Texas

[jajeanpierre]

From my understanding of dachshunds, they were initially bred for a very high prey drive (chasing and killing weasels, etc.), so I am not sure that you can train them otherwise. The pit bull mix I bet you could. Especially as he matures and if you train him to understand that the birds are off limits to him. I will say that I would maybe take him outside with the birds by himself (without he dachshunds). One thing we found with Timba was that of our kids were out (my kids also get a kick out of chasing and trying to catch the chickens), then Timba would get excited and try to join in the fun. If your dachshunds stir up havoc, then the pit mix will feed off of them and will never learn to be settled when he's out with the birds.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. The pit bull learned to chase the cat from the Dachshunds...

I don't believe I can ever train the Dachshunds to be safe around the chickens. They are hounds, and hounds are notorious for doing it their way regardless of the consequences.

I feel hopeful about the pit bull.

 

[familypendragon]

Our four dogs are all rescues - 2 young terrier mixes and a boxer and a (guessing) rotweiler/chow mix who is around 130 lbs. The boxer is the instigator, although the 2 terriers show the most attention to the chickens. When I built the coop/run I made it into Ft Knox (I thought) with welded wire, covered in chicken wire, covered in aviary netting all around and on top in case of hawks. I thought I had it covered. I was wrong. I watched the dogs each day after we brought the chickens home (hens and chicks) and the 2 terriers would literally sit with their nose to the edge of the fence ALL day. So I was concerned that they could never be trusted if we free ranged the birds. The boxer looked interested, but from a distance, and the gentle giant barley noticed, LOL! About a week later we left the house for 3 hours one after noon to visit a friend. When I came home there was a boxer sized/shaped hole in the fence next to the door - he'd been studying to determine the weak point in the design :/ Even with the skirt buried he'd figured out how to carefully pull up and bend each wire of each layer of the fence till he could shove his head through and pry it up with his really strong neck/body. Once in he killed 3 hens and 6 chicks - shook them to pieces but didn't eat any of them. I would imagine he had help from the terriers once he got the fence open for them too.

I was devastated, but repaired the fence and then did what I should have done from the start... We already have a radio fence around the yard because the Boxer likes to go exploring and taught the other dogs how fun it was So all 4 have on radio collars. I added a new loop of radio fence that surrounded the run. They learned immediately that they could no longer get in. That seemed to make it all a little less interesting to them. Then I got a very large Cuckoo Marans rooster and thought he'd be intimidating enough and he's protective of his ladies - so I tried opening the run and letting them come out to see what happened. The dogs barely acknowledged it. Then I ran a 2 foot fence along the back corner of the property from the run back to the fence and re-ran the radio fence so that the chickens could safely retreat to that whole area if the dogs were bothering them. But so far they stay back there most of the time but when they do venture out close to the dogs the most I've seen happen is the Boxer jump at one to scare her. And only once as I immediately scolded him. BUT I still worry if I leave the house. I do close the coop where the teens/babies are when I am gone. I have an open run and coop for the adults that any free rangers can retreat to if the dogs get crazy while I am gone.

 

[Papalote Roos]

My muttchicken and her muttchicks. Finally made them their own space. Wish I could let them free range our 3 acres but fencing and predators are an issue.

 

[wlhtx]

Boxers. When mine was much younger we left her alone in a crate at my parents house. We just went out to eat, so weren't gone for more than an hour and a half tops. The crate was one of those very large wire ones that you can fold up. Well, she had a history of escaping - so, before we left we literally zip tied all the corners and edges where the crate folded. Didn't matter. She still got out. Ripped all the blinds out of my parents' windows and ate the door that went into their laundry room. I still don't know how she managed it.

 

[Cockle-Dood]

so does anyone here raise quail? i received my eggs in the mail today! some jumbo browns and jumbo whites!

 

[yinepu]

so does anyone here raise quail? i received my eggs in the mail today! some jumbo browns and jumbo whites!

I did.. for a number of years (when I was a kid and again within the past few years)

Congrats!

little buggers are excellent on the grill .. stuff with cream cheese and jalapenos, season with a good rub and wrap with bacon

the eggs are also addictive when pickled


Now that the pens have been rebuilt I may have to start raising them again.. lol

 

[wlhtx]

We are strongly considering getting some - mainly because I totally second yinepu's assessment about the bacon-wrapped, jalapeño-stuffed grillers! Let us know how it goes for you!

 

[back2simplelife]

FIRE ANTS.. everywhere in the new coop! YUCK!!! What do ya'll do for them?

 

[Ginger Assassin]

Hey I'm sort of new to the whole chicken thing and was wondering if free ranging silkies is a good idea?

 

[showbarnmom]

FIRE ANTS.. everywhere in the new coop! YUCK!!!  What do ya'll do for them?

Seven dust, DE, and fire ant bait around but not in.