What is a "SAFE" breed of dog to have with free range chickens?

[xchairity_casex]

it really depends on how they are brought up any dog including dogs like terriers can be kept around poultry and other live stock just reinforce everyday that chasing,nipping,roughhouseing with them is UNACCEPTABLE no matter what! even if it looks cute a little 8 week old puppyhobbling around trying to nip at the chicken twice its size sure its cute when there are little and harmless but that will quickly escalate. from day one have them out with you around the animals and watch them like a hawk eevrytime if you see them trying to even play with the animals give them correction like redirecting them and saying "AHAH!" them should be allowed to sniff the livestock/poultry and to follow them if they like but if they start yapping,jumping around,putting there bums in the air,nipping,growling,chasing(theres a differance between following and chasing following the puppy is watching,observing but not getting involved chasing is intentlly fixated) all those behaviors need to be unacceptable.

 

[donatkin]

Dont get a Weimaraner! Mine want to kill my chickens bad.

 

[chickencrazyinHT]

I think a livestock guardian dog would be a great choice. They still have to be trained. We looked into buying one once. They are pretty expensive though. We found a farm that raised them and we thought that was a good idea. They learn how to protect your flock from learning from the older dogs. What better training than them learning from their own!

 

[Rocky Delta Enriquez]

I don't even have a chicken yet

But, I am fascinated by LGD's. I have six rabbits and wanted a LGD for them just to watch them while they play in my tiny backyard.
Now, I want a hen. Just one is fine. My fast pet at age 4 was chickens. I am sooooo excited to see all those beautiful pictures that many of you have posted. Just fascinating! Personally, I like Anatolian Shepherd and Australian Shepherd. But, my backyard, although fenced, is just too tiny to own any of them maybe. 10 feet x 10 feet.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Didn't read through the whole thread, but saw some pics of puppy surrounded with birds... I think this is a key... being raised around the flock AND training from day one!

 

[BarefootMom]

I think your best bet would be to get a puppy and train them not to chase the chickens.

We have a puppy- he is 1/2 beagle and 1/2 ??possibly yellow lab- He chased the chickens and ducks as first, but after a few NO's he just wanders around with them. I think he will be great around the animals. He has made friends with the cats, the chickens, and he is great with the kids.

do your chickens free range?

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Please don't get just ONE hen... she would be terribly lonely!

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
You need at least 2 hens they are a flock animal and do best when there is more then 1 IMO

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

mmaddie's mom :

Didn't read through the whole thread, but saw some pics of puppy surrounded with birds... I think this is a key... being raised around the flock AND training from day one!

Agreed, that's what I've found to be the key: A young puppy, introduced and trained from the very beginning.

 

[WanderingHen]

I think it depends on training and helps a lot to raise them from pupphood around animals. My mom bought both me and my sister Mountain Cur pups for 4-H projects and never had a problem with them besides egg stealing. Couldn't blame them for that though, chickens free ranged all over and they knew better than to go into the coop for eggs.

The rat terrier rescue my sister brougt home for another 4-H project though? Ate about 6 of my best birds in a month before I could figure out what the hell was eating them. I couldn't figure it out because he had been in the family for 2 years by that time and just upped and decided that the birds looked tasty. Thankfully, I only had to give him one come-to-Jesus moment and he realized that touching chickens was a bad idea if he wanted to continue living.

On a side note though, my dog did have a hatred for the peacocks. I always had to have her tied up if I was going to let them out for the day or had to handle them. She would jump up on me and try and kill them if I had a hold of them. Not sure if she just hated them or thought they where trying to kill me but scared the crap out of me first time it happened.