Checota
Songster
My 7 year old boxer dog has always had a strong prey drive, she has never killed anything but has given chase many times and mouthed more then one baby bird over the years....yes all lived.
So getting back into chicken ownership again made me nervous about her and my dozen day old chicks.
The large rabbit cage I had them in was placed on the floor in the dining room, she laid by that cage day and night staring and salivating....I mean drool shoe laces with pools on the floor....intense!
At 5 weeks old they were moved to the screen porch where she stared from the sliding glass door same reaction, during this phase she managed to grab two chicks by the head but due to her underbite no damage done...chicks seemed no worse for the wear...in fact they were drawn to her even more...I was worried I would have to protect the chicks from my own dog.
3 months old and the chicks look like miniature chickens, they are out in their pen now and I allow them to free range, I let them out of the pen and have my dog sit beside me to watch them, the chickens all run up to her then forage, over the last two weeks, Bella has really taken charge, she will guide them back home when they wander too far. She allows the smallest bantams to perch on her back. Every morning she is greeted by the girls waiting to have their guardian lead the way and stand guard. Evening comes and it’s lets go home girls and my dog is rounding them up, anyone too slow gets a butt nose lift forward towards the pen. No one is left behind.
She is nearly 8 years old, never been around chickens guardians come in all shapes and sizes! There is hope for any age dog to learn to live with chickens in their yard and home.
So getting back into chicken ownership again made me nervous about her and my dozen day old chicks.
The large rabbit cage I had them in was placed on the floor in the dining room, she laid by that cage day and night staring and salivating....I mean drool shoe laces with pools on the floor....intense!
At 5 weeks old they were moved to the screen porch where she stared from the sliding glass door same reaction, during this phase she managed to grab two chicks by the head but due to her underbite no damage done...chicks seemed no worse for the wear...in fact they were drawn to her even more...I was worried I would have to protect the chicks from my own dog.
3 months old and the chicks look like miniature chickens, they are out in their pen now and I allow them to free range, I let them out of the pen and have my dog sit beside me to watch them, the chickens all run up to her then forage, over the last two weeks, Bella has really taken charge, she will guide them back home when they wander too far. She allows the smallest bantams to perch on her back. Every morning she is greeted by the girls waiting to have their guardian lead the way and stand guard. Evening comes and it’s lets go home girls and my dog is rounding them up, anyone too slow gets a butt nose lift forward towards the pen. No one is left behind.
She is nearly 8 years old, never been around chickens guardians come in all shapes and sizes! There is hope for any age dog to learn to live with chickens in their yard and home.
