Tough Initiation but Surrounded by Love in the Aftermath!

[newhenmama]

I'm very new to this forum and chicken raising in general. 6 weeks ago we took our 3-year-old to the local feed store and purchased our baby flock. We recently moved to 5-acres that had an existing chicken coop that we freshened-up and secured (or so we thought). We brooded them, loved them, held them all and bonded with each one, which is what all the books say to do. The big day came last Sunday when we moved the heating lamp and all their essentials out to the coop where they would call Home Sweet Home. Alas, our Terrier (there is a reason they are named this) found a way to get thru the door and was the demise to all but one hen. It was one of most horrible days.
After thinking chicken-raising was obviously not meant for us, my husband came in the house with our sole surviving hen and I just knew we weren't meant to be done with this adventure. Our dear friend "Honeysucklehills" came to our rescue and donated one of her hens, a Columbian Wyandotte, and helped me thru the trauma. She also connected me with another member of this forum whom I'm meeting today and getting 4 more hens to bring home.
We have obviously since fixed and quadruple-checked the security of our coop and am excited once again for this amazing journey. Hearing our daughter run up the stairs this morning and jumping in our bed, asking to go see her chickens (even with it being in the low 40's and drizzling) was music to this Mama's ears. I'm looking forward to learning from you all and sharing in the fun!

 

[missnu01]

Hmm. Well you can try getting the dog used to the chickens by walking him on a leash inside the coop and not allowing the dog to be rough or pushy with the chickens...I find that taking a Baggie of cooked chicken or bacon, something your dog super super loves, but can't have often with you helps. Make the dog sit and lie down...and basically just ignore the chickens...when the dog ignores the chickens it gets the treat...and just do that a few times everyday...as much as you can.
We have a Yorkie poo and a husky pit mix and they are both great with the chickens and ducks...I will admit we employed a shock collar for the husk pit...but that just enforced that no means no...he still a puppy so he sometimes gets excited by all the flapping and wants to play a little rough with the chickens...so I say no, and I he doesn't sit down then I beep the collar...all he needs to hear is the beep...

 

[newhenmama]

Thanks, those are good ideas. We tried obedience lessons with this dog when we adopted him, but he flunked. Fox-Terriers are bread to be bird dogs, so we have a new 'dog on the leash' rule when the chickens will be in the run and he can only be out when they are cooped-up. Bummer for him, but good for the chickens!