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

[FlyingRamses]

Hi

 

We are considering buying a miniature/small dog and someone has offered us a miniature poodle.

 

Does anyone know if he would be ok around our 11 hens/banties. The hens are in their run most of the time and only free-range when we are around as we have to fox watch.

 

Also, does anyone have advice on what small dog breeds are ok around hens?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Rgds

 

FR

[buffie]

Hello FR

 

First off like the link guess you've read the books?

 

Now, dogs. No hard fast rules as far as I know on dogs. I hear terriers generally aren't good but you'll always have someone who has a terrier who's fine if they have a hunting instinct that's a problem of course

 

I'd always supervise a dog with hens until you are absolutely sure they are fine. Our boxer and her mum are great with the girls and just pootle about with them BUT Daisie would chase other hens for play We walked out first boxer wiht them on a led so she could get use to them but Daisie met ours as a pup so it was easy.

 

Perhaps walk the miniature poodle in the garden and get an idea of the reaction?

 

Whatever you do it's possible to have a dog and hens and will just take some supervision and some time.

 

Abundance

 

Buffie x

[Jennyhenny]

I have a Cairn Terrier who absolutely loves the girls to bits, she follows the Gingernut Ranger Holly all the time, occasionally Holly will make a peck at her cos she gets too close but Skye (terrier) just jumps back in disgust. When the doors open to the run she will walk in their and stand in there with them When their on the nest she sits and cries til they come out

 

Will try and post some pictures as its so funny, the neighbours can't believe how good she is with them

 

Jennyhenny

[buffie]

Ah there's the first terrier that's great with hens

 

Buffie x

[cats_dogs_chicks]

Do hens mind being herded? One of my 3 dogs is a border collie. She becomes obsessed with each new pet we get. The last cat she has spent the past 3 yrs pestering/following when its loose or just staring at lovingly through the fence wire

[Budgies]

We gradually introduced a border collie/springer spaniel cross to our girls and lately I would allow them all out together, though I wouldn't trust him to be with them alone. Not that he wanted to eat them, but I think he might have played with them until they broke!

 

I have to say that chickens don't like being herded in my experience - my boy has a tendancy to that and I had to nip it in the bud. Initially I sat him out on the patio on the lead whilst the girls free-ranged.

 

If he looked at them or paid them too much attention, or showed too much excitement, he went back indoors. Once he learned to focus on me, or anything but the girls, the treats began!

 

It was a slow process but worth it to be able to have all of us in the garden together and not to be scared for the girls!

 

Now I'm going to have to start all over again, ho hum!! Oh, and he also still wanted to eat our friend's chickens, so it's all down to training if the dog's not got too honed a hunting instinct.

[wiblick]

they'll have to learn to live with it

 

http://www.bcrescue.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=4816

Edited May 8, 2009 by Guest

[tania]

It seems to be a question of the dogs characture. We have 2 whippets, one is fine with them, the other thinnks they're fair game and would eat them for sure. Same breed, different personalites. Poodles are quite placid though I thought, so maybe it would be ok.

[Budgies]

Wiblick, that's hilarious!

 

My girls would have gone off lay for a week for that!!

[quickcluck]

We have a Lhasa who loves the Hens, he was very 'shouty' at first, but after some water pistol training he's fine now.....

 

WE've also looked after many other doggies, collies, spaniels etc and they also have been fine. I must admit that I dont let the girls out with other dogs though.....

[Nicola O]

Ah there's the first terrier that's great with hens

 

Buffie x

 

Can I make it two !!

 

My Freda (JR cross) did want to eat them at first, and did try a couple of times when she got hold of one. But last year I spent about six months doing serious training and she can now can trusted with them.

 

I do have a Miniature Poodle who has been completely trustworthy from day one. She is not in the slightest bit interested in them, only wants to eat the treats I put out for the chooks, or of course the chooks poo .

 

But I guess it's down to the individual personality, I wouldn't like to say that because one poodle was fine, that every poodle would be.

 

Nicola.

[buffie]

Of course you can make it 2, it's good to hear about the different experiences

 

Buffie x

[FlyingRamses]

Thanks all, loads of useful comments there as usual. JennyHenny, you had me in stitches with your post!!!

 

I think we will go for it, the pics of the pups look so lovely. They are so small I think it will be the pup who will have to watch out for the hens .

 

We hope to have him (Apricot Toy Poodle) by the end of the week and I will post you all a photo to see!!

 

I have been reading up about ensuring I am the leader of the pack to avoid him being unhappy and yappy. Apparently they relate to the pack mentality just like a big dog such as an Alsatian or Rottweiler! If they see you are in charge and looking after them they are happy!!

 

Thanks very much again to the friendly Omlet crew!!

 

All the best

 

FR

[Griffin]

Make it three

 

I have a Jack Russell and he's brilliant around the chickens, if somewhat hen pecked I trust him and my scruffy black mongrel around them all, big girls and the growers. However my Springer isn't to be trusted at all and she is always supervised outside. She gets excited and it's then she's liable to chomp one out of sheer silliness. She's much better with the big girls, once she's used to them and the novelty has worn off she's pretty much fine (still wouldn't leave her alone with them though) but at the moment she's excited by my growers that are free ranging so we're back to square one again

[Budgies]

Good luck with your new addition FR! We haven't regretted getting our dog (18 months ago) and when we first got him he was small enough for the chooks to give him a peck to keep him in line!

 

Didn't last long as he grew quite quickly but that image will stay with me!

 

Have fun with your new boy!

[FlyingRamses]

Here are a couple of pics of Oscar!

 

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm270/flyingramses/118.jpg

 

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm270/flyingramses/115.jpg

 

What a cutie!!