Our dog killed my chicken

[Kerrybun]

I am so sad!!! We have a husky and she constantly stalks the chicks, we make her leave them but she just goes right back to it. We took what we thought was maximum measures to protect them but today I went out and she had one and had killed it. My husband won't get rid of the dog. We are looking at electrified fence for the perimeter, but I am still so afraid she will get another one of my girls.

Does anyone have advice for breaking a dog of killing chickens? Or if electric fences will work on a determined dog? Or advice for any part of this situation?

I am just beside myself with worry for them and very sad about my little Ginger Girl.

 

[countrygirl57]

My neighbours husky has killed 5 of my hens in 6 mos. This has made me very sad & mad. Where the dog is yours, you will have to completly keep him away. Some dogs natural instinct is to chase & capture. I have had to keep mine in their outdoor run, which upsets me because they have always free ranged. sorry I have no advise about training, or if this is even possible for this breed re- chickens

 

[dainerra]

huskies are very high prey drive, especially with small animals. Leash/confine the dog when the birds are out and free-ranging. confine the chickens when the dog is out. For your run/coop, a strand of hot wire usually gets the point across for a highly driven dog.

Work on training your dog to ignore the birds.

 

[mixitup]

Unfortunately, I do not think the electric fence will work for your dog. Certain breeds, especially high prey drive dogs, realize that once past the zap zone, they can do what they want. And usually, once they learn that the zap ony happens once, and isn't that bad (to them) they will repeat the behaviour over and over again. I would agree with the upper post. If the chickens are out, confine the dog. If the dog is out, confine the chickens.

 

[Cetawin]

Electric fence will do nothing for a high prey breed like that. Leash on at all time, good fences and a electronic training collar are in order. You have a problem and one you may not be able to fix so prepare yourself. As for me I know what would happen here and your hubby would not like it one bit.

 

[lindsay297]

Husky breeds can be trained to stay of ``family`` members but it has to start at the begining...... I agree with above posts. For the rest of the dogs life confinement when the chickens are out is the only solution. Once they get a taste for it so to speak they will go back again and again!!

Sorry for your loss!! That is never easy!!

 

[Kerrybun]

Thanks! We did run hot wire and she has discovered it a couple of times. She has only gotten 1 more bird so far (while we were installing the wire!). Here is hoping she looses interest before she hurts herself!

 

[stujem]

Hi, I have 2 springer spaniels, I have put electric fence tape on the bottom of the there run, about 3 inches from the floor and then another strip 6 inches from the floor. I have also run a strip on the top of the fence. My doggies had one belt off the fence, they don't even look anywhere near them now. Goodluck

 

[4 the Birds]

One of our 7 dogs is a husky mix and she is our most prolific hunter of the pack. She can locate a bird or rabbit in the field very easy and chase it down in no time at all. Our chicken flock free ranges behind a 4 ft. fence (1acre in size) and none of the dogs bother the chickens. A couple of the dogs are able to climb fencing but they do not bother the flock. Many people feel comfortable that their dog is highly trained and allow the birds and dogs to be together. I feel that they should be separated via a fence with their own areas. Not to say it can't work having them together but you have to except the fact that sometimes a dogs hunting instinct can surface.