What are next steps w/9wo Great Pyrenees to protect poultry

[Dr.Dale]

I have 16 months old and they are in the teenager stage, and can't be fully trusted with chickens.

What breed do you have?

 

[Dr.Dale]

Chickens and rooster are seemingly acclimated to Kira now and they're eating from the same scrap pile inches away from Kira's mouth

So how are Kira and the chickens doing now that they have had another month together?

 

[brainfog]

Dr Dale - they're doing pretty well. She's a pure Great Pyrenees - from a working sheep farm - who's (I'm told) parents came from a large sheep range in Texas. I suspect they're ancestry is working on the farm since the breed was identified.

She's doing well with everyone except adult geese (w/gouslings now - but no one does well w/geese) and Tom turkey (although I think he's stopped stalking her). About 1/3 of the hens protect their food scraps from her - and chase her off, but she not afraid of them as she's right back w/them. She's even seems to be leaving the chicks alone. The other day, one was eating from their bowl, she sat, head 18" away, then the chick walked by Kira's mouth (6") she just watched.

I've had to step up her chicken yard time, including un-monitored time, as the fox is taking chicks again. Interrupted my turkey hen doing a Matrix like attack dance on the fox that was harming the chicks. He ran off without a meal. 1 recovered, 1 later died.

I've split the chicken yard with short fence, but Kira pushes it over and ends up in the middle of the flock. As a result I believe she was attacked by agoose, got hair ripped out and a minor wound that I'm going to have to treat.

Has her rabies vaccine (2 weeks before attack) and at 14 weeks she was ~20-25 lbs.

She's had enough time in the chicken yard, that at least for now, I'm not concerned about her harming anyone. Chicks are smart, most have mothers that will dominate the dog if needed. I just need to keep her away from the male geese. Maybe in 1 or more months, she's get too frisky and chase the birds, her play actually a bit less than with people. (She's hard on my children!)

Need to check up on your thread and add a new photo!

 

[Dr.Dale]

She's had enough time in the chicken yard, that at least for now, I'm not concerned about her harming anyone.

That sounds good. If you have been giving them time together and have not noticed anything concerning then probably it is good. I think we humans are pretty good at seeing if the dog is just watching or if it is getting ready to pounce.

the fox is taking chicks again.

So there is the ideal scenario, and there is real life. Ideally you would like to give the dog enough time to develop. Her guarding instincts have not yet kicked in, and she is physically unprepared to challenge or fight an adult fox. That will change in time, but it sounds like you don’t have time. So you may need to rush things compared to me or others.

If you do, please be aware that the situation just isn’t ideal and don’t blame the dog if it doesn’t turn out ideally. Be patient and try to help her as much as you can in the less than ideal situation. Work on perimeter security as much as possible to give her some room for learning.

 

[bruceha2000]

Work on perimeter security as much as possible to give her some room for learning.

Fencing that will keep a GP in should be useful for keeping foxes out.

 

[brainfog]

Fencing that will keep a GP in should be useful for keeping foxes out.

I've chosen to do it more like 200 years ago - and then it was dogs and little or no fences. My fence is 48" (>1000 ft) and I believe her parents were kept w/40" for sheep - so I'm hopeful it'll work out. If not I'll adapt!

 

[brainfog]

My hope is that her presence in the chicken yard will deter the fox. Possibly it has - how would I know? Since Kira is multi-purpose, I'm okay with her being fair at the guarding.

Lately, she's been spending a lot of time in the chicken yard - as I've been leaving the connecting gate open. Esp at daybreak and dusk I find her camped out there.

Its a zoo of baby chicks and 2 week old goslings (one group of 5 not with the adults). Kira likes to run around and then sit and watch - but so far hasn't touched anyone. Often these 5 goslings get into the dog yard (alone), and she just watches them - well I still have all 5!

But I'm watching for her to step up her 'play' - esp as she gets ~8 months. You called it - as a 8 wo she didn't really bother the birds, but now 16 weeks? there's a lot more drama w/her and birds. Still not bothering them per say - but she's also not asleep in the field.

Good thing is I have a lot of space in this chicken yard. I recently started opening the extended 'garden' area to the poultry - which includes a 15x15' pond - so she has a lots of fun and space! I think she watches frogs and fish.

That sounds good. If you have been giving them time together and have not noticed anything concerning then probably it is good. I think we humans are pretty good at seeing if the dog is just watching or if it is getting ready to pounce.

So there is the ideal scenario, and there is real life. Ideally you would like to give the dog enough time to develop. Her guarding instincts have not yet kicked in, and she is physically unprepared to challenge or fight an adult fox. That will change in time, but it sounds like you don’t have time. So you may need to rush things compared to me or others.

If you do, please be aware that the situation just isn’t ideal and don’t blame the dog if it doesn’t turn out ideally. Be patient and try to help her as much as you can in the less than ideal situation. Work on perimeter security as much as possible to give her some room for learning.

 

[bruceha2000]

I've chosen to do it more like 200 years ago - and then it was dogs and little or no fences. My fence is 48" (>1000 ft) and I believe her parents were kept w/40" for sheep - so I'm hopeful it'll work out. If not I'll adapt!

Was the fence where she came from topped with hot wire? A grown GP wouldn't even laugh at a 40" fence, not worth the trouble as it goes right over. Same with a 48" fence, if it wants to go over, it will.

 

[Dr.Dale]

I recently started opening the extended 'garden' area to the poultry - which includes a 15x15' pond - so she has a lots of fun and space!

That sounds fantastic! I only have a pair of kiddie pools for our ducks.

It sounds like things are progressing well so far with Kira and your flock.

 

[brainfog]

As winter approached I realized that my 4' fence was going to get shorter. One year in fact, the snow was over the fence at about 5'. So based on the recommendations of a 5' fence, I'm looking into getting a 10' fence to keep my LGD in.

But so far, I've been lucky and she's not gone over it. But often shes figured out she can push the bottom and get under it!

@15 months, she's chasing the birds more than I'd like - but so far hasn't hurt any (to my knowledge). Also since she's been guarding, I've only lost 1 bird. Appears to have been a hawk attack - hen was injured a died a next day. Any big bird that fly over (including ducks) get's Kira's attention and she goes after it. So I'm sure Kira interrupted the hawk attack.