My OWN predators!

[Trevi70]

I'm new here and I just got my tiny flock started. I have a small coop and 6 chickens: 2 SLW's, 2 Black Cochins and 2 Buff Orpingtons. I thought my cats were going to be the biggest hurdle when I got my girls but my dogs are RIDICULOUS! My little MinPin runs around and around the chicken pen like a greyhound after the rabbit and it causes the chickens to panic, squak and flap their wings which causes the lab/mastiff to whine, bark and charge the pen which causes the lab/greyhound to try and jump the fence! Meanwhile it's TOTAL chaos~ I'm running in every direction with a bad back, trying to catch... someone- ANYONE and stop the madness!!
If one of my chickens got out of the pen (which HAS happened) and a dog got out of their pen (which happens all the time since the greyhound mix can scale a 6 ft fence like a PERSON) I just don't want to think what would happen. I paid 20$ for each bird so I obviously don't want to loose any. I live in a state park too so there's the coyotes, raccoons, weasels, hawks, eagles, turkey vultures, owls and fox to think about... I don't need to be dealing with my OWN predators too!
Anyone know how to get a dog used to your flock? My friend has 3 big dogs and they could care less about her chickens!

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

TIME and an electric fence! We used to have an obsessive compulsive chicken chaser on our hands and one day she decided they were fine and now free ranges with them unsupervised. We put an electric fence around the perimeter and she got shocked a few times and decided they were not worth messing with, and the darn barking stopped. It took some time but eventually she stopped.

 

[chicmom]

My Pom, Cosmo was like that at first. He would just bark and bark at the chickens. Now I think he's over it and they're boring to him, so he doesn't usually pay much attention to them. They did get into the fenced yard with him once, and he did make a bite for them, but I hollered right away.

Don't know what advice to offer except that maybe it'll just take time. There was an episode of the "Dog Whisperer" where he showed a man how to stop that...he had a lab, and pet rabbits......maybe you could watch the re-runs for that episode.......

 

[huntercf]

Welcom to BYC! My wife has a chihuahua and a shelti mix. It took some time and a garden hose (spraying the dogs) to get them not to chase the chickens. I didn't have a problem again until I got some chicks and put them outside at about 2 months of age. They ran from the dogs and their instincts kicked in, I had to train them over again but it didn't take as long. I still have to be outside when the chihuahua is outside with them for now. Dogs are always unpredictable when it comes to chickens.
You might try an electric fence around your coop, if the dogs get zapped a few times in relation to the chickens it might help calm them down.

 

[Dogfish]

If all else fails, shock collar. Use it sparingly, and get one with a vibrate function. Just the BUZZ will correct after one or two zap corrections.

 

[gryeyes]

Oh, lordy do I know what you're going through! I had NO clue my elderly daschund would become so obsessed with the chickens, nor that he would KILL any, if he got into the run, which he did. He barked at them constantly. I wanted to kill him. Then I wanted to kill him when he killed a chicken. But he was there first, he was eleven years old, and it wasn't his fault, it was MY fault.

Anyway... it's months later, he eventually stopped barking at them. I don't recall when, but it's been months. Also, he doesn't bother any of the adult birds now. He will chase the bantams, but they're fast, and if I see him "getting that way" I spray him with the hose and yell NO! It helps that the rooster took after him, and the two ducks got him good. He's afraid of the ducks, now.

I have another, younger daschund who never acted out whatsoever. He AVOIDS the chickens. But Zorro just wouldn't shut up for about six weeks, if I recall correctly. I had to supervise him VIGILANTLY whenever he was in the yard. I think what turned him around was when I bought him a harness and then chained him to the porch with a 20 foot chain. That hurt his feelings so much he decided he was better off just ignoring those chickens.

 

[patimekiller]

I have a Jack Russel that will literaly lay with the meat birds as they graze. Now when there peeps she gets real excited but a firm no and she just likes to look at em. She loves it when we get her new " babys" every year.

good luck

 

[Mark & Nique]

We have two dogs who a rescue dogs from the country, and it natural for them to hunt -- and kill (squirrels, bunnies, wandering kittens, even birds) but they are really sweet. So we had develop a plan before we started our backyard chickens.

First, we slowly introduced the dogs to the chicks through a glass door, letting the dogs see us handle the chicks. Then, after moving the chicks to our backyard tractor, we sat outside with them. When the dogs came up, we let them sniff, but any other behavior earned them a quick "no!" followed by a pop on the rear.

We kept with this. Now? The dogs are used to them and make a visit (sniff, sniff) then go about their business.

Good luck!

 

[Trevi70]

Thanks for the advice everyone. My greyhound mix jumped out of the kennel between my 1st post and this one but instead of running for the chicken pen he ran for the house. He was done being outside. I guess he'll be the easiest to assimilate. The mastiff... she has never been a barker and she just will not shut up whenever I go near the chicken pen! The silkies know I'm coming and jump up into the coop to meet me- it's So cute!

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[Dar]

I am not expert... my own min pin are 8 chicks just a few weeks ago... BUT I have had a lot of success with re training her

she (and the 2 - 6month old puppies) are not allowed any where outside unless they are on a short lead and if she shows aggression towards them she is told a sharp NO and a tug on the lead... if she is calm and acting normal i will extend the lead a bit and so far she had earned 15 feet of he reign back... its been a slow process. I dont know if i will ever trust her 100% but baby steps