Pets and Chickens

[figaroogalelaeo]

Hi,

I'm new here and have already gotten excellent help with a question on coop construction.

However, I am not worried about combining the home pets with chickens. We have to cats and one dog. The cats are pretty laid back, aka lazy, and do not hunt, even though they spend most of their summers outside. The dog is a chow-retriever mix and is just a love bug. He doesn't like to be outside by him self, or with us for that matter, or to be in any weather besides sunny with a slight breeze. He has only ever gone for squirrels and even then he freaks and runs back when he gets too close.

The chickens will have a full fenced large run that they will always be in during the day.

My questions pertains to when I need to clean the run. Should I herd the chicken back in the coop for the hour or so it will take to fully clean the run, or should I let them free range? Any thoughts or suggestions would be wonderful!

 

[Folly's place]

Hi, all the best with your birds. Mine free range during the day on my farm. My dogs would love to eat them but are fenced away from the birds. It is possible to train adult dogs to ignore the chickens, done carefully and ON LEASH. Most cats are okay with full sized birds, but maybe not older chicks. Do you have a fenced run? That would be safer. Good luck! Mary

 

[figaroogalelaeo]

Yes, we will have a fenced run for them since we live within the city, but are planning to free range when we are able to be with them. Thanks for the feed back. I am much less worried about combining them.

 

[Mattemma]

Is your yard fenced from free range dogs? Even if you are ok with your dogs you might have to deal with the occasional roamer.

I get a few of them but now that my yard is fenced all they can do is bark at us. One time though my gate was open and a husky got it.Chickens were locked up,but the husky got a few good bites into my own dog.It was REAL hard to get the dog off mine.I can only imagine the chaos if the chickens were out.

So my point in all that is while the chickens will probably be ok be prepared for the unexpected.I keep a stick close by,because pet or roamer-if they are in killing mode they won't listen to you.

 

[figaroogalelaeo]

Since we live in the city "free range dogs" basically means dogs that got out or stray dogs. I haven't seen either of these, but I will keep a watchful eye out. Our dog is such a baby that he would probably just run back inside if he saw another dog in our yard. lol.

Thanks lots!

 

[ChickInDelight]

My ducks and chickens all free-range during the day among my pets (2 dogs and 3 cats). I was very careful to acclimate all the creatures properly. One of my cats was raised feral, and all are vicious hunters of anything that moves to include snakes and squirrels larger than themselves. I have only had featherbrains for a year.

Periodically, I catch a cat trying to smack a little fluffy butt, so I have to bless out the offender. The other day, it appeared one of my cats went to play with one of my pullets, and my dog bounded over to them with his authorative snap and broke the pair up. I actually believe that my cats and dogs watch out for my featherbrains.