as herding dogs. (They are in the AKC herding group, as the name "shepherd" denotes. German Shepherds have a strong prey drive... as do many breeds. The use of positive reinforcement (rewarding the dog with high value treats when he does not go into prey mode) could alter the behavior enough for supervised interaction, but it really is ridiculous to think that you are going to change a dog's instinctual behavior completely.

I have a German Shepherd (who, yes, killed 3 pullets last spring when I "trusted" him). I am a professional dog trainer, as well. I knew better, but took the chance. Won't do it again. I love my dog. Love the chickens, but they don't have to be together.

 

[mg15]

To Mama2M

You are rude. Don't call me names and I don't care who you are. The president or a dog trainer.

 

[Racheroooo2]

We tried hatching chickens for a while and went through 40 eggs with no success. One batch, a chick hatched and I was really excited! I named him Artemis Fowl. I loved him so much and his favorite thing to do was eat the bugs in my flower bed. About a year ago, my beautiful Buff Orpington rooster (not even a year old) was attacked! I was soo bummed. A animal broke through the cage and got him! I found him the next morning and it appeared that he was sleeping, didn't even know what hit him. Poor baby. I now have a new cage and three new hens. They are the funniest! I think that Artemis Fowl was looking down on us from heaven and blessed these girls.

We buried him in his favorite spot by the flower bed. R.I.P. Artemis Fowl

 

[JiMyra]

the only cure for dogs is keep the chickens away from them or get rid of the dog.

 

[Firefighter Chick]

Today, our German Shepherd killed 8 of my hens. She killed two in October. A total of 10 hens that I rasied from 2 days old.
Right now I have a dead chicken around her neck.
She has the obsession of circling. Goes around in circles for hours.
When I first got the chickens I trained her so I thought not to hurt them. That was in October.
I took her in from someone else.
I am burned out.
All that time in getting my girls going and wiped out. The ones left are in shock.

Herding and circling can mean different things. If she is running in circles for hours she may have some neurotic behavior and/or boredom. perhaps she needs a good running or some other exhausing activity to wear her out. You could get an underground or wireless dog fence or a tie-out.

 

[mg15]

Herding and circling can mean different things. If she is running in circles for hours she may have some neurotic behavior and/or boredom. perhaps she needs a good running or some other exhausing activity to wear her out. You could get an underground or wireless dog fence or a tie-out.

Yes she does the circling. Running for hours in a five foot across circle. She has already killed a tree from running around it making a rut and the roots died. I don't like to tie her up alot because she does need exercise. And she needs a big dose of who is in charge here. The vet could give her medicine for the behaviour you are talking about but he said it would slow her down too much and mess with her. So for three years we have been trying very hard to give her jobs, etc. She seems to never run out of energy. She has been at the Humane Society twice and rescued twice and four owners. She is now getting a little older and maybe this, I hope will start to keep her pace down. I asked the vet if he knew of someone who would take her, but it would be a miracle because of her age. I have the girls in what looks like Lock Up Raw. On the day of the savagery I left the gate open for the dog to put the girls in. She has done that for awhile....but the vet thinks she got frustrated/frenzied and the dog could not control herself. I was her control. And I was not there to at the gate to control her. It can be exhausting in taking care of a dog like her.
Well, thank you for the underground or wireless dog fence idea. I appreciate it.

 

[Misstwixler]

We just lost our first chicken, Our dog got her also. I put a remote controlled shock collar on him and when he even goes near the chicken coop, he gets zapped. We're going to be putting a fence up around the chicken area on our side yard but until then...he gets zapped.

 

[mg15]

We just lost our first chicken, Our dog got her also. I put a remote controlled shock collar on him and when he even goes near the chicken coop, he gets zapped. We're going to be putting a fence up around the chicken area on our side yard but until then...he gets zapped.

Good Idea. That would work here also. I just ordered three Black Australorpes chicks. Because she killed my three 15 week old Australorpes. I only have one of them left. And she is a bit lost. At first I wanted no more chicks. But ......