Dogs and chickens

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GSD Woman

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I've always wanted to have some hens at home. With all that is going on in the world, I did, I bought 4 Buff Orpington chicks that are supposed to be pullets.
Right now they are in an old dog crate in the kitchen until they are old enough to go in the crate I've ordered from Amazon.
The dogs are fascinated by the chicks. The chicks occasionally squeeze out between the crated bars. They don't go far. But, if the dogs are in the kitchen they just follow the chicks with their noses. So far, no attempt to hurt or eat. Do you all think this will keep up as the chicks get older and are outside?
 
I've got working bred whippets. They coexist with the chickens really well. If one suddenly launches in the air they will do the odd half hearted chase, but otherwise they arent bothered by them. I wouldn't ever leave them alone though. Even if they are impeccably behaved its far to easy for curiosity to result in dead chicks
 
Are the dogs GSDs I assume?

I'm with LeoWalker, always had terriers and various fowl together no issue but wouldn't leave them unsupervised when young. Our dogs have always been small and the chickens fiesty enough to give a soft nose a good peck, but Gsd vs chicken is a different scenario!
Ted will occasionally do a chase through the middle of the ducks just for the quacking excitement but never anything more determined
 
My experiences of dogs and chickens were irrecoverably moulded years ago.... I was on someone else’s livery yard, my two dogs were on short leads, we walked through a narrow archway and a chicken literally jumped out in front of me....

There were a lot of traumatised children, a lot of feathers and a vet who happened to be visiting who confirmed instantaneous death ?
 
I'm with Tinkerbee. Had chooks and terriers of different ages for years but I get the chooks as POL chickens so not small. The dogs sometimes take eggs but the chickens see the dogs off if they dare even look at them wrong. I probably wouldn't leave them unsuprervised for hours but they can wander about the garden together sometimes very happily.
 
i've got 2 GSD's and 28 rescue chooks and they all get on very well. the chickens will even jump on the dogs when they are laying down and start scratching in their coats! never had a problem with mine chasing the chickens but they will still go after pheasants which made me panic at first until i realised it wasn't a chicken... the dogs obviously have a lot better eye sight than me!
 
Actually that's a good point, the main issue I have is the dogs raiding the eggs, and eating their food which has knock on gastric drama....!
 
Leo Walker said:
I've got working bred whippets. They coexist with the chickens really well. If one suddenly launches in the air they will do the odd half hearted chase, but otherwise they arent bothered by them. I wouldn't ever leave them alone though. Even if they are impeccably behaved its far to easy for curiosity to result in dead chicks
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I agree. My first Whippet was brought up with cats. In the home and garden he was fine but if he saw the same cat in a different environment I think it would’ve been a different matter?

what breeds do you own OP? Are they all GSDs?
 
we had chickens years and had our dogs out with them for 10+ years, never had an issue. then one day we came in and they killed one randomly. I don't think you can ever be 100% trusting of them with them. I would never have thought my dogs would be bothered with them.
 
I had a terrier that got into my chicken run one day (ex let him in?) and he killed one hen immediately but fortunately was grabbed before he murdered the other 3...
 
I think it depends on the type of dog to be honest. I have 17 free ranging chooks, two lots had chicks this year and the dogs weren't remotely interested. They are two bull breeds' a labrador and my little corgi x. My friend cannot bring her spaniel here as he instantly tries to catch them as does my neighbour's Jack Russell. Years ago I had a border terrier who used to try and get to my neighbour's hens, he had a strong hunting drive and would have killed them.

My dogs think they are great, as they go on the great egg hunt every morning spending hours in the hay shed where they tend to lay (they scorn the hen house) and get any before I do. Thankfully I am not that keen on eggs and really like having the hens around as pets.

Good luck with your Orpingtons they are a super breed, friendly, docile and good layers. Photos please!
 
My spaniel can’t be trusted. He does them most days with me but has to sit in a wait and he finds it so stressful he physically looks away from them. Without me there he retrieves them to me which doesn’t do them much good...he’s not THAT soft mouthed...
 
Yes,German Shepherds, 2 of them. Right now they aren't left alone with the chicks for any length of time since I'm home due to the Corona virus and it looks like I'll be home at least until the chicks are old enough to be in a coop and run. I'm planning on making a good sized, predator proof pen that they can forage in when I'm home. I have to make sure none of my neighbors complain first since we aren't zoned for chickens, not that anyone around here pays attention to that.
 
I gave always had dogs with chooks and the chickens tend to have the upper hand, they will bully the dogs off marrowbones :D. Ffee likes accidentally running at them but the yard cockerel beats her up.
I use Brandy the old lab to retrieve them if I need one caught urgently.
The terriers and lurcher were ok too, although the terriers could go in the pop holes and take the eggs.
 
My two dogs have got to deal with the guinea fowls which roam the place, and in the main they do. Little man (terrier) knows he mustn't hassle them, and is a good boy and really can't be arsed, if he's honest, to go chasing them.

However Ginger Ninja-dog is a Toller, and feels it is her god-given duty to put the guinea's up in the trees, the monkey!!

I do have a cockerel who is a vicious sod, he'll go at your legs particularly if you're walking away from him; and he keeps the dogs in good order! He considers himself the self-appointed Guardian of the Guinea's, as there are no other hens on the place, and if the dogs DO overstep the mark then he'll fly at them!

You just couldn't make it up you really couldn't!
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
My two dogs have got to deal with the guinea fowls which roam the place, and in the main they do. Little man (terrier) knows he mustn't hassle them, and is a good boy and really can't be arsed, if he's honest, to go chasing them.

However Ginger Ninja-dog is a Toller, and feels it is her god-given duty to put the guinea's up in the trees, the monkey!!

I do have a cockerel who is a vicious sod, he'll go at your legs particularly if you're walking away from him; and he keeps the dogs in good order! He considers himself the self-appointed Guardian of the Guinea's, as there are no other hens on the place, and if the dogs DO overstep the mark then he'll fly at them!

You just couldn't make it up you really couldn't!
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We have a Highlight reel of CCTV footage showing the rooster chasing dogs, builders, delivery drivers, and on one occasion, fighting off a young fox! He appeared on the lane one day, no one claimed him so we kept him and he's outlived two harems of hens, two flocks of ducks and no sign of quieting down
 
We have trained the PJR to leave the chickens alone, but failed with chicks - if they escape the run they are history. If we have to carry the hens at all dog leaps up and down barking telling us that she wants a go. :(
 
GSD Woman said:
Yes,German Shepherds, 2 of them. Right now they aren't left alone with the chicks for any length of time since I'm home due to the Corona virus and it looks like I'll be home at least until the chicks are old enough to be in a coop and run. I'm planning on making a good sized, predator proof pen that they can forage in when I'm home. I have to make sure none of my neighbors complain first since we aren't zoned for chickens, not that anyone around here pays attention to that.
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To quote my MIL regarding any dog that shows the slightest interest to kill “Don’t trust the bugger/s”?
 
My retired trail hound I would trust every single day with the chooks (though not necessarily the eggs), my young terrier on the other hand - although constantly having his training reinforced, I would trust for just a few minutes!! He does like to fluster them but then gets told off. Left to his own devices I think it could get messy...!! However, it's easy enough to keep them separate and keep him (the terrrierist) under reasonable control.
 
My lapphund likes to take down songbirds out of the air if they get to close. I haven't been brave enough to let her near chickens. Shes oddly fine and reliable with my rabbits though!

There's very few dogs I would trust unsupervised with chickens. Prey drive is hard to ignore.
 
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