4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[StephanieSB]

Hello,

 

I've been lurking since last summer, and this afternoon finally convinced my other half to set aside his worries and woes about chicken ownership. We placed our order for a Lilac Cube today and two chickens, one Pepperpot and one Ginger Nut Ranger. We hope they will be here by the end of June. I am sure to be very active then, having lots of new-chicken-mum questions.

 

But for now, can anyone give tips on how to introduce a young child and a dog to new chickens? My son I am less worried about, as he has bantam chickens, goats and a duck at his nursery school, and is in the playground/garden with them every day. But my old dog will be very new to this. I am sure she will be good after a proper introduction, but I don't know what form that introduction should take.

 

Any advice will be very much appreciated!

 

Thanks

[The Dogmother]

You're wise to think this over Stephanie. The best way (in my opinion) is to let the hens settle in first before introducing any new stressors to their environment.

 

You didn't say how old your son is, but I have children of all ages from our street visiting to see mine. It is a good idea to impress on him (as I;m sure he already knows) to remain quite and move slowly until they get used to him. I always give children some corn to feed to the chooks - imagine their delight when they have a chicken balancing on their hand Just supervise himn until he gets used to them and they to him.

 

Dogs are another matter - I used to have one myself, a working lurcher and she was very well trained. I'd never have left her alone with the chooks though as her instinct would be to grab at one if it flapped in her face. I have a couple coming to one of my beginners hen parties and they are bringing their dog along for a brief intro. to chickens. He is a terrier and they are known for loving to play with flappy things if you get my drift.

 

The advice with your dog would be to keep your eye firmly on her when she's near the chooks; she wouldn't intend to hurt them, but probably couldn't stop her instinct if one flapped in her face.

Edited May 15, 2008 by Guest

[..lay a little egg for me]

Our neighbours' dog, a Jack Russell, went completely berserk when we got our chickens. We can't keep her out of our land as there is too much to be able to fence properly. The first few days we had the hens she would come over and spend ages running round and around the run, jumping up and biting at the netting and coop until she actually made her mouth bleed! The chooks were only mildly put off by her. We had to keep chasing her away. So, instead of letting our hens free range all over the place, we had to buy electric netting and fence off an area for them. Since then, the dog has kept well away, but I still don't dare to let them free range. She killed a pheasant that she put up out of one of the hedges while running along the edge of our field with the kids!

 

On the other hand, I expect there will be plenty of other people who find no problem. The fact that it is your own dog and you can control the interaction between the two species makes things hopeful...

 

See what everyone else says.

 

Only two chickens...beware you will be utterly hooked and then looking to squeeze more in. I keep having to remind myself that when all 4 of ours are laying we will have more than enough eggs...

[StephanieSB]

Clare and Caroline, thank you...

 

My son is 3.5 yrs old. And I will certainly start introducing him to the knowlege that they will arriving soon, and asking the nursery school teachers to let him have as much time with their birds as they are able to, to get him used to them. They have bantams, though, so it will still be a bit different than the girls at home. But, yes, I will try the softly, slowly approach -- and have some corn ready.

 

Silly question, I'm sure, but this is how new to this I am (I do have books and DVDs on chicken keeping, but still so much to learn): Do you mean dry corn? like popping corn? or cooked? or should I just go to the pet store and get a corn just for chickens?

 

As for my dog -- Holly is a staffie-jack russel cross. We got her from a shelter five years ago, so we are guessing her age is about 9 yrs old. So old gal for a staff. She is a lot less jack-russell-y than she used to be (not much of the wirey, yappy, tug at the leash, bird chasing of her youth). And she has become very, very subdued over the past year as she ages. That was one of the reasons we thought it would be a good time for us all to get chickens. But I am worried she could get a resurgence of her youthful ways once the chickens arrive...

 

I will certainly follow the advice to keep them separate for the first few days. Holly can be kept out of the garden for a while, being left to look at them from the convervatory doors to get used to them, I guess--?? she was raised with 2 cats prior to us getting her, so she has experience not being the sole pet of attention.

 

I suppose I should just never let her in the garden when the chickens are ranging about. Hopefully, her new mellow self prevails in the long run and she ignores them while in the 2m run we have coming wtih the cube.

 

That's what I am hoping for anyway...

 

Now, my neighbours dog -- yikes! Didn't think of that. They've got a whippet. I will have to go chat with them. I'm pretty sure our fences are good, but we'll need to be sure.

[The Dogmother]

Use mixed corn, you can get it from the Omlet shop http://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/shop.php?cat=Chicken%20Extras&sub=Food&product_id=231 or some feed stores sell it in smaller bags.

