Topic of the Week - Dogs and Chickens

[AlexCecile]

Some breeds can never be left alone with chickens. Our dog is half lab and half Siberian husky. We tried all of the training methods we could find but one day two of the chickens escaped and he killed them both. We tied one of them to his neck but a neighbor dog came along and tore it off for them both to chew on. Now we keep the dog inside for the last two hours of each day so the chickens can free range. Since the first killing we hoped that he had gotten over killing chickens but our fastest one escaped and he killed that one too. Different breeds no matter how well you train them can still never be trusted without supervision.

 

[Nardo]

We have three rescue labra-mutts

that are useful at keeping hawks at bay. I've found the hawks won't come down if the dogs are out.
The oldest male ignores the hens. The female pesters them by smelling their butts after they lay an egg (which really flusters the girls

), and the younger male ignores them but runs in circles through the yard and almost knocks them over just because he can, I think.
The female dog also pushes the hens aside when she wants something they have, and they squawk and move but come right back.

But the girls are completely safe from any intentional danger by the dogs, although I will not be surprised if one day one of them gets knocked around by a swiftly moving 75lb dog in hot pursuit of a squirrel.

Here they are wrestling while the chickens cheer them on.

 

[redsoxs]

- How do you/did you train your dog(s) not to kill or mess with your chickens?
I don't know if we did anything special. I have a lab and a golden retriever. They are not at all interested in them except when they are baby chicks...perhaps the high pitched cheeping? But after that they simply ignore them. The chickens will even eat out of the dog food dishes while the dogs are eating! After a few weeks in the brooder the chicks will sometimes fly out and are tromping around the basement and the dogs totally leave them alone. Outside it is more of the same...they somehow recognize that our poultry (currently geese, guineas, and chickens) are part of the farm and they ignore them all but will chase off anything that doesn't belong...including hawks.

- What is the best/most effective way to deal with/retrain a dog that killed birds already? (No cruel or inappropriate suggestions, please… Let's keep this thread friendly and informative). NA for me as well as mine have never chased or killed a bird.

- Are some dog breeds more or less prone to be a problem around the flock? I am not sure but I think the most trainable, regardless of what they were bred for, would be the best. I don't think my two - bred to retrieve birds - are any more prone to hassle my birds. I think this because while it may be in their genes to chase, catch, and bring back, they are highly trainable and want to please their owner so they leave my birds alone.
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[The Duck Ladie]

Also, Corgis seem to be less prone to attack. Ours didn't really bother them, and one of them tried to herd the ducks into their pen.

 

[RodNTN]

Here is Phelps my Jack Russell Terrier/Boxer mix with my flock.

 

[RodNTN]

I never trained our dog, he just gets along with the flock wonderfully. Our first chickens were 6 hens some friends gave us, once when they were ranging and he jumped at my BO hen and we scolded him and he never has tried to harm them again.
In fact, he watches and protects them!!! He is a very faithful and obedient dog.

 

[americanchicks]

Once a chicken killer, always a chicken killer. Not always true...

A SAD STORY

I have 2 dogs a 14 year old shiba inu mix and a 15 year old hound lab mix. 5 years ago I got my very first chickens. A mixed flock of RIR, BR and a ugly skittish little EE Runt, my least favorite. I knew my dogs where not chicken friendly. They have killed, opossums, rats and even suspected of killing the neighbors cat. Back then we just kept the dogs and chickens separate. One night when the chickens were about 12 weeks I was inside making dinner when my husband came home from work. We were talking for about 10 min when it hit me. "Where are the dogs?" he said he had let them out when he got home. My heart sank the chickens were still out free ranging. Outside is something I would never forget... body after body, bloody and mangled. I remember calling out each one by name as I found them dead on the ground. There was five one was missing, Runt. I figured that she had been killed too but it was getting dark so we called off she search. After about an hour of crying in the house and after my husband thankfully picked up the bodies I went outside just hoping to find Runt and there she was in the coop, horrified but unharmed. I have never hugged or held a chicken for so long before that night or since.

