My dog, the egg gatherer

[Desirai]

that is so cool. Having your dog bring you eggs.. wow.

That's also funny about your chicken dropping eggs everywhere.

 

[GableBabble]

Our GSD will bring egg SHELLS back to you. She finds the ducks eggs and eats them. Really makes me angry. Hubbie says "Once an egg sucker, always an egg sucker".

 

[SouthernOregonChick]

My dog does this, too! My dog discovered the golf balls in the chicken coop long before our hens were laying, and would go in and steal one and pack it around. Now he still does it, except half the time he has an egg! We have been trying to break him of this, though, because sometimes he brings them to you and sometimes he breaks them. I have no idea how many eggs might have been lost this way already...
At least he can be left outside all day with all of the chickens free ranging around him and he doesn't hurt them.

 

[MadameDork]

My dog does this, too! My dog discovered the golf balls in the chicken coop long before our hens were laying, and would go in and steal one and pack it around. Now he still does it, except half the time he has an egg! We have been trying to break him of this, though, because sometimes he brings them to you and sometimes he breaks them. I have no idea how many eggs might have been lost this way already...
At least he can be left outside all day with all of the chickens free ranging around him and he doesn't hurt them.

That is what I feel is the biggest blessing. We were going to fence off the chickens from the dogs, but they do so well together and the chickens seem very happy that we didn't bother. It's the occasional call from the neighbor letting us know the chickens are in the front yard problem when we leave the gate open. While the dogs know not to cross the gate line, the chickens don't understand that.

 

[Moonkit]

That is what I feel is the biggest blessing. We were going to fence off the chickens from the dogs, but they do so well together and the chickens seem very happy that we didn't bother. It's the occasional call from the neighbor letting us know the chickens are in the front yard problem when we leave the gate open. While the dogs know not to cross the gate line, the chickens don't understand that.

"But mama, there are yummy bugs over there!"

I'm another lucky person to have not one but two dogs who can be trusted not to harm the chickens. My sheltie, Jewel, would rather run from them (mainly because our Polish hen and Americana Hen both pick on her) and our border collie, Diamond, guards them. She barks at any bird that flies over "her" yard when the chickens are out. I'm assuming she's daring them to come down and "fight like a dog". Our chickens are calm around the dogs and only seem to mind them when Diamond goes running by after a ball or a low flying bird (hawks, buzzards, starlings, doves, grackles.. whatever!).. they watch her just to make sure they don't get stepped on.

The funniest thing in the summer is when we give them watermelon or ears of corn.. all 10 chickens and 1 border collie gather around for a bite!

The way we trained them was by showing them the chickens when we got them as chicks.. Jewel immediately showed zero interest in "those loud chirping things". Diamond was firmly disciplined that she "better not touch mama's babies." Then, during outdoor foraging trips with the chicks, Diamond was kept on a leash and made to stay calm around them. After a few trips she was interested in sniffing them (and eating the poo

) but otherwise was more interested in her toys.. until the first buzzard flew low.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I LOVE the picture of the pointer with the chicken! "Found one. Found another. Found another one..."

My dogs find the eggs that I toss in the backyard for them. Does that count? Of course, they then munch them. We do love us some eggs at my house. The good side of them being egg sucking dogs is that when I drop eggs on the living room floor (like the two that flew out of my hands last night), the dogs happily clean up the mess. Thankfully they can't get into the chicken pens or I would never have any eggs!

 

[wildriverswolf90]

super cute, i have a Golden retriever that loves HIS chickens and ducks. in the warm weather he love to go out and lay in the ducks pool and play with them. some days he love to go into the chicken coop and lay around, when the hens start to sing their egg song he barks till i come out to get the egg

 

[MadameDork]

I have another dog, Bowie, who plays well with the chickens. She doesn't chase them. She will ocassionally do the butt in the air play stance at one, but chickens don't really understand what that means. If a ball flies over a chicken and Bowie runs at the chicken, the chicken will fly straight up to avoid getting trampled. Bowie doesn't mind when the hens get up in her face and touch her ball, which surprised me since she does not like other dogs doing that during her "work" time. Fetching is hard work ya know?

The dogs were around the chicks too, from day one. Bowie didn't care. Hook was super excited when we would let her in the room to stare at them, which she would do for hours. I'm guessing that is why the chickens aren't scared of them.