My new future chicken guard dog

[lazy gardener]

I'm still not even sure I can trust my cats with the chickens. Today, the 5 girls were dust bathing in the green house. One of my cats decided to come in for a visit. He went to the back of the green house and hid behind a big plant pot, then started the purring and rubbing his chin all over everything routine. Of course one girl had to come over to investigate... followed by the other 4. They came closer and closer to check out this cat, until the lead hen was about 1' away with hen and cat doing a stare down. Cat cuffed hen, hens squawked and scattered, cat cowered and snuck out of the green house. The other cat just goes into stalk mode.

 

[Beekissed]

That's just playing.

You'd know it if they were serious. All my cats do the stalking the chickens thing...then they pounce, cause the chickens to scatter and then lay down and smile like they just invented chicken bowling.

I had one cat get so good at it that I would call him to round up the chickens if they got out of the fence and he'd chase them until every last one was over the gate and then sit down with such a satisfied look on his face. Loved that cat! Ol' Spike was a dandy.

 

[bobbi-j]

Well, so far so good. After showing some interest the first few days (snuffling around the coop while the flapping, squawking things flapped and squawked), Ruger now shows no interest in the birds. I really don't get to see much of his behavior with them because DH does chicken chores while I'm at work, but he said Ruger doesn't even care to go in the coop with him when he checks for eggs. The few times the chickens have been let out to roam, he ignores them. I still won't trust him for a long time, but I'm happy with his behavior so far.

 

[Booklover82]

[IOur 4 year old golden retriever is the ultimate chicken guard dog. Being in Arizona we have problems with hawks and falcons Chloe hears the chicken distress call and runs to the door to go out and looks in the air until she sees the bird and barks until it leaves the area. She stays outside with our chickens until they come out of hiding and she knows they are safe All we did to teach her to be gentle around the chickens was a lot of monitored exposure. The protecting part she develop on her own.

 

[bobbi-j]

Ruger went into the coop with me today. He was more interested in picking up "treasures" from the floor than anything the chickens were doing.

 

[Beekissed]

I think retrievers make the perfect chicken dogs. All three of my best chicken dogs have been Lab or Lab mix dogs, one was a GP/lab mix which made her perfect for keeping stray dogs away.



Lucy and Jake....Lucy was old when I got her, fully trained and ready to rumble, and she trained up Jake before she got very old and had to be given the hand of mercy.



Now Jake is 8 yrs old and still on the job....he may look like he's sleeping but he's got a hair trigger!

 

[TheChickInn]

Adorable!!! We have a golden retriever that follows our chickens everywhere when they free range....I think she enjoys watching their antics as much as we do!

 

[bobbi-j]

I think retrievers make the perfect chicken dogs. All three of my best chicken dogs have been Lab or Lab mix dogs, one was a GP/lab mix which made her perfect for keeping stray dogs away.



Lucy and Jake....Lucy was old when I got her, fully trained and ready to rumble, and she trained up Jake before she got very old and had to be given the hand of mercy.



Now Jake is 8 yrs old and still on the job....he may look like he's sleeping but he's got a hair trigger!

Oh, Lucy was beautiful, and Jake looks like such a sweetie! Our last dog was good for critter control. He took out coons, opossums, woodchucks and squirrels. He hated squirrels! He'd also keep the deer off the lawn. They were fine in the pasture or out in the field, but if they put one foot on the lawn, he's woof until they got back to where they belonged.

 

[kingfrodo]

I'd like to join and hear the adventures of Ruger as well.

this also gives me hope for my Zeta. She's a Heeler and is six. We just got chickens last year and so far I've trained her to hunt and chase/kill any stray cat that comes in the yard. We have a cat problem here. Our barn cat, Shoes, loves the chickens and isnt a problem so I have taught Zeta to only chase the strays. so far she is doing really well. The only problem I have is that I cant trust her with the chickens so, that is still a work in progress.

I'd love to hear tips and any other training systems, and tricks you may have and/or use.


~Laura

 

[Beekissed]

I'd like to join and hear the adventures of Ruger as well.

this also gives me hope for my Zeta. She's a Heeler and is six. We just got chickens last year and so far I've trained her to hunt and chase/kill any stray cat that comes in the yard. We have a cat problem here. Our barn cat, Shoes, loves the chickens and isnt a problem so I have taught Zeta to only chase the strays. so far she is doing really well. The only problem I have is that I cant trust her with the chickens so, that is still a work in progress.

I'd love to hear tips and any other training systems, and tricks you may have and/or use.


~Laura

How do you know you can't trust her with the chickens?