THE TRAINING

We soon got more chickens and decided instead of just keeping them apart we would teach the dog to leave them alone. We did this by making the chickens dominate. Started off letting the chickens roam free while the dogs where in the back yard where they could watch us interact with the chickens. We would also have the dogs lay down and submit to them. Started off having them on a leash walking around with the chickens giving them a quick tug and "NO" when they showed any interest in the birds. We started having off leash trials closely supervised. Again when they showed any interest, even just to shiff we would tap them and tell them no. Eventually they got better and better still an occasional snap or charge that had to be corrected. Eventually they got to the point where supervision was low to none. Keep in mind it took a while, almost a year before I completely trusted them and let me tell you there was a lot of me watching from the window just to make sure.

THE LONE SURVIVOR

Runt the one who lived. The chick that was my least favorite because she was so skittish and unfriendly. Well she went on the become the leader of the new flock. Also became the most friendly, gentel, and sweetest little hen. Unfortunately we had to move and give the chickens up. Runt was and always will be my favorite little chicken.

OUR DOGS AND CHICKENS TODAY

We have chickens once again and I am happy to report all is well. There was a few heavy sniffs and interested looks but after a couple taps and no's they remembered, the chickens are part of the pack. I completely trust them now. The chickens and dogs are outside together by themselves all the time. In fact I went out side when the chicks were about 3 weeks and my 4 year old daughter was putting them on the back of one of the dogs as she just layed there ignoring the chicks but enjoying the sun. (Was going to take a pic but the batt. in the camera died) Also my dogs do protect the flock. Just last week the babies, ages 7-9 weeks where pecking in the grass I heard a crow. I went outside to see and the dogs fallowed. Shure enough there was a crow harassing the babies. The dogs charged and even though the chicks where scurrying everywhere they let them be and went right for the crow scaring it off.

BTW We got the dogs to like cats too.

 

[RonP]

Springer Spaniel.
NOT an alfa dog, was breed from therapy dog parents.
As a pup, while holding my bantam rooster, the dog approached and promptly lost a whisker.
I released the rooster and watched him chase the dog around the yard with malicious intent.
That is all it took. The dog keeps a distance from the flock, now 9 years later...

German Shepard.
Seeing eye dog reject, she barks...
She looks at the birds, could care less about them.
Smartest dog I have had the pleasure.

 

[Solo33]

Most chicken owners have a dog or two in addition to their flock. Some keep and train their dogs as livestock guardians or flock watchers, while others find they can't trust their dogs with their birds. Keeping these two species together can be done very successfully though. I would like to hear from all you dog and chicken owners what advice you have and what your experiences were when it comes to keeping dogs and chickens together, or at least in harmony. Specifically:

- How do you/did you train your dog(s) not to kill or mess with your chickens?
- What is the best/most effective way to deal with/retrain a dog that killed birds already? (No cruel or inappropriate suggestions, please… Let's keep this thread friendly and informative)
- Tell me about livestock guardian dogs (LGD's)
- Are some dog breeds more or less prone to be a problem around the flock?

I have a 10 month old border collie named Solo who comes from working sheepdog parents.

I wouldn't say I trained Solo except to make a disapproving noise if he was too exuberant when he was sniffing at them. Of course being a border collie he wanted to watch their every move. As the chickens grew up along with Solo, they've just always gotten along pretty well. Lately he thinks he can play with the roosters when they run at him, but I've been discouraging that type of behavior. He would never put his mouth on them, but he will follow them around and try to sniff their butts.

My friend has a Springer Spaniel that killed a few of her chickens, but he's pretty much cured of that now. When he accepts that the birds are part of his family, he tends to leave them. He might go after a strange bird.

I have another friend who has a LGD for her sheep, though he's just a puppy yet. Such a good dog! He accepts my dog into the pack because we are over there so much. This friend is also the breeder to my border collie. I don't think I'd get an LGD until we had sheep. So far, we haven't had any predators after our birds. Surprising, because I know we have them around.

At the obedience class I am going to, there are a few GSD owners who report their dogs go after chickens. I know huskies are bad around them, as my friend with the sheep had neighbor huskies in her barn, and they killed a chicken.

Here is a picture of the day we got the chickens. Solo was 6 months old.

 

[Laly]

I raised my chickens since they were chick's around my cocker spaniel, I would let her smell them and just said no when she tried anything else. By the time they were grown she was already used to them.