Will my hens still lay if my dogs won't stop harassing them?

[laurasusan71]

My husband went online looking for shock collars. Before we invest that kind of money we are going to arm the kids with squirt guns and permission to squirt the dog. Lol..I am getting 2 EEs from the ag department at the local middle school tomorrow. We will see what happens.

 

[columbiacritter]

Quote:
Your mistake was lettign the dog stare at the birds at all. Youare lettign him look in the candy shop window. Never, ever, ever let a dog stare at a bird. always correct that instantly and sharply. I don't mean hit but a command, "Leave it!" with a squirt bottle or a leash correction.

I have trained many many racing greyhounds to be pets and the trick is to make even lookign at what they want to chase or kill a no no. Deepest growly voice you have, "Are you looking at that chicken//cat/rabbit? Nooooo!!!!!!"

My current pair of greyhounds live with free range chickens of all sizes and ducks too. The dogs race around the yard like crazy sometimes and even follow me into bird crowded runs with no issue. Their prey drive is still incredibly high and they have bombed through a flock of hens to chase a coyote that had been stalking the birds.

 

[laurasusan71]

Ok.. I got 2 Americaunas from the middle school Ag department. They are 1 year old. We brought them home Friday afternoon and by Saturday already had an egg. The Great Dane sniffed at them then was bored and walked away. The mastiff took about 20 minutes to realize they were there then cautiously sniffed around the pen. He is very aware of the chickens but doesn't go after them or anything. He mostly is curious. I think they will do just fine. I still don't let the dogs hang around the pen by themselves but I don't think they are out to get them either.