What kind of dog will guard my flock?

[Judy Todd]

We have a problem with coyotes. I lock my flock up at night but occasionally the coyotes come through in a day- and three times I lost my entire flock of chickens! I’m looking at getting a dog that will stay outside with my chickens. I think that any big dog will deter the coyotes from jumping the fence into our property- however, I don’t know what breeds are going to get along with my chickens and not try to eat them. Any advice would be welcomed.

I rescued a GP wo had been raised with chickens, neveer lost one during the 3 years she lived wiht us. Unfortunately, she got cancer. You must let a LGDlive outside at all times. Miss her.

 

[norain]

We have a problem with coyotes. I lock my flock up at night but occasionally the coyotes come through in a day- and three times I lost my entire flock of chickens! I’m looking at getting a dog that will stay outside with my chickens. I think that any big dog will deter the coyotes from jumping the fence into our property- however, I don’t know what breeds are going to get along with my chickens and not try to eat them. Any advice would be welcomed.

 

[norain]

I have 3 blue heelers they protect my chickens with their life .ravens cant touch down and coyotes wont come on the property also they lay down by my feet when im outside having a tea and the chickens even walk over them .it takes a couple days of keeping an eye out till they know the chicken are part of the pack . do not get a lab they cant help them selves for killing chickens ,yes there might be the exception .and they are awesome dogs but not worth chancing . I suggest 2 dogs if you have lots of coyotes they protect each other in a property stand off .

 

[jenncoo]

I'm in total agreeance with deyhar. I tried all sorts of fox deterance. i have flock of 20 geese, chickens, ducks, peafowl who all freerange during the day and are securely locked up at night but I was losing them during the day. I tried a donkey..nope. Alpacas.....I found the herd sitting around a dam with a fox sleeping amongst them....so that was a no. Various dogs......nope. Then the Gods smiled on me when I got two Maremmas. I was losing one bird a week on average. No training, it just comes naturally to them. Losses since then.....zero. They are brilliant. They also come into the house at night and are just the most wonderful dogs....I just love them to pieces. They are the most wonderful guard dogs (when they smile they show their teeth - a Maremma trait- so they can look fierce even though they are being hilarious. These are my first two but won't be my last. They even use Maremmas around the penguin colonies with great success guarding from foxes and dingos (I'm in Australia).

 

[jenncoo]

Oh...I forgot to mention that most Maremmas stay outside with their flock 24/7 through rain, sun, snow. It's just that my feathered girls are all securely locked up at night so my Maremmas come in at night. I have 30+ acres that they guard. They are my miracles in big white coats!

 

[StefanThunder5]

We have a maremma the best

 

[MissChick@dee]

Rooster and geese protecting against a coyote is a joke. I do not have any Emu but considering they are prey animals I can't imagine them doing much at all to stop a coyote.
Also, just because you could not train a dog to protect your flock does not mean others can't.

I have a GSD who lets my doves sleep on her, she is in my room with a open brooder of chicks and one with ducklings unsupervised for several hours a day. She shares her food with the chickens and lays around with them outside.

The bigger the bird...coyotes just holler for their friends to help em’ out.

 

[MissChick@dee]

I rescued a GP wo had been raised with chickens, neveer lost one during the 3 years she lived wiht us. Unfortunately, she got cancer. You must let a LGDlive outside at all times. Miss her.

Dogs make better friends than some people. Sorry for your loss.