Teach dog to stay away from chickens

[Folly's place]

And it's still about training!!! Dogs develop 'perfect' behavior because time has been spent training them, and that includes training to an invisible fence or shock collar, or a leash, whatever. Meanwhile, total separation is essential, or your chickens will die out there.
EVERYONE loves chicken!
If your birds aren't protected, your untrained dog will be one of many predators who show up. Have you used a shock collar before? If not, learn how to effectively use one, don't wing it. It's still about training, and time spent. You have a very smart working dog, who needs 'gainful employment', or who will find fun things to do instead.
Mary

 

[BigBlueHen53]

This is the best article I've found on how to use an e-collar to train a dog, fairly, humanely and effectively. After reading it I went out and bought one for my Sheltie, Sammy. He is 100% reliable with the chickens. He is NOT 100% dependable to come when called, AND he leaves the property (he doesn't go far but it's not acceptable). I want to work on those things. It's a lengthy article so bookmark it. You'll refer back to it as training progresses, should you decide to go this route.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...using-an-electric-collar-in-a-fair-way.79074/

 

[McChooky]

Having said that, there are many ways to do that. Here's what worked for me. I'm old and somewhat infirm, and daily training sessions with the dog were not in the cards for me. I used a very passive approach and it worked. My dog was a 15-month old undisciplined rescued Sheltie, neutered male. The chickens spent their day in a large fenced run. The dog spent most of his day in the house. Every day I took him out and put him in a 20 x 20 (approx) chain-link grow-out pen adjacent to the chicken run and left him out there two or three hours. At first he was fascinated by the chickens and would bark at them and run up and down the fence beside them. The chickens paid him no mind as we already had another Sheltie they knew and trusted. Over the course of a month or so, Sammy lost interest in the chickens as they ignored him and he could not get to them.

Then I went out and put him on a 15-foot long cotton web line. I took him into the chicken run to see what he would do in closer proximity to the chickens. He did - nothing. The chickens had ceased to interest him. I ran among the chickens to make them run and flutter. Still no interest. He was chicken-proof. Below is Sammy with the chickens now. He and the chickens roam about the property together freely and I trust him completely, even if I am not home. Good luck.

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Having chickens in my backyard makes it easy for my hounds to detect predators .They're 20 ft from my backdoor.

 

[PatriciafromCO]

even with everything "some days are going to look like this" don't be discouraged or think bad of them. Progress is keep supporting them towards the better directions, puppies mature into their place with your continue support that each day is a new day.

zoomies

 

[McChooky]

My Basset is an excellent 'helper'. He sleeps beside the baby monitor and hears every sound coming from my chickens.

 

[Chickentrackranch]

No. Nothing will avoid the underground electric fence but the dog wearing the collar. Other dogs, all predators, and your chickens, will all behave as if the underground fence does not exist.

Technically, this is exactly true. However, my chickens have been conditioned as to where the boundaries of the dog’s wireless fence are. My dog is fine with the chickens (only wants to herd them — border collie), but I do use a wireless fence to keep my dog away from the busy county road. And although the chickens are not technically affected by the wireless fence, they seem to have learned where the dog’s boundaries are and where they can and can’t freely roam and wander without being herded by the dog. So they rarely venture into the area of the wireless fence. But I wouldn’t feel entirely comfortable with that if I didn’t also have confidence in my dog not to harm them.

 

[Folly's place]

We had a similar experience with our IF only dogs and the wild bunnies here. It was fun to watch very frustrated dog running along their area, with a rabbit hopping right outside.
Mary

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sadly, my underground fence got broken when the trash truck drove over it. I had the installer come out and fix it once, he charged me an additional $500. The road consists of sharp, broken rock so it's a given that it would break again, and it has. They should have bedded it in sand. So I purchased an e-collar and am using that to train my dog not to leave the property. It's working great and only cost me $45. Lesson learned.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm having to keep my chickens confined to their run bc my GC's Aussie puppy (nearly 6 mo old) wants to "play" with the chickens too. Progress is happening but he's not bullet-proof yet. He wants to play with the cat too and is finally, FINALLY learning some respect there, but unfortunately chickens don't have claws like the cat does. Or scary hisses, lol. We'll get there.

 

[Nym]

I'm having to keep my chickens confined to their run bc my GC's Aussie puppy (nearly 6 mo old) wants to "play" with the chickens too. Progress is happening but he's not bullet-proof yet. He wants to play with the cat too and is finally, FINALLY learning some respect there, but unfortunately chickens don't have claws like the cat does. Or scary hisses, lol. We'll get there.

I used my boxer's gluttonous appetite against him when I bought 5 new chicks. Each time I went out to feed them I took surprise food for him. Only when his excitement and curiosity died down and he would start looking elsewhere did he get a special treat. Within the week I was letting them all out in the yard together. To date I haven't had any issue. He's 2yrs old now. Good luck with your pup!