Washingtonians

[LauraM]

Quote:
I hope my dog is the exception, too! He is a giant sized mutt, maybe he has a bit of Great Pyrenees in him.... He looks like a 140 lb golden retriever, though.

 

[spookychick]

Our Welsh Corgi loves our chickens. He looks forward to making morning rounds to feed everyone. Our hens will even let him eat from the feed pan with them. They follow him all around because they associate him with feeding time.

Both my Corgi and my Yorkshire Terrier guard baby chicks as if they're puppies. The Yorkie frets over them as they hatch, and watches over the brooder tubs until the babies are ready for the barn.

I think we're pretty lucky with our dogs. They've been raised around all sorts of animals, so they understand they're all part of the family.

Hi to all the new members!

 

[bheila]

Laura78- Like others have already said, don't leave the dogs alone with the chickens EVER! We raised our chickens free ranged with our dogs loose for the first year we had them. Then one day one of our DUMB dogs decided it was a good idea to play with one of the hens and killed her. I thought that after a year of seeing no agression and no chasing the chickens that my dogs were okay to be left outside unattended with the flock. Boy was I wrong

 

[Eagle2026]

I had a Pembolsh Welch Corgie,
He ate most of my new hatchlings two years ago.
I got rid of the dog and started over with Cuckoo Marans, which I have no more and have started a NEW!!!
I don't know if I should thank him or still.......
We payed over $500 for the dog
Classes in Woodinville were $99 per.
Registered, chipped, and all the bells and whistles.
Needless to say, my dad took him.
Now he lives on 20 acres in St. Andrews Grange just out of Coolie City.

 

[Laura78]

Quote:
Oh I don't leave them alone together. In fact my dogs don't even go outside without supervision at all times, this was in place even before we got chickens.

 

[Fowl-Language]

Can I interest anyone in a jerk of a rooster?
Montgomery Ward is a lovely 2 year old Polish crested roo with a crossed beak who was nice enough as a youngster, but has become outrageously aggressive. I'm reluctant to advertise locally for fear that he may become an unwilling participant in illegal activities (ahem...) and he's too skinny to be eaten.
I would cheerfully deliver him just about anywhere!!

 

[AnnesChicks]

We do not free range our chickens, but I had to chime in with my experiences introducing our three dogs to the chickens, my 12 year old lab showed some interest, but now pretty much ignores them, but then again they are inside their run. She sleeps in my greenhouse next to the run, and I have seen her napping in the sun next to their run, so far so good. We do have wire fencing attached to the bottom of the run and pinned to the ground with landscape pins. I have seen no signs of digging. My boston puppy of nine months is fine, she is curious and interested but doesn't get excited.

My three year old boston is awful.

She is almost obsessed with them, and will race in circles around the run, barking, whining with her eyes all crazy. Its like she can't even hear us. For awhile she was charging us at the door to race out to see the chickens.... So now she can only go out on a leash....she is behaving a bit better but I would never trust her! And yet she is the sweetest little dog any other time.

 

[bikergirl]

hmmmmmmmmm dogs

My dog would run from them (even chicks lol) and my hubby's dog would love to eat them but the chickens chase him!

My little baby

Hubby's baby and mine

 

[Laura78]

Quote:
That's too funny about your older boston, but totally expected (at least by me). My parents have a boston and she's just crazy hyper, lol. I know they were originally breed to bait bulls, but they ended up being too nice and didn't do a good job bull baiting.

 

[Laura78]

Bikergirl, I can see why they would run from the chickens, I bet most of them are bigger than the dogs.

We've got a total of 3 dogs, Eddie my 17 month old pit that loves the birds and think they're his babies. Maiden my almost 3 yr old boxer that would love to eat the birds and I wouldn't trust her with a muzzle and leash on around them. And finally, Pandora my 6 month old pit that smells the chickens then ignores them. I'll be working with Pandora and the chickens soon as she's spayed.

BTW, we are suppose to be getting 5 more hens, some BR, Araucanas, and I think one is a RIR. We should be getting them by the 18th. They're getting a steady 3 eggs a day out of them, so I'll be getting 21 eggs a week now. I'm so excited, I don't have any Araucanas yet.

Also, I've got a BR that loves to fly up to my shoulder and just sit there.