dogs and chickens Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Hi All, Finally ordered my eglu and so excited about it's arrival at the end of Feb I am however really worried about how my new feathered friends will get on with my 2 doggies!?! We have a cocker spaniel and a flat coated retreiver, both gorgeous but both gun dogs, although untrained gun dogs, do chase birds on walks - help !!! I have ordered the omlet netting with my eglu so they will be seperate - will that be enough Any help will be greatfully received I just want my four new girls to be safe Not hard to guess but have never kept chickens before so any other newby help would be good too Many Thanks Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Welcome aboard. I'd be inclined to keep them apart.....at first anyway. The netting is pretty good, but I suppose it depends on how enthusiastic your dogs are and how high they can jump. Maybe you can train them to keep away. One well aimed peck on the nose might be all the lesson they need! Good luck and enjoy your chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Hi dogs and chickens. Welcome to the forum. I can understand why you are excited! Keeping chickens is great fun Might I suggest keeping the girls in the eglu run for a while, so they get to know where home is and the dogs can see them, but not touch. I haven't got a dog now, so can't really comment on compatability, but I would have thought gun dogs and chickens could not really occupy the same space together (at the same time anyway). My rabbit free-ranges around with the girls but they tend to ignore each other. I have heard of people letting their chickens and cats mix. I'm sure someone with dogs will be more helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Hi and welcome to the forum We have a greyhound who got very excited (in a kind of I'm going to eat you way) when we got our chickens, but she seems to have calmed down now. We use the omlet type netting to keep the chickens in a certain part of the garden and move it around to give the grass a chance to recover. Holly the greyhound is not one of life's bright sparks and has never tried to get over/ under the netting. The chickens have pecked her nose when she poked it through and she doesn't try anymore - they also gave my brother's labrador a good peck on the nose and she left well alone. Netting would have been my suggestion if you weren't getting any, certainly at first, although I don't know how slightly cleverer dogs will be with it. We'll find out soon, as we will be looking after a guide dog puppy for a year! Good luck and enjoy chicken keeping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Hello and welcome to the world of chicken keeping (to be ) We have 2 dogs, both rescue mutts of undetermined parentage, and are fine with the chickens when they are all in the garden together We introduced them gradually, and using omlet netting to keep them apart, but when they were just in the eglu run, the younger dog had his nose pecked a few timew and now is actually scared of the chooks When the dogs run past in the garden the chickens tend to ignore them except the 2 white leghorns who enjoy shouting very loudly and flapping Both dogs will chase pigeons and seagulls when we are out, but have learnt not to try it with the chickens (I hope) Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Thank you all so much for your coments . I'm not so worried now. I will keep them in their eglu run to start with, as suggested, then add the netting when they all look happy and settled! One of our dogs is really stupid, but the other one really clever, but lucky enough it's the smaller one who is clever so hopefully a swift peck from one of the new girlies will do the job . Any other advice gladly received Many Thanks Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I've got two dogs a mad spaniel who I won't trust alone with them even though he's been pecked right on th nose, and a border collie who is extremely protective and guards them like a lion! She chase off foxes other dogs cats and squirrels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I don't have dogs, but I know others on here have used a water pistol to good effect to train them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkate Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Hi Dogs and Chickens, We have a gun dog and chooks. I was curious to see how he would react and (fortunately) he has reacted as suspected. Mild curiosity and endless sniffing! No sign (yet) of malicious intent. That said he is a reasonabley well trained gun dog. I'm not really clear on whether you have working gun dogs or they are gun dog breeds but don't work? Not much of an expert on Chooks. Dogs however..... If they are working dogs they may already know not to hunt the chooks - its not the right circumstances. A working dog on farmland should leave ANY livestock well alone or he'd be banned. If its a retreiver he/she is unlikely to associate a chicken with shot game. If its a hunter (beating dog) they should be trained to put birds up in the air - not attack them - a spaniel that eats pheasant is not much good. On a shoot they often find birds sitting tight in the cover and need to give them a good nudge to put them up. If they are not working dogs I think its gonna be a bit more challenging. I'd keep them well separated until the dogs stop showing much interest (they're bound to be curious) through whatever partition you put up. Then introduce on the lead until you can trust them off it. Whilst at the lead stage you could try the water pistol treatment although if your dogs have good manners and respond to some sort of 'leave-it' command 100% of the time you should be fine. Don't raise your voice or repeat the leave-it just give them a blast with the cold water. Warning - DO NOT chase your chickens when your dogs are off the lead - they'll join in the hunt for fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Rosie dog ignores the chooks most of the time. Occasionally she gives them a bit of a chase if she has the wind up her. This evening I heard her barking in the kitchen as she ate her dinner (very unusual for her) - Fenny was trying to steal it from her bowl!! I was quite survived the greedy chicken got away in one piece!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 My dog (also indeterminate parentage) was very excited when my girls first arrived. We took him into the garden on a lead for the first few days but then his attempts to play with them were met with lots of flapping and pecks. He now gives them a very wide berth . I agree with advice about keeping your new girls in their run for 5 days or so. Their roosting instinct kicks in then and it'll give your dogs time to get used to them (hopefully ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrandMrsG Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Hi Dogs and Chickens, Snap! I too have a Flat Coated Retreiver and a Westie, Blue and Angus. We've had our chooks for just over a month now, but today was the first time I've had the dogs and the chooks roaming around the garden together. Initialy Blue the Flat Coat did have a little bit of a swip and one of my chooks, but he was told off and after that he was as good as gold - Angus my Westie is totaly indifferent to them; actually between you and me he's a little bit frightened of them as they're bigger than than him - but he's not aware that I realise the fact that he's a