Need Help My Dog Is Chasing After My Chickens!!

[captn_rob]

I may be new to chickens, but I raised sled dogs for 10 years so I know a thing or two about dogs

You dog has collie in her? She isn't trying to KILL/EAT the chickens? My guess is her herding instincts are kicking in! She's trying to herd them but doesn't really know how. Make sure the dog knows that the behavior is a no-no. Be consistent and persistent.

 

[kasey08]

thats cute

ive had my hens for 5 days and still no eggs

 

[kasey08]

Quote:
no she isnt she cant get to them, but she is behaving a LOT better

 

[nzpouter]

train your dog, train your chicken... leash the dog and take him with you everytime you do chores near the chickens, do not let the dog run around by itself until the chickens get use to his presence... a running flapping chicken can trigger a dog's chase instinct... most problem start when the chase start... if you have a good recall of your dog then your training can be a lot smoother...

 

[DaughterOfEve]

just a thought, if you just got the hens a few days ago, they could also be stressed just from being in a new place. Stress can effect laying. Give it some time.

 

[wingman2008]

nz pouter id like to second what you said. i have a 5 year german short hair pointer (very well breed). last year (oct) bought 18 chicks on sale at feed store (close to winter and on sale). i raised them in cages on the back porch with the dogs for 4 month then moved to coop.

the normal routine was to let the chicks out and sit on porch and watch the fun...... never any problems... till one night left 6 out while i ran into town (30 mins). came back to find the dogs killed all the ones out and scattered cages. I found this weird due to the fact they used/shared the heat lamps at night just like the chickens did.


so i no longer left chickens out alone.... next series of deaths happened when i went inside for another cup of coffee (2 mins) another 4 gone.
summer finally came and i built a run, 2 days later i found 4 out and dead....these had gotten out and the dogs got them.

the remaining 4 will not come out of the run and go inside when see the dogs! pointers a bird dogs... its deep inside there genetic make up.... my dog is very well trained/mannered and has never been hunted!!!!

yesterday i was sitting on the porch watching some baby chicks (with the dogs laying in the yard) and the switch in the lil dogs head just popped .... she jump up and grabbed a 2 week old chick.... i screamed no and she dropped it... still alive , she then laid down and showed her belly (saying im soo sorry)

ive watched and tried to teach this dog the whole time..... sometimes she will just start to shake looking at them other times she will point.... but from watching...... the chickens quick movement will trigger the chase and death.

nothing in this will help... just thought id share.

 

[kasey08]

yeah thats very true. btw my hens layed today

got 2 eggs cant wait to see if i got more tomorrow

 

[nes]

All I can say is from the dog's side. We have two collie mixes - GOOD LUCK.

Ours LOVE to herd & chase anything they can (they even herd the cats, it's quite entertaining - for us, not the cats). I'd be surprised if your puppy actually hurt a chicken if she caught it, probably more likely chase it back into it's pen. You're not going to convince them to stop herding, you either need to re-direct it in a positive manner (sheep-lessons maybe?) or just keep the dog away from the chickens.

You can teach a lab not to herd but you can't go against the very nature of a breed and teach a collie not to herd.

 

[stina3246]

I just had to speak up on this one. I had Rocky the rooster for 4 years. He came to us as an adult and after careful introductions we discovered that our German Shephard and our Chow mix got along WONDERFUL with him. For 4 years they lived in the yard together. We didn't worry about a hawk carrying Rocky away because our dogs were there to protect him. The dogs would sleep with him, play with him, move away when he wanted thier food etc. Rocky of course was the king of the yard and the dogs knew it. Well, about 6 months ago now my neighbor came to the door hysterical saying our dogs had ahold of something red and it was squeeling. Yup it was Rocky, he was still alive, we rushed him to the vet but he didn't make it. No matter how well you know your dog or think he'd NEVER hurt something, he's a dog. It is what is natural for him to do, our dogs are NOT bad dogs, we still love our dogs. We also have more chickens but the dogs will NEVER be trusted with them EVER. Not for 1 second. I cried for weeks after Rocky died and can't let it happen again.
Now that said....I'd say don't get rid of either. You can teach the dog NOT to bug the hens in their coop, just never allow them to be together. MAke sure your birds can't get out and the dog can't get in. And enjoy them.

 

[Mellykins]

My husband and I are in the process of building a chicken coop so we can get chickens this summer or fall. We have 3 dogs, a pug (she is an indoor dog), catahoula/american bulldog mix and a boxer/weimerainer mix and they love to chase all the birds that enter the yard along with any other critter they can find. We are going to build them their own fenced in area of the yard so they are completely serpate from the chickens. Maybe you could keep your dog in a totally seprate part of the yard.