 

Just take all the introductions slowly and be prepared to wade in if your dog thinks that playing with the chooks might be fun; chickens can die of shock.

[Cooks]

I have two dogs, a terrier and a spaniel, and I introduced them very slowly, although we did have one time where the spaniel thought she would charge at the eglu run (before the walk in one we have now) she was soon told no!! and came back to me with her tail between her legs.

 

Since then she has graduated to being let out when they free range with initially her on a lead.. then when we realised she was not posing a threat to off the lead but supervised by us. She only wants to play but Sugar is having none of it and charges at my spaniel to tell her off

 

Thinking that the spaniel was the main problem we didn't even think for one minute our soon to be 13 year old terrier would bat an eyelid... errr she did!!! she doesn't particularly like these intruders in her garden, but as she's asleep most of the day now, she barely notices them unless they are in her face.

[StephanieSB]

Thanks loopyloo,

 

May I ask as well -- how does everyone get those little icons below their signature shaped like hens and eggs and cubes etc?

[BarbaraJ]

lotsof useful advice already.

 

Wow only 2 chicken in a cube , how did you hold back lol?

[Cooks]

It's listed in the how to use the forum section, sorry I dont know how to do one of those linky things... but it's listed in there under pictures in your signature.

[StephanieSB]

Thanks, loopyloo, will have a look.

 

Barbara -- well, my restraint is because of three things (1) don't want to get too many until I have more experience, (2) we will be showing the house for a move later this year, so I don't want viewers to be overwhelmed when they come look (though a lovely lilac cube is going to be a very nice garden asset in my opinion!), and (3) we'll be adopting ex-batteries when we settle down in Gloucestershire later this year.

 

So by Christmas, the cube should be a full house!

[Cooks]

Cick Here!

 

by jove I think I've cracked it!

Edited May 15, 2008 by Guest

[Abbey Road Girl]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Given that you have a slight extra hazard in your dog, please consider getting four hens instead of only two. The Cube provides more than enough sleeping and nesting room for four and the run w/o extension is sufficient for a maximum of four (extension is a good idea for anyone who has the room for it).

 

My thinking is that a pair will bond in a different way than a flock of three or more. If you have four, you will still have a flock if you lose one. Since you've been lurking for some time, you probably know of the difficulties people can have in introducing new hens.

 

Four hens might be less vulnerable than two in that they might look (and even be) more intimidating. On the other hand, there would be twice as many potential targets. Life, eh?

[Tessa the Duchess]

My dog is very old, she was very curious when our chickens arrived last year,ran round and round the Eglu not quite sure what to make of them. We kept an eye on her when we first let them out to freerange but really after the initial wary sniff she took no notice of them and they weren't bothered by her. Occasionaly she takes a run at them, and they flap and squawk at her, but they live peacefully together 99% of the time.

 

Only 2 chickens in a cube I would get 4 more, then you wont have the pain of introductions later on, as you will inevitably want more

 

Tessa

[Abbey Road Girl]

Hi again. Just saw that you're planning to move and then adopt ex-batts but I would still advise three to avoid the problem of having an established pair to introduce your rescue hens to.

 

Good luck whatever you decide!

[StephanieSB]

Hi again loopyloo -- thanks. I've gotten them sorted below. Much appreciated.

 

And thanks as well for the advice, everyone, on getting more than two hens. I will speak to the other half about that tonight. Maybe just one more. I've already got the neighbours lined up for eggs, anyway, so I could use another layer!

[StephanieSB]

Oh, well... that's settled then. Just spoke to the husband and we will get a third chicken. So a flock it will be.

[Gamebird]

Hi Stephanie, I don't have any small children but I do have a 3 year old, well-trained, labrador.

 

I let the chickens settle in for a couple of days before allowing Oliver to meet them through the run. Whenever I told him to leave them alone and he responded I gave him a treat and he very soon associated the chickens with a reward, i.e. food, which was far more interesting than the chickens

 

When I first let me free-range I kept him on a lead and gave him lots of praise when he ignored them. Eventually I let him off the lead and again praised him when he came to me and ignored the girls. Now he wanders amongst them and makes no attempt to chase them even when they run or fly past him.

 

In fact the chickens are more interested in him, particularly when he has a bone which they peck at while he is still chewing it.

 

Each dog reacts in a different way so just take it slowly.

 

Glad to hear you are getting three chickens. You are going to be very popular with your neighbours.