little girls blouse! Just gradually introduce your dogs - At first I had my dogs on leads each time I went into the garden and of course a pocket full of treats that I kept on giving them while they checked out the chooks - Also in that 1st week, every time I spent time with the chooks ie cleaning the eglu and feeding them, I put Blue on a lunge rein and tied him to the washing line. But after that 1st week he was fine and was just really curious as Flat Coats are, and then today was brilliant, however I do think it will be a little while before I fully trust him. Blue still loves to chase pheasant, rabbits etc but I think he knows that chasing chickens is not good! Good Luck and have fun, x Rosie xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 we have a big german shepherd who hates anything fluffy but she is absolutely brilliant with the chickens! She was rather inquisitive at first and sniffed a lot, after a few stern "no's" she got the point that the chickens were staying and they are all best pals...she even lies next to them when they dustbathe! just take it slowly with gradual introductions and you should be fine. in my chicken encyclopedia it says "some dogs become protectors of chickens" !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 Thank you all for your replies. I will actually be changing my order with omlet now for a cube instead of the eglu, which will mean the dogs will be totally unable to get at them! I'm not changing my mind due to the dogs but for other reasons. But I will still let the hen's out for a free run each day with doggies on lead! Thank you for all your help Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkate Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Tomorrow, I hope to be able to show you two videos (technology is a stopper). One of Finlay (see picture opposite) hunting for Pheasant an Partridge and. One of same dog being an absolut angel with our chooks. For the faint hearted it will just be a dog working - nothing gorey! We've been sooooo proud of Fins. Loz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudgley Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 I have a FCR too. Mines a liver She is great with the chickens and always has been. We are getting some new chooks tomorrow. You've been given some good advice about how to introduce them. Slowly does it & don't take any chances, if you don't think the dogs are accepting the chickens, then don't leave them alone... I know many a chook that's gone to heavan, thanks to an over excited dog {not my chooks / or my dogs} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 10, 2008 Author Share Posted February 10, 2008 Thanks for that Loz, I am reasonable happy now that the doggies will be well behaved in the end. A few NO's will hopefully do the trick. Now I just need to work out how many hens to have in the cube! Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Thats good hope they are dont ever go for them - chickens can be dangerous... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris70 Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Hello, Boris my dog is a lurcher and an absolute nightmare with our girls. From being scared of them at the begining, and happy to watch them, he now wants to eat them. They have a huge pen that they live in (which Boris can't get in to) which Boris chargers down to at full speed every morning before running round it and launching at them! This same sequence happens everytime we let him out in the garden. When we just had the pekins and we lived in the old house, they'd come out to freerange - but if they were out, Boris is in - my husband gently reminds me everytime I suggested trying Boris with them "what would happen if he accidently killed one and then you hated him for it" - so it's easier to keep them apart. He's fine with the cat though - but I think that's because Bert fought back! Good luck - can you let us know how you get on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 10, 2008 Author Share Posted February 10, 2008 Hi Vicki, Oh no I am worried again now! Oh well we will just have to see how it goes! I will of course let you all know how I get on when they arrive on the 29th of this month - still so excited!!!! Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 We've got two Springers - not working dogs, who love to chase anything that moves We did think that they might not be too bad, but the moment the chooks arrived we realised just how wrong we were... We followed the advice we had read on here and put them on leads to take them out by the chicken run, with the result being two highly excited dogs trying to get off their leads So, a week down the line we purchased a supersoaker water gun Let the dogs out - they raced over to the run we shot them with water shouting 'water' in a strict voice at the same time. Three blasts was all it took We left the gun by the door for about three weeks - and its now in the depths of the outhouse... The chickens and the dogs can now free range in the garden together, Dylan won't even pass them without us calling him,(if anything I'm going to have to train him to be more at ease with them ) Barney occasionally wanders towards them - but the minute they start 'bawking ' at him he's away I don't think Omlet netting would have detered them in the early days. Hope this helps, Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Hi! I have a jack russell. We do keep them apart when the girls are free ranging but he has been up to the run with me with the door open and he was fine. I think he has had a few well aimed pecks through the run wire quite early on and he has not forgotton. I just think that if I leave them together in the garden I might end up with a vets bill (probably for the dog not the chooks) The chickens chase my cat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkate Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Sorry Dogs n' Technology has defeated me so far with the video thingy! For the record the dog (being a labrador) has taken to eating the chooks poo! How pleasant. Still it still smells better than the dog food he loves! Hay ho. Loz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 Hi Loz, Thanks for trying! Hopefully one day the technology will get there! Yuck about the dog poo! I'm not looking forward to that!!!! Still can't be any worse than cow pat or horse poo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 we have a border terrier who is nearly 4 and when we got our chooks I posted a message on here asking for advice because he was soooo desperate to get at the girls. People receommended keeing them apart as terriers do love to chase things and aren't known to give up easily! But dennis has now been out and about the run whenever the girls are in there and over the past 3 months has learnt to ignore them. So last week I decided that enough was enough and I couldn't spend the summer worrying about the dog getting into the garden when the girls were ranging so I let him out. I have done this a few times now and as long as he is busy he is fine. In fact, like many folk on here, he is terrified of the chickens as they have had a real go when he has been passing for no reason and now he skirts round them if he can. I think he would still chase them if he saw them running and I would never leave them together but time does get them used to each other it seems.. good luck and enjoy your chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
