kitcatcandy Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hi, Thinking of getting chickens, but just have a few questions around leaving them on their own. We have a dog already who is never left for more than 5 hours alone in the house, or stays at my mums, but what about putting the chucks to bed? If we went out for dinner in the evening at 6 and didnt plan on being back till 11pm, would i need to shut them in the eglu, or just in the run with the eglu door open? If we went away for an evening, so i wont be back at all at night, what do i do then? If i am home, do i have to ensure they are shut in the eglu at dusk, or just on the run? Is there food and water just in the run? do the chickens need water at night? And finaly....for now.... Do chickens are terriers mix? i know she wouldnt mix with a rabbit, but with cats she is ok. Thanks! Edit- Buffie, just popped you in chickens so you have all the right people to answer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanchick Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Do chickens are terriers mix? i know she wouldnt mix with a rabbit, but with cats she is ok. Hi, I am in the process of introducing my wheaten terrier to my 3 chickens, who I have had nearly a week. I think it does depend on the individual dog, not the breed type as he is not as feisty as some other terriers I have come across. He has chased cats in the past though and he's a big dog, quite capable of shaking one to death. So I am going through a desensitisation process and using a grill style muzzle, and he seems to be getting used to them quite quickly. I think a few pecks on the nose will help. My vet was very relaxed about it all and seemed quite confident it would be fine. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 You do have to be careful with all dogs and to be honest terriers do have an instinct. Play it by ear and don't leave them alone I'd say. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 No idea about dogs as I don't own any...... But my answers to the following would be: If we went out for dinner in the evening at 6 and didnt plan on being back till 11pm, would i need to shut them in the eglu, or just in the run with the eglu door open? If we went away for an evening, so i wont be back at all at night, what do i do then? I leave the eglu door open and the run door shut. They put themselves to bed. If i am home, do i have to ensure they are shut in the eglu at dusk, or just on the run? Up to you! Is there food and water just in the run? Yes do the chickens need water at night?No Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hey, We dont have terriers but our 2 dogs are fine with our girls.......They had their moments at first and wanted to run after them, but now I am quite happy to leave them with them..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dippy Egg Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I also would be extra cautious with a terrier. What are your dogs like near birds in general. Do they chase birds in fields or ducks at the park? My Miniature Schnauzer tries to chase birds in the local cornfields. He constantly watches my hens in the garden. He has had his head stuck in the Omlet netting numerous times so I have had to put a finer mesh up too. Twice one hen has managed to hop over the netting & he has gone wild with excitement, trying to pounce on her. I think it is more a game rather than a desire to attack but luckily I was around to pick the panicked bird up. He is not very bright, can`t jump very high & not a natural digger but I am constantly aware that he is desperate to get in the run & eat their food/poo etc. He is only 10 months old so life is one long party as far as he is concerned! Another forum member was selling her Eglu because her Red Setter barked at her hens constantly. I would try to see your dogs around some birds before you take the plunge, hope it all works out for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 We go away in our caravan at weekends every now and again. The chickens are fine for 1-2 nights left in the run with plenty of food and water. If you are going away for longer - ask a neighbour or relative to pop in and change water/food/keep eye on them. Shutting them in/letting them out - we shut our girls in the eglu house every night as my 2 are noisy minxes and if we were to leave the eglu door open they would be up at 5am crowing! We shut them in at dusk and they are let out (depending on time of year/daylight) about 6.30 am every morning (a bit later on the weekends) Dogs - we have a german shepherd who is brilliant with chickens, however my MIL has a jack russell who hates the chickens and they are not partial to her, as everyone else said its the terrier instinct, just be very careful and cautious to start off with when introducing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menagerie Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 The chap from Omlet said it didn't matter whether you shut them in at night or not. I prefer to as I think they would be happier and safer. I'm leaving them for the first time next week and I hope I can persuade a neighbour to do the shutting and letting out - otherwise I will leave them with the door open. They are really good at putting themselves to bed at the right time and it's very cute when they all tumble out chirping in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hello there and welcome to the happy world of chickens! Why don't you try and visit someone with an Eglu or a Cube, see if they'd let you take your dog to test his reaction. There's a list on here somewhere of people who are up for visitors, and try not to worry too much, chickens seem to be fairly forgiving, they're lovely and funny, ours have put themselves to bed every night without anyone teaching them - we're very impressed! Plus a free (?) supply of eggs - you can't beat collecting a still warm egg from a dip in the bedding Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 lots of people on here work long hours, or even work away overnight - the chickens will be fine left on their own. You can leave the door open all night as long as the run is secure; or if you're just going out for the evening, close it when you get back - they will have tucked themselves up in bed. As long as there's plenty of food and water, they will be fine for 24 hours or even a bit longer. I don't let mine out of the run unless I am there to watch