The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[hellbender]

If I were to ever own Boxers again, they'd come from Germany, where they are still bred to be real workers and home/family protectors.

 

[slordaz]

we actually have a rooster and drake in the flock besides the dog that isn't outside all of the time. The neighbors cat got curios and is now terrified and stays off the property. The boxer will also go after any feral cat as soon as he sees it, we call the pet cat kitty so as to not confuse him as the pet one knows better and he's not supposed to attack it. My friend had him well trained so we just showed him the perimeter the chickens are allowed to be and they do pretty good job of watching the 5 acres of pasture land and the corral between the cop and pasture. have had a few issues with them going over to the neighbors pasture though lol. We took the dog out with us when we herded the chickens in at night a couple of times so if we can tell him to go put the chickens up he goes and rounds em up and herds them in.

With it starting to cool off here, the flock seems to want their treats more in the morning now it got pretty cold one night so made them some oatmeal with 1/2 a tsp of garlic and a tsp of cayenne pepper, now have to make 2 different treats for them as the bigger dual purpose don't like that as well as their fruits and veggies but the straight egg layers,the roosters and the drake do love it on a cold morning.

 

[EastNashChick]

If I were to ever own Boxers again, they'd come from Germany, where they are still bred to be real workers and home/family protectors.

She protects me, and would definitely never let anyone harm me, if anyone we don't know comes to the door she's ready hackles up until I say sit or let the person in an introduce them. But man, she does not understand the chickens need protecting.

 

[slordaz]

I know a bit about Boxers...one of the great breeds. If your dog wouldn't jump on just about any sided predator, the breed has changed much since I was around them.

The ones I knew would jump the devil himself, even if death was a certainty.

It's not the breed it's how they are trained, some one with kids around that are strangers to the dog or other animals is not going to be training for aggressive. People just assume the breed is like that , when in fact it is in the training the dog receives and the enviroment they are raised in. What your talking about sounds like they were trained for something more along illegal stuff. If someone came in the house thats a different story especially if they weren't invited. They are smart and animals do take ques from their owners body language and voice.

 

[slordaz]

She protects me, and would definitely never let anyone harm me, if anyone we don't know comes to the door she's ready hackles up until I say sit or let the person in an introduce them. But man, she does not understand the chickens need protecting.

was she introduced them when they were young? My friends male watched over them like he was their momma cause the brooding pen was in the washroom and they were only 2 days old. we watched closely as he had never been around them until we were sure, he was checking on them every 5-10 minutes now they are big and outside he just does perimeter check and chases off anything that gets on his side of the fence that doesn't belong.

 

[hellbender]

It's not the breed it's how they are trained, some one with kids around that are strangers to the dog or other animals is not going to be training for aggressive. People just assume the breed is like that , when in fact it is in the training the dog receives and the enviroment they are raised in. What your talking about sounds like they were trained for something more along illegal stuff. If someone came in the house thats a different story especially if they weren't invited. They are smart and animals do take ques from their owners body language and voice.

Very common misconception. A properly trained dog, even one trained for full assault work is far safer than the untrained counterpart. Absolute on/off leash obedience is the first order of business and that can take 4 to 6 months to get it foolproof. The dog understands under what stimuli it is to react to, how to react and to what degree.

Look up French Ring sport. Better still a short example...

EDIT...this pup is just getting started on 'man-work'.

 

[EastNashChick]

Cool! That's really interesting

Very common misconception.  A properly trained dog, even one trained for full assault work is far safer than the untrained counterpart.  Absolute on/off leash obedience is the first order of business and that can take 4 to 6 months to get it foolproof.  The dog understands under what stimuli it is to react to, how to react and to what degree.

Look up French Ring sport.  Better still a short example...

EDIT...this pup is just getting started on 'man-work'.

.

Cool that's very interesting. I need to look into reading up on training her for chicken protection. The chicks were raised around her, and she understands they are mine and not to hurt them ( I did that part right) but protecting them not so much.

 

[flagirl]

speney. I am enjoying your posts and read thru your permaculture posts. whole heartily support your massive endeavor. I support local organic,grassfed/finished beef farmer here in florida, also a organic grassfed/finsihed dairy family and a local organic veggie farmer. We need more like you, and you can just ignore those who give you a hard time--you are in the trenches doing the work, not just reading and studying. Keep it up.

 

[Leahs Mom]

speney. I am enjoying your posts and read thru your permaculture posts. whole heartily support your massive endeavor. I support local organic,grassfed/finished beef farmer here in florida, also a organic grassfed/finsihed dairy family and a local organic veggie farmer. We need more like you, and you can just ignore those who give you a hard time--you are in the trenches doing the work, not just reading and studying. Keep it up.

@speney @flagirl @shortgrass

 

[flagirl]

speney. I am enjoying your posts and read thru your permaculture posts. whole heartily support your massive endeavor. I support local organic,grassfed/finished beef farmer here in florida, also a organic grassfed/finsihed dairy family and a local organic veggie farmer. We need more like you, and you can just ignore those who give you a hard time--you are in the trenches doing the work, not just reading and studying. Keep it up.