What do you use to guard your flock?

[Redwood Forest Bantams]

Added OSO the Great Pyr about 2 years ago.. Since then no more losses or damages due to Black Bears. Coons still try to come into the yard but he does a great job of keeping them along the perimeter. Recently we have started hearing and seeing Coyotes, so it will be interesting to see how he handles those... Two negatives with GP (IMHO) They have the loudest of all barks (you can hear Oso up and down the valley), and they MUST be kept in a secured property or they will wander and try to increase there territory to protect....

 

[SunshineSteedFarm]

John the horse

Talk about some noise when he sees something trying to get to his chickens. He loves his chickens. He will stand there all day keeping an eye on them and his 35 year old horse friend, Annie. You will hear him before you see him if he hears a call from the chickens or Annie. Very good chicken protector

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

We have dogs but I can't say they are worth a hoot at keeping things away....

My Dh and a gun is what I find best at keeping them run off.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
What experience do you have with a Great Pyrenees? From earlier posts I read you and your wife recently bought a farm and are new to chickens. You own two German Shepherds.

Well, in our LIMITED experience with GP's they have eaten a few dozen chicks and ducklings and chickens and ducks - any that dare get in the back yard where they must be kept (or they would kill and eat everything.) Of course they are still only about 8 months old and I am holding out hope that they will grow out of this stage and learn. In fact, over this past week, I've discovered something quite unique about them. If put right smack in the middle of the run, or yard, or coop, on a tie line, baby chicks can sleep on them, chickens and ducks will be eating out of their bowl, and they don't bother a single one. Take them off that tie line or let them get out of that fenced back yard and all bets are off. First, they differ from the GSDs in that they don't mind me. They are smart, however, and will take off into the woods and not come out till I've given up calling and gone back in. Meanwhile, they circle back and catch, kill and eat whatever they can while I'm looking for them on the other side of the property. So thus far, that's our experience with GPs. The plus is they are very laid back, no where near the high energy (play with me non-stop) drive that the GSDs have. Still holding out hope they can become the Livestock Guard Dogs we've heard tell about but I have people lined up to take them if they don't improve. The tie-line discovery/phenomenon is giving me hope so that's what we're doing with them now - staking them out right in the midst of the action. However, this is a short term trial - I won't keep a dog that I have to keep on a tie line. This is a farm, surrounded by thousands of acres of woods and predators - we need our dogs to work the farm non-restrained and not to leave our farm for any reason.

Addicus and Scout:

On the other hand - my several year experience with GSD's is that there is an instinct, at least in mine, that was not taught.

This pic was taken within a half hour of my bringing home those first chicks three years ago. Rex went on guard with them and never left their side:

As they grew and freeranged - he stayed right with them:

Three years and 200+ birds later - he's still on guard - always watching the sky for hawks:

We were so impressed with how well Rex guards the freeranging flocks that we got another GSD puppy to raise and learn from him. Scarlett is now a little over a year old.

Scarlett is the peacekeeper. She works the coop when they all start returning in the early evenings and makes sure no one bothers the babies running around and that the roos don't gang up on a hen (if they do she pulls them off); and she nudges them up onto the roosts and breaks up roo fights. If she hears a hen yell, from anywhere on the property, she goes running to find out what's wrong. She can almost always be found sleeping in the coop or near the feed station that all the babies hang out at.

So not sure how much experience you're looking for but this about covers our experience with our dogs. As Boaz mentioned, we also have a Min Pin and a Catahoula that don't bother the birds but I wouldn't say that they guard or protect them either - just coexist - just like the two cats who also never bother them. One cat, Morris, really loves to sleep with them. But then, you didn't ask about our experience with cats and chickens.

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
Sounds like you are not the alpha of the pack, and therefore do not command their respect. I agree that these may not be the dogs for you, and be best that they find a new home.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Ruth 8 months is a tough age, don't judge them there. The Maremma pup I raised made a few mistakes then and hurt/killed chickens (trying to play with them) but she is their defender now and totally trustworthy to be free with them. You need to make sure they have much time with the birds and yes tieing her in there so it's less 'playful' is one strategy I used. I also used a drag to slow her up on wandering and chasing for a bit.

For the OP I have 2 Maremmas and an English Shepherd guarding my flock, and they free range in a very rural area with many coyotes and the occasional bobcat. I have no losses, touch wood. When my first Maremma died I started loosing chickens at a rate of 2 or 3 a day as soon as they 'yotes figured out he was gone.

3/4 LGD I have had here are rescues, they needed bonding but it's been worth it, rather give a dog a life than order one from a breeder.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
What experience do you have with a Great Pyrenees? From earlier posts I read you and your wife recently bought a farm and are new to chickens. You own two German Shepherds.