for foxes, but if you are able to let yours free-range then yes, you need to make sure they are locked safely in the run at dusk even if they're not ready for bed. Go on, you know you want to get some chickens! they are really easy to look after, and you won't regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 I've got a staffordshire bull terrier and chickens. we found that initially he desperately wanted to chase the chooks, he bounded up to the run and did that 'ears up, dare yer' terrier thing. we just kept saying 'leeeave' in a warning tone. when he calmed down a bit (a week or so later) we let the girls out while keeping him on a short lead. The lead got longer and longer, untill at last we felt he could be trusted with them. It was six months before we allowed them all to be alone together but now, the chooks are only allowed out if he's in the garden with them. He's decided they are his chooks and he guards them against cats and foxes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 On the whole terrier thing, my mum got 5 chickens about 2 weeks ago and has a Westie that goes crazy when anything moves outside in the garden - she got out the day they arrived and as expected barked like mad, the hens went crazy flapping around, but later on she was taken out on a lead and told to 'stay' a few feet away. She escaped a few days ago into the garden while the hens were free-ranging and ran up to them barking and they all flapped their wings which scared her off!! She now thinks it's great fun running out there, she chases them all around the run a few times, they get fedup and flap at her, then she trots inside and waits by her treat bowl as she thinks she's been really good!! Now she's a bit calmer around them she's left out there with them while they free range while we supervise from the window - she seems fine with them now and is a good fox deterrant I'm sure!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 I've got a staffordshire bull terrier and chickens.we found that initially he desperately wanted to chase the chooks, he bounded up to the run and did that 'ears up, dare yer' terrier thing. we just kept saying 'leeeave' in a warning tone. when he calmed down a bit (a week or so later) we let the girls out while keeping him on a short lead. The lead got longer and longer, untill at last we felt he could be trusted with them. It was six months before we allowed them all to be alone together but now, the chooks are only allowed out if he's in the garden with them. He's decided they are his chooks and he guards them against cats and foxes We have a Staffie too.......sounds just like yours Tara........... & she adores the hens. She even accompanies me into their run to collect the eggs now, & is mighty put out if she can't go in a say hello to them (I think she is keener on them than they are on her ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitcatcandy Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 Thanks for all your advice everyone, we visited Trish in Leeds last weekend and my husband really wants some chickens now. We need to decide where to put the run, and also how to protect the areas of the garden we dont want trashing when we let them free range. Oh and find the money for an Omlet! We have decided on 3 chickens, so need a MarkII omlet. We have two options of where to put the run. My garden is raised, about 50 cm, and has a concrete area down the side of the house where i grow tomatoes and sit in the morning sun. I could put hemp bedding on the concrete and keep the run there, then let them free range when im around, or make the oposite corner to the seating into a bark and hemp area for the run, so it is on soil. Here is the concrete area, it is 1.8 m wide and up to 8m long, its just used for tomatoes and storage at the moment. Bad points are it has problems draining so we would need to make lots of holes in the concrete and you cant see it when you are in the kitchen or lounge. Here is the garden, we would use a triangle area of the lawn closest to the picture for the chicken area. You can see this area from the lounge/dining room and kitchen. My garden also has a long drive that you cant see on these photos beacuse its where i am standing, and this is gated with a large farm gate, so when free ranging the chickens gan go on here too, as well as the garden. So...............where looks best? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanchick Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 I would definitely go for the option where you can see them from your kitchen - I really love looking at my girls while I'm making the kids their tea and if the weather's not good enough for me to venture outside. And just a thought, but maybe it's not such a good idea to keep them right next to the house as any pong and associated flies might come in. BTW you may like to know that in less than 2 weeks my terrier is quite used to the chickens now. They are now permanently behind netting, which doesn't give any real protection, but he doesn't show any desperation to get at them. Through the netting they have regularly been nose to nose with both sides showing nothing more than mild curiosity. The desensitisation process was all very painless and I found a useful (random) article that describes the sort of thing I did: http://www.chowwelfare.com/cciw/dogcat.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 You could put off the decision on where they go until they arrive as you have all Summer (!! did I say Summer!!!) to be out in the garden moving the eglu around. I don't have a permanent site for mine at the moment. I move the eglu around the grass every few days. But in the 3 months of chicken keeping I have learnt so much about what grassed areas of my garden have poor drainage, where I can and can't put the run, got used to their chicken ways etc. I will consider a permanent area for them when winter comes. I love to see them from my window so it will be close to the house, but on a really hot summers day I would not have the eglu butting up against a house window as it may pong a bit. But I'll decide nearer the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 My lovely little fox terrier was frightened of the hens from the word go. Here she is, 3 years ago, on her chair, trying to pretend that she hasn't noticed that Geogie is around Sadly she (the fox terrier) is no longer with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
