Poorly chicken

[aqualiv]

Hi everyone

 

I have just brought home our two new hens

We have had chickens before and our old spaniel was really good with them.

We now have a different dog, a 3 year old cocker spaniel who is very different to our previous dog.

I just let her in the garden to see the chickens in their run and she was awful, very excited, barking, and generally scaring the chickens.

What shall I do?

 

Olivia

[Luvachicken]

Just last year, our cocker spaniel ( 13 now ) didn't take to our girls very well and would growl and jump up at them through the window so we kept her on the lead for quite a while and the chickens wandered round. This worked as she couldn't get to them and in the end she gave up.

Maybe it might work for you, being sidetracked with treats also took her mind off them.

[theherd123]

Have you tried shooting your dog using a water pistol/plant spray?

These are a wonderful training tool but need to be used at the right time. Get yourself prepared and have water gun at the ready before you let your dog into the garden with the chooks. As soon as your dog starts to display the negative behaviour aim right behind their ears and squirt. The important point is that it must appear like it is 'an act of God', dont look your dog in the eye then shoot.

 

Give it a whirl and see it if works

[hillmarton]

Don't give up hope! Our Spanish Water Dog was also 3 when we first got hens. She was a nightmare, barking and generally running round and around then hen house, barking madly for ages. Eventually she got, if not bored, then at least calmer. At this point, we started to let the girls out but always supervised the dog when she was in the garden. We rewarded the dog when she ignored them and told her off if she tried to give chase - and put her immediately inside the house. Now she is truly indifferent and we are happy for her to be in the garden on her own with the hens. If anything, they menace her rather than the other way round!

[Olly]

I've moved this to 'My Family and Other Animals' as you're more likely to get dog-owners reading this here. I know there have been some similar threads about training dogs not to chase hens, so don't give up hope - a few tips above already.

[MadAboutChooks]

Dont give up hope before we had chickens, my Retriever actually chased and caught a chicken on a farm, so as you expect I was very worried. However now a days she lays outside with them and keeps the foxes away! foxes wouldnt dare come anywhere near with her around!! Infact sometimes the chickens actually jump over her as she is sleeping. The dog will get bored with them given time, in the meantime the water pistol sound like a good plan!!

[aqualiv]

Thanks for all the good advice so far

I was really anxious earlier and was thinking that perhaps this is never going to work.

My husband took the dog for a good run on the field and then brought her into the garden on a lead. When she growled or barked at them we sprayed her with the water gun and when she calmed we gave her attention. It's early days still, but I'm feeling a it better about the situation. She really scared them earlier and made them flap around in their run.

On another note they tried to sleep downstairs in their run rather than going into their sleeping compartment, so I moved them into, so hopefully thats where they will go now.

 

Olivia

[Snowy]

I do think it is a little harder with spaniels as their instinct is very much to chase birds. I'm having the same problem with one of my springers. Instinct combined with an obsessive personality doesn't bode well! However, she is getting better very slowly, so do persevere The water didn't work with ours by the way - she quite enjoyed it

[Chunkin]

Hi

 

I have four dogs and have had problems with two of them.

 

One of my collies wanted to run circles around the run and used to snap at the bars, frightening the chickens. My little staffie cross wanted to catch them and eat them (he is very good at catching his own supper out on walks...).

 

With the collie, we just spent time like you would with a puppy standing out in the garden each time he went outside, standing between him and the chicken run and making it clear he wasn't to go there and praising him when he took no interest.

 

With the staffie it was a bit more difficult as he also liked to chase cows, horses and anything else really so it was part of a bigger problem, and more risky to try and fix as he would chase when the girls were loose. Eventually I got so so fed up with having to keep the chickens in when the dogs were out that I just had to sort it. I sat out in the garden with him for quite a long time, starting with very short sessions and gradually building it up, while he was out chewing on the juiciest bone I could find (so his attention was very focused!). Every time he lifted his head and looked for the girls I made it clear I disapproved. If he made the right decision (and went back to eating) he was praised.

 

Now they are all fine and, in fact, it is the girls who are pushing their luck! They drink from the dogs' bowls in preference to their own and even try to muscle in while the dogs are eating.

 

Hopefully all the stories will give you hope that your dogs and hens can live happily together! It may be a natural behaviour for many dogs to chase/herd or otherwise annoy our chickens, but (most of them!) are also so adaptable and quick to learn.

 

Best of luck with it

 

Carol

[aqualiv]

Thought I would give update.

We spent a few days really focusing on the problem, we would put her on the lead each time she wanted to go in the garden ( which was a lot!) We would spend time sitting on the bench near the chickens with her on the lead, rewarding good behaviour.

She is now much better and as long as she isn't too hyper and has had a walk she only goes near their run to sniff for any food she can find.

Took a little backwards step yesterday, but on the whole feeling a lot more positive

 

Olivia