brinkley Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 So excited today ... I let my 2 girls out of their run for the first time. Have only had them since last weekend, and they are my first chickens. It was a bit like watching your children go off to play on their own for the first time! But ... they were such good girls following me around the garden and then went back to their run a bit later tempted by mealworms. Didn't want to put them back, but two huge golden retrievers desperate to get into garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Exciting stuff. Welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 If you gradually introduce your dogs to the garden they will get used to each other - I used to put mine on a long rope and just let them watch, the girls just ignore them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 It is quite a daunting experience for sure. As for dogs I think it can depend on the breed of the dog and also their basic temperament. We have a chocolate labrador who has always run down the garden barking like mad at squirrels and pigeons. However as soon as we got our ex batts she seemed to know that these girls were part of the family and she was quite wary of them. The funny thing now is seeing the girls chase her away when she gets too close to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brinkley Posted September 4, 2010 Author Share Posted September 4, 2010 At the moment when the girls (Milly & Matilda) are in the run they don't seem to be bothered by the dogs, but unfortunately one of the dogs insists on barking barking everytime they move or make a noise which is drives me mad. I'm sure it will get better with time, and they will get used to each other. Last weekend when we brought them home, neither dog would venture into the garden. Now they are obviously feeling braver! In the meantime, I will keep dogs in whilst girls have time outside. I'm so pleased with them - never guessed they would be such characters or such timewasters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 You are right - I hadn't expected chicken (and now duck) keeping to be so wonderful. I wish I'd done it sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nattie Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Hi, We let our two out of the run for the first time today as well, we got our girls last Sunday. We were nervous as we have cats but they ignored each other. We left ours to see what they would do and at 7pm the went into the cube and went to bed with no prompting. Needless to say, we also got nothing done today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 When we got our chickens my dog ( a whippet crossed with a poodle ) went crazy - even drooling If she got too excited we would squirt her with a water pistol - seemed to work. She is totally happy with them now. Somehow I dont think that approach would work on two golden retrievers - they would probably love the water !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
