*UPDATE* Dog Got A Chick

[jkcove08]

I would not trust an invisable fence. With any huntong dog the need overrides the pain and the first time she gets running she will shoot right across that line, get shocked once and then nothing. She will learn that it is a small pain for the fun of chasing chicks. The idea of free ranging your chickens can still work, you will just have to free range when you can be home for a few hours and the dog can be tied up. Train the chickens will be easier then training the dog. She will be fine as long as you are with her but it is just to tempting for her breeding to not chase, and then kill... Teach the chickens that the dog is not safe and that at certain time in the evening it is time to go into the coop before the dog comes out. My chickens knew that when my hubby got home he would let the dogs out to do chores and they would all go into the barn to roost. I dont have to worry about my healers killing my chickens anymore, I have taught them to leave them alone. It took a lot of yelling "NO" and "OUT". We have a lab mix that will leave them alone if we are out but not if we go into the house. The coon hound get tied up no matter what so if the chickens go into her space that is their fault and they better run, she has actually never killed any, just scared the feathers off them..lol If your dog is a bird dog you will probably never bea able to totally trust her. It depends on how birdy her breeding is. If she comes from working parents the you probably wont. You will have to compromise with both the dog and the chickens and give them both free time. She might not chase quite so much when they are adults either. Jenn

 

[Southern28Chick]

I would not trust an invisable fence. With any huntong dog the need overrides the pain and the first time she gets running she will shoot right across that line, get shocked once and then nothing. She will learn that it is a small pain for the fun of chasing chicks.

My parents have dogs that would run right through their invisible fence every day! They evenually just gave up on it.​

 

[SpottedCrow]

Chicken wire isn't worth the money you spent on it...it keeps the chickens in, but nothing else out.
Welded wire or hardware cloth where nothing can poke out or in is the best, especially with chicks.

 

[mdbucks]

Quote:
Another problem with invisible fence is they go through at full speed, and when the come strolling home, the get zapped so they are afraid to come home, so they are getting the message not to go back where they are spose to be

 

[KKluckers]

I use chain link fencing because of all the dogs around here. I lost to many birds with chicken wire it really is like using nothing when trying to keep predators out.

 

[Freebie]

jkcove08

Is that a little cattle dog in your avitar? sure is a cutie, whatever it is.

 

[Cheryl]

What size hardware cloth for the run? I have a golden retriever and a very hungry maine coon, outside you will find raccoons, and I imagine fox will appear once they know I will have chickens! fischer cats are around as well...southern NH

 

[jkcove08]

Hey Freebie,
Yes it is a cattle dog. We used to raise them and let one our females get pregnant this past spring. We had a bunch of friends that wanted pups so we had puppies. She had complications and was fixed after having a C-section. They are the best for medium sized dogs. VERY STUBURN!!! I love them all. Here are a couple pics when we had all the pups. Jenn

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
Another problem with invisible fence is they go through at full speed, and when the come strolling home, the get zapped so they are afraid to come home, so they are getting the message not to go back where they are spose to be

That's exactly what my parent's dogs did. They would run through but not want to go through it again to come back home. It's a waste of time and $.

 

[candy37]

Well, the invisible fence is out.
We wanted to truely free range the chickens but don't think we can now. I'll keep working with Mona, and keep 'em all seperated. We'll find a way to live in harmony.

The chick that I brought inside this morning is doing better. She drank & ate a little more and is more vocal now too. I think she'll be fine, just needed some one on one TLC. She finally got a name too: Vanna