will my dogs eat my chickens

[JennB]

my chicks are 2 weeks old, i have them in there brooder in my house. i have two coon hounds that come inside at night, they seem curious about the chicks but after a while they go lay down. im worried about once the chicks are in there coop. i want to let them free range as much as possible since im home during the day. the dogs go on tieouts during the day, there area is about 50-75 ft from the chicken house. so my question is will the chickens go near the dogs?

 

[PunkinPeep]

I've worked with my dogs a lot to teach them not to be aggressive toward my chickens.

The answer to your question is probably yes.

My chickens are very curious and friendly, and they will keep trying to get close to the dogs (or whomever) to see what's going on. My dogs and my chickens nap together now, but i wouldn't be comfortable with that if i hadn't worked with them and know what to expect from them. Some dogs don't ever understand about the chickens, so be careful.

There are some threads you might be able to search with good tips on how to train your dogs to not be aggressive toward your chickens.

 

[bobbi-j]

They might. Chickens aren't too bright that way....

 

[tnchickenut]

My two boxers aren't MEAN towards the chickens, but their preditor drive takes over from time to time (I can count on one hand) and they PLAY with the chickens... the problem is... the chicken doesn't know it's a game. They have never killed one but they did shove one INTO... yes, into... the pallet that is the base of the coop. That standard full grown hen fit in that pallet... 4 inches or so! Of course, I had to really work to get her out and she was plucked all down the center of her back, but the dog thought it was fun. We called her "bareback" for about a year until she finally got all her feathers back.

So I guess the answer to your question is... if it is a hunting or working breed... I wouldn't trust them ever to be alone. There are those that are so well trained that they can be around your chickens, but let's be real... those dogs are few and far between. Can't blame them for doing what they were bred to do for thousands of years, though.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I've had a few young chickens over the years that make it thru or over the fence to greet my dogs. My dogs greet them with a very intense "GULP". Dogs aren't allowed in the barn lots, but they welcome all chickens to their side of the fence. I used to have ducks & geese on the pond, but the dogs got them. They even took the decoys off of the pond & chewed them up.

 

[nuts4chickens]

I'd be especially worried also just because they are coondogs. I had a coonhound once, and he loved to chase things and he killed a lot of bunnies in his time. Maybe you can work with them to behave. It's sort of in their "blood" to track and "get" stuff. I'd keep a close eye for a little while.

 

[GrannySue]

I have a Jack Russell/Doxie cross. It's in both breeds' nature to chase and kill.
This is what happened when my 9 week old chicks escaped from their pen today.

 

[watersoflethe]

YES. the chickens will go near the dogs.
as for the dogs killing the chickens there is a pretty high probability as well if you haven't trained them.
my chickens like to jump on my dogs even the one that would try to eat them. i free range my chickens almost everyday except sundays. and everytime i tie up my husky (on a very long leash) and watch them to make sure they dont go anyways near the part of the yard that the husky has access to...

 

[ranchhand]

I wish I had a nickel for every thread asking about chickens and dogs - that eventually ends in dead chickens......

Unless you spend hours daily, over a long time, working with and training your dogs, they are eventually going to follow instinct. The two species are not naturally compatible. Some folks have made it happen, but only after MANY hours of training their dogs. I have the sweetest hound in the world. Would I ever let him anywhere near chickens? Oh no.

 

[nzpouter]

a lot of training, consistency and common sense.... we always let our dogs run with the chickens, ducks, goats, sheep and pigs... a pack of well trained dogs is a good assets around the farm...