My dogs!

[babyrnlc]

So we thought that a few months ago one of the dogs were the ones that killed our 4 chicks (including my favorite). But all of them have gotten into the yard at least once while the chickens were out with no issues. One time I was working on a tree house and someone let my shepherd out and I had thrown some lasagna out for the chickens, I looked over and Annie was in the middle of 5 mad chickens eating their lasagna until they scared her off.

We have had MANY hawks around lately and I am starting to wonder if it was a hawk that got them. The big chickens were fine. The old run blew over in a storm and something got the 2 month old chicks.

So anyway, we still dont know and we still dont leave them out, or even let them out (unless they are leashed) while the chickens are out. BUT the other day my neighbor saw 3 opposums trying to get into our yard and the dogs scared them off.

So my dogs may or may not be predators, but at least they are deterants for the other predators.

 

[WalkerH]

Well that is somewhat good news! And glad to hear you don't let them out without supervision. Although I must say three of mine stay outside most of the day without supervision, but I trust them. I have a chicken killer, and well she would choose killing chickens over lasagna probably any day.

 

[dianaross77]

I have 4 dogs and only worry about one of them with the chickens. The others just let them be. I think getting the dog to see the birds as part of their pack and everything else as an invader is the key. And the bigger the chickens get, the less prey-like they seem to my dogs.

 

[babyrnlc]

Well I am pretty sure it was not my shepherd mix after today. I had her out with a leash and she seemed scared of the chickens, I decided to let her off the leash, because she is pretty voice controlled and she went and laid down by them and I swear it looked like she was guarding them. Then they went walking around and she went into their coop to eat the poo (yuck) and one of the babies came running in there yelling at her (I say babies, but they are 5 months old now) and Annie ran away,. Then the other babies joined her and scared her off into a changing room for the pool.

When it was time to put the chickens up, I had Annie "help me". She walked beside me back and forth like she was herding them! It was awesome, we got the chickens half way across the yard and someone rode their bike by and I lost her. (She has a thing with people on bikes).

I will still not leave her alone, but I dont think it was her.

 

[dianaross77]

I have an English Springer Spaniel that went after one of my chicks once. I hollered at her and her feelings were so hurt she doesn't even come near them now. Such a wimp!

 

[dainerra]

remember, though, that how she acts around the birds when you are THERE can be the exact opposite of how she acts when you are gone. This is doubly true if you have ever scolded/punished her for bothering the birds.