I've read that it's good to try to have the dog think that the chicks are part of his family. Does that mean we should get chicks first? Any thoughts on golden retrievers and chicks? I'm just a little hesitant about the breed since it's a bird dog.
I would get the chicks first. If the chicks are there before the dog, than the dog would think that the chickens already claimed the house. I wouldnt get a golden retriever, because my friend brought over her golden, and my chickens were so scared, I dont think they wanted to go outside for a week! But if youre going to get the dog as a puppy, you can always train it to not touch the chickens.
I don't think it really matters... I've introduced all sort of poultry to various breeds of dogs and have never had an issue getting the dogs to leave them alone. However, for safety's sake, never trust a dog alone with chickens no matter how well trained you think it is! It's never happened to me, but I've heard way too many horror stories of dogs suddenly "playing" with the chickens to risk it.
Well my dog loves chickens (they are soooo tasty)! I would get the chicks first and then the dog. We had the dog first and he did not take well at all to his new friends (friends not food). We had to re-home our chickens to our friends chicken coop because he could not leave them alone, he tore through a heavy chainlink fence to get to them all while we were in the yard with him. It took him a matter of seconds to get through the chainlink and was only slowed when I dove on his collar and pulled him back. He is a lab mix so maybe it is just in his blood to hunt birds but my friend's dog, a cocker spaniel (also a hunting dog) is fine with the chickens so it is hard to say. I still raise chickens but they are at my friends house with her chickens for now Good luck Dan
