My own dog?

[Dunnma]

We are new to backyard chickens. We currently have 15 chicks in a brooder and my husband is working on building the coop into our barn. When we first got the chicks, we would let our dogs sniff them to get used to them and there didn't seem to be a problem. On a warm day last week, I put the chicks out in a little fenced area and my Jack Russell's instincts apparently kicked in. She tried to dig under the fence to get to them, but we chained her up and she didn't. So, my question is (and I think I already know the answer unfortunately) is there anyway to get her to be able to be around the chickens without wanting to kill them? We were hoping to be able to free range the chickens, but it is looking like they will have to stay fenced in and even then I'll worry about my Jack Russell getting to them. Our other dog is a chihuahua and she doesn't seem to even acknowledge that there are chickens anywhere on the property. TIA for any advice.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

You might be able to get the Jack to calm down with a lot of exposure (leashed while the chickens are loose) or you might not. It's impossible to predict. My dog could care less about the chickens. His sister (same litter), who's at my house almost every, day is WILD for them and I don't think she'll ever be trustworthy with them even though after a couple of months she no longer paces and drools and whines while "watching chicken tv" every second that she's there.

 

[centrarchid]

Working with the Jack Russel alone, give it as much supervised time with chickens as possible. Get dog interested in activities not centered on the chickens and reprimand when interest directed at chickens. Excersize dog vigorously away from chickens on walks periodically bringing dog back to birds but then direct dogs attention towards other stimuli. This will take some time. All dogs I have worked with could eventually be trained to point they will cause no harm to chickens even when they have killed previously. What varies is the amount of time and effort involved which can be considerable. Most of my dogs have been hunting dogs and current dogs are generally used to hunt birds. I dog with an idle mind is more prone to be problematic, especially if smart and high energy.


I also like to train dogs on adult chickens, ideally a calm rooster is set aside for the training process. A pen can be used to facilitate control over interactions between dog and bird. Spend time with dog and birds while sitting out reading a book so dog can see you are not overly interested in the chickens. If you get excited about chickens and look directly at them so will dog and that can be problematic.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Please do remember that Jack Russell's are bred to control vermin and to pull live fox out of their dens, business end first. They do this job very very well. Like centrachid mentioned if the chickens run or go into panic mode then in dog's mind it's game on, hence his reference to a calm rooster.

 

[drumstick diva]

As a greeter in the New Member introduction forum, all I hear about is "My dog massacred my chicks. The dog often ends up being the least likely candidate like doxies, Chihuahuas, yorkies. What's worse is - the people go out buy new chicks and have a second massacre not doing anything to restrain the dog. I usually tell them dog + chickens = DEAD chickens. You never hear of a chicken killing a dog.

Cats are much the same, always sitting on or by the brooders eyeballing the chicks& waiting to get lucky. Sometimes folks try to introduce the dog to chicks by holding a chick up for the dog to smell. Dog thinks master is offering treat to him and swallows chick.

I am a dog lover but, even the benign breeds can see chicks/chickens running around bok ,bok ,boking as a squeaky toy. They grab the chick, shake it, no more squeak- dead!
So they go on and repeat with the next ones.

The best advice I can offer is dogs and chickens should NEVER meet.

 

[Akrnaf2]

I am a zoologist. and you must understand that dogs are wolves! and chicken and wolves don't mix together!
you must remember that in the first chance they will kill the chickens. you must sparest them! The only exception are shepherd dogs
that after training( and they must go trough one before their introduction to the chickens!) they have a lesser chance to attack the chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

If it helps. I am also a zoologist and a professor of animal science that deals with these issues relatively frequently. Working with three species is complex but done by many people. Humans are smart and sometime flexible enough to form the tasks required. The complex interactions may be required to make keeping chickens possible. You will have to be more cognizant of the challenges imposed by multiple species and operate within limits until all play well together.

 

[Rowsdower]

My dog (a lab x border collie) is amazing with the chickens. I started her by taking her into the run with me when I let them out in the mornings and any other time I am dealing with chickens. There's always a bit of a ruckus when my 30 birds come screaming out of the coop in the mornings and I figured if I overstimulate her with the chickens and am right there to keep things from going bad, she'll eventually just not even notice them (this isn't far off). I keep her on a lead and if she starts to get at all "birdy" I just say her name firmly and it calms her down. I've been doing this since she was 8 weeks old and I honestly think she'd be alright if left alone with them.

 

[aart]

Training of the dog (or rather lack of training) is usually the problem...not the dog itself.

Small dogs are often not trained because they are small and not as much of a threat to human injury as large dogs are.

 

[LI chickie]

My chicks are about 16 days old. I have 3 shepherds two are seniors no problem but my 5yr old has a very high prey drive. I took her sheep herding last year she did very good but she's mouthy and would try to grab the sheep with her mouth. I've seen her play bowing to the chicks and getting all riled up. She wants to climb in the crate when I open the door I haven't let her sniff them yet.
She's also a resource guarder and guards them.