My Husky is killing my chickens and ducks, I need help!

[SundanceKid87]

Hey all,

This is my first post for this site. I am in DESPERATE NEED of help with my 4 year old husky killing my chickens and ducks.

We began letting out our ducks and chickens to freely roam and forage our property this year. Knowing she may attack them like she did as a puppy one time, we got a shock collar and tried training her not to mess with them. It seemed to work for a few months as she showed no interest in them until one day she killed 7 out of 10 chickens in one day. She ran through the invisible fence straight to their coop while we were gone. The shock collar appears to no longer work as she now just blows through it. We also had it on the highest setting. We did scold her when she came running up to the house with a dead one in mouth. Last week, she killed two Pekins and today killed one call duck.

I am at my wits end and need any help / advice. We also tried putting her on a 15ft leash close to the house while the chickens & ducks are out(she has access to food, water, and shelter), but that does no good as she still manages to get a hold of them(probably them getting too close). She won’t attack them while we’re present, but if we go in the house for a few seconds, bam, she kills. I hate scolding her and hate keeping my chickens/ ducks up, but I can’t have her eating them anymore. Please let me know if you have ANY advice!

**EDIT: Thank you all so much for the advice! **

 

[Weeg]

@chickenlover007

 

[Weeg]

Use a check chain. That may work. Shock collars are horrible, would you want one on you at the highest setting? Exactly. Here is a youtube video on who to sue them. It works by swiftly pulling pressure on the neck and then releasing, and making a noise, which is a correction to them. I can make a video for you to of my dog.

 

[LaFleche]

This situation seems to call for strict separation management:

When the chickens and ducks are out, the dog has to stay inside the house or his kennel.

When the chickens and ducks are confined to their secure run, the dog can run freely.

As Huskies are known for their strong prey drive, there will not be much else you can do but to keep them strictly separate.

I am sorry for your losses.

And by the way: Welcome to BYC! Hopefully we will be able to help you with your problem.

 

[roosterhavoc]

You need to understand the reality of a high prey drive dog and little toys running all around your yard. It’s just not a good mix. Put up a fence, keep the birds locked up or only allow the dog outside when you’re there to supervise.

 

[Weeg]

This situation seems to call for strict separation management:

When the chickens and ducks are out, the dog has to stay inside the house or his kennel.

When the chickens and ducks are confined to their secure run, the dog can run freely.

As Huskies are known for their strong prey drive, there will not be much else you can do but to keep them strictly separate.

I am sorry for your losses.

And by the way: Welcome to BYC! Hopefully we will be able to help you with your problem.

Yes, start here. Training wise, work on understanding the use of a check chain.

 

[ShrekDawg]

This situation seems to call for strict separation management:

When the chickens and ducks are out, the dog has to stay inside the house or his kennel.

When the chickens and ducks are confined to their secure run, the dog can run freely.

As Huskies are known for their strong prey drive, there will not be much else you can do but to keep them strictly separate.

I am sorry for your losses.

And by the way: Welcome to BYC! Hopefully we will be able to help you with your problem.

You need to understand the reality of a high prey drive dog and little toys running all around your yard. It’s just not a good mix. Put up a fence, keep the birds locked up or only allow the dog outside when you’re there to supervise.

Agreed! And I also would not continue to allow her out with them if she was a known bird killer but of course, what’s done is done and I’m sure it’s very sad! But this is definitely a training and management issue and not the dog’s fault.

 

[SundanceKid87]

This situation seems to call for strict separation management:

When the chickens and ducks are out, the dog has to stay inside the house or his kennel.

When the chickens and ducks are confined to their secure run, the dog can run freely.

As Huskies are known for their strong prey drive, there will not be much else you can do but to keep them strictly separate.

I am sorry for your losses.

And by the way: Welcome to BYC! Hopefully we will be able to help you with your problem.

Hey all,

This is my first post for this site. I am in DESPERATE NEED of help with my 4 year old husky killing my chickens and ducks.

We began letting out our ducks and chickens to freely roam and forage our property this year. Knowing she may attack them like she did as a puppy one time, we got a shock collar and tried training her not to mess with them. It seemed to work for a few months as she showed no interest in them until one day she killed 7 out of 10 chickens in one day. She ran through the invisible fence straight to their coop while we were gone. The shock collar appears to no longer work as she now just blows through it. We also had it on the highest setting. We did scold her when she came running up to the house with a dead one in mouth. Last week, she killed two Pekins and today killed one call duck.

I am at my wits end and need any help / advice. We also tried putting her on a 15ft leash close to the house while the chickens & ducks are out(she has access to food, water, and shelter), but that does no good as she still manages to get a hold of them(probably them getting too close). She won’t attack them while we’re present, but if we go in the house for a few seconds, bam, she kills. I hate scolding her and hate keeping my chickens/ ducks up, but I can’t have her eating them anymore. Please let me know if you have ANY advice!

Thank you all for the advice!

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you all for the advice!

As Huskies are very good at climbing fences, have the dog kennel covered in mesh, otherwise she will just wait for you to turn your back to start the next killing spree.

 

[ShrekDawg]

As Huskies are very good at climbing fences, have the dog kennel covered in mesh, otherwise she will just wait for you to turn your back to start the next killing spree.

Hm yes that’s a good point too!! Some of them can climb 6 or 8 foot fences! and they dig!! So secure the bottom too with some sort of skirt or concrete. Or even better, have her inside. Some birds can fly high too so even if she doesn’t get out, they may get in.