[Chuckov]

I dont have a dog but I do have a young daughter! (she is 2 next month). She is fine with the chickens. We started off with them in the run and her outside, and lots of books with chickens in. (Rod Campbell's Buster goes to the Farm is a good one; Buster searches the farm for eggs).

 

We then progressed to her carrying little bowls of food for the chickens - we have never, ever, fed them by hand as I was worried that this would encourage them to go for her little hands and fingers (they make a beeline for her if she is outside and eating as it is). And we would hold the chickens while she learnt to stroke their feathers downwards, to cuddle them without squeezing too hard and to keep her face away from the beak end!

 

She will now fearlessly sidle up behind them and pick them both up they are not impressed, but it's useful when we're trying to get them in the run in a hurry! She will also tell them off for coming in the kitchen, just like Mummy It's quite funny to watch!

 

I am thinking that at 3.5 you will find all of this a whole lot easier, but I still think the keeping face away from beak and not hand feeding are worth pursuing!!

[surferdog]

Hi Stephanie, our Jack Russell was completely and utterly obsessed with the chickens even to the extent of asking to go out in the night so she could check on them. Several pecks on the nose later and she is much more respectful - our main problem is training the chickens to leave the dog alone.

[Cloud9]

Hi Stephanie, we have two jack russells and a 2 year old! We do let the 2 year old out with the chickens but the dogs are strictly kept in when the chickens free-range as the younger of the two is definitely a terrier killer. If they are desperate to go out then they go out on a lead.

 

I'm glad you are getting three chickens. We bought our Eglu just under 2 months ago with two established laying Gingernuts. Sadly we lost one on Sunday and quickly went out and bought two more hybrids.

 

Hope all goes well Ali

[Stevie]

I have a dog (a Bullmastiff) called Vegas.Although i was never genuinly concerned about him harming the chooks-he does chase and kill rabbits so i introduced them carefully on my terms because of his prey drive.

 

I stuck Vegas on a lead and slowly walked him towards the Eglu while the birds were inside.I allowed him to sniff them through the wire and didnt pull him away because i didnt want him to be jealous or object to their presence.When i was satisfied he wasnt going to act stupid-i unclipped his lead and he circled the run a few times checking them out.

 

This was the day i got them and i took this within minutes of him seeing them for the first time.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Hello Stephanie . You've made the right decision getting three .

 

My dog was very interested in the girls at the beginning .......

 

 

After a couple of flaps and near-pecks, he now gives them a wide berth and will go the long way round rather than go past them .

[SLK69]

No dog experience - but did have a 5.5 yr old and 3.5 yr old when ex batts arrived - the batts lived soley in their cage and run for first 7 days and we built up free ranging from 30 mins to current 14 hour day - the children both hand feed the chooks and are excellent herders and catchers. Best pets ever.

 

Def get more than 2 apart from the pair/flock scenario come winter 2 would be too cold in a cube -

 

Have had a total text book perfect experience with my exbatts - too bl'''dy confident now by half. So would recommend these as additions to your flock.

 

S

[Helen&Lee]

Hello,

I can offer a little advice about dogs although we all have different experiences by the sounds of it.

We have two highly excitable Springer Spaniels, and after reading on here we tried the taking them out in the garden on leads method.

They were a nightmare, barking and pulling - I was seriously thinking we would never have harmony again!

After a week we brought a supersoaker water gun - let them out (no leads) they ran to the run, fired the water gun - three squirts was all it took

For a week or so after we would hold it and threaten 'water' when we let them out, then it spent a few weeks by the door, its now in the outhouse.

They now go out when the chooks free range, although Dylan is now terrified of them and gives them an extremely wide berth

The chooks were nervous at first, but now aren't bothered by the dogs, if Barney lumbers by a little too close for Attila's liking when they are out she chases him down the path

Have fun with your chooks

 

Helen

[StephanieSB]

Morning everyone,

 

Wonderful to wake up to such great advice re the kids, different styles of dog introduction to choose from, and lovely photos!

 

I have a related question now, for anyone still bearing with me... about my third chicken.

 

I am afraid of getting the third via Omlet because I don't think I will be able to tell two Pepperpots or two Ginger Nuts apart! They all look alike to me! So, I am thinking of finding my third chook via local adoption from someone close by or one of the two local breeders near me (Finchampstead and Windsor in Berkshire) -- just so long as chook #3 looks different to the other two. I am also thinking about my little son... he definitely would not be able to tell two look-alikes apart, I think.

 

Am I being too picky there? Were you all able to tell each hen apart even if the same breed?

 

Sorry -- I am sure that is the silliest of newbie anxieties, but I am just being honest