Our dogs are killing our chickens! We lost 3 last night. Help!!!

[1maria100]

So we recently built a coop and we put some month old chicks out there about 3 days ago. Well one went missing the other day and then returned. We had no clue how it got out. Just today we woke up to one of our smaller dogs eating a chick, and a bigger dog tossing a still live one around which later died. One is still missing. So we found out that the dogs have been digging under their run/coop and pulling the chickens out. They have also been scratching at the chicken netting we put up and tearing it down. What should we do do that we don't lose any more??? Please help!

 

[Mehjr10]

You will need to build a run that is made of heavier wire, bury the wire in the ground and or lay out a 2' skirt. They need to be locked up at night in the coop so they can not be hunted...

Next would be dog training... 1 chicken, shock collar or a length of stick... when they go after the chicken it's no leave it and discipline time..

Takes a bit of time and effort but at the moment they are toys or tasty treats. That has to change.

I have two labs which have a strong instinct to hunt.. it is now a discipline to leave them alone and protect.. It is really hard for them when the birds are small, quail size. The hunt drive comes out but now I just have to say NO or Leave them alone! .

Good Luck

 

[1maria100]

OK I will try that! And we have been locking them up at night, but the chickens have been escaping during the day while we are gone. I'm going to keep them locked up until we get this figured out.

 

[Mehjr10]

Are they escaping from the run or the coop? You have to think, Fort Knox.. If you build the run to keep your dogs out it will work for most other predator and Neighbor Dogs.

 

[bobbi-j]

I would suggest electric fence around the run where the dogs are digging. Just a couple of strands. One right close to ground level - maybe 2" up or so, and another about 6" up. I also agree with the "skirt" idea around the run. And figure out how your chickens are escaping.

 

[farnorth]

A shock and vibrate training collar would also work. Usually we have had to give the dog a shock maybe twice if they went for a chicken and then after that usually just the vibrate function is enough to warn them. We also take them by the chickens on a leash and reprimand them verbally for trying to chase or grab at chickens....sometimes we even tell them "NO!" or "Leave It!" for even staring at a chicken (it means they are fixating on them).

I have 3 dogs. None will now bother a full grown chicken, sometimes they will dash at them but then break off because they have been trained not to hurt them but I guess they still think its fun to chase them now and then.

I do have a Jack Russell though who still fixates on baby chicks (the peeping sound they make drives her crazy) and would kill them if she was allowed to be near them. I plan to work more with her as I get the time.

Electric fence might work but only if the chickens are always inside it. If you work with your dogs you should be able to have the dogs and the chickens eventually both be loose and not have a problem.

 

[centrarchid]

Start training dogs. Run still needs repair and upgrade but digs will be your friends with some work and provide protection when you have birds outside of run.

 

[AngryRooster]

I would suggest an electric fence that goes around the run and coop as well as a good ways below the surface. Another idea would be to dig under the coop a few feet down to lay concrete before filling the hole you dug up with dirt or whatever you use to layer your coop's floor. And definitely reinforce the walls of the coop with a stronger wire and wood if you want to take extra precautions.