Well, in our LIMITED experience with GP's they have eaten a few dozen chicks and ducklings and chickens and ducks - any that dare get in the back yard where they must be kept (or they would kill and eat everything.) Of course they are still only about 8 months old and I am holding out hope that they will grow out of this stage and learn. In fact, over this past week, I've discovered something quite unique about them. If put right smack in the middle of the run, or yard, or coop, on a tie line, baby chicks can sleep on them, chickens and ducks will be eating out of their bowl, and they don't bother a single one. Take them off that tie line or let them get out of that fenced back yard and all bets are off. First, they differ from the GSDs in that they don't mind me. They are smart, however, and will take off into the woods and not come out till I've given up calling and gone back in. Meanwhile, they circle back and catch, kill and eat whatever they can while I'm looking for them on the other side of the property. So thus far, that's our experience with GPs. The plus is they are very laid back, no where near the high energy (play with me non-stop) drive that the GSDs have. Still holding out hope they can become the Livestock Guard Dogs we've heard tell about but I have people lined up to take them if they don't improve. The tie-line discovery/phenomenon is giving me hope so that's what we're doing with them now - staking them out right in the midst of the action. However, this is a short term trial - I won't keep a dog that I have to keep on a tie line. This is a farm, surrounded by thousands of acres of woods and predators - we need our dogs to work the farm non-restrained and not to leave our farm for any reason.

Addicus and Scout:

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/GPs1.jpg

On the other hand - my several year experience with GSD's is that there is an instinct, at least in mine, that was not taught.

This pic was taken within a half hour of my bringing home those first chicks three years ago. Rex went on guard with them and never left their side:

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/Rex-with-new-babychicks.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/Rex-with-new-babychicks3.jpg

As they grew and freeranged - he stayed right with them:

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/Rex-guarding.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/Rex-on-guard4.jpg

Three years and 200+ birds later - he's still on guard - always watching the sky for hawks:

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/rexwatchinghawks.jpg

We were so impressed with how well Rex guards the freeranging flocks that we got another GSD puppy to raise and learn from him. Scarlett is now a little over a year old.

Scarlett is the peacekeeper. She works the coop when they all start returning in the early evenings and makes sure no one bothers the babies running around and that the roos don't gang up on a hen (if they do she pulls them off); and she nudges them up onto the roosts and breaks up roo fights. If she hears a hen yell, from anywhere on the property, she goes running to find out what's wrong. She can almost always be found sleeping in the coop or near the feed station that all the babies hang out at.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/scarlettonduty2.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/scarlettonduty.jpg

So not sure how much experience you're looking for but this about covers our experience with our dogs. As Boaz mentioned, we also have a Min Pin and a Catahoula that don't bother the birds but I wouldn't say that they guard or protect them either - just coexist - just like the two cats who also never bother them. One cat, Morris, really loves to sleep with them. But then, you didn't ask about our experience with cats and chickens.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/coop-cat.jpg

Any chance Rex is having babies? I would love to have someone like him.

 

[KinderKorner]

Ruth wow whoa. I had the same experience.

I had a GP puppy in hopes of her protecting the flock. She was the sweetest little puppy. But after she was a few months old, she turned into a huge, white, hyper crazy thing. She wasn't agressive. But loved to play, chase and maul the cats. Pounce on chickens, and carry chicks around in her mouth. She didn't mean harm but when a 100 pound dog picks up a tiny chick....

She was a perfect little angel on a tie line, or a leash. Would stay right beside you, nice and calm, loved the animals. But as soon as she was let off she would suddenly change and charge off at the nearest moving thing.

We planned on just being patient, because surely once the puppy stage was over she would calm downa and become the sweet great guard dog everyone talked about.

But the man in the house became to upset and hated her. After she hurt pets, chewed on everything, dug holes, and yes. GP seem to have the loudest of barks. She kept the animals away alright. But she also barked very loudly all night long and keep the entire house awake. We got tired of fighting, and decided to give in.

I do wish we would of kept her. It was only a matter of time before she grew up and matured. But the months of destruction were just too much for us to handle. She has a new home with a bunch of kids. And now we are back to loosing chickens.

Guess we will try again with a smaller dog someday. Maybe an English Shepherd. We don't know. We want a guardian. But we can't last through a year of craziness again. I am so ticked that we rehomed her right when she was beginning to calm down. It's still a dispute in the family. And we are undecided on what type of dog to go with now.

 

[kees]

I use two Bourbon Red turkeys! Since they've joined the family, not a single bird has been lost!

Suzy

 

[TrulyFowl]

By day, Grace guards the yard. But at night she sleeps inside with us, so the nightpen for the fowl has to be racoon proof - no easy task!!