austen Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Further to my previous correspondence, I wanted to know what experiences people here have had with dogs and chickens. Given that this is a dog forum, I assume that most of those who have chickens also have dogs. We are building a run for our chickens which we are making dog proof. My query is as follows. Our dogs do tend to bark at anyone walking past. We took our dogs to visit neighbours two doors up ( who also have a secure chicken pen) and they spent the whole time barking and trying to get into the chicken pen. My question is this - do you think the dogs will continue to bark after the first day or two ( and drive the neighbourhood mad) or do you think it is something they will get used t and end up just ignoring? Was very excited about the whole chicken thing but am now starting to wonder if it is a good idea after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Mine have got used to them BUT as we don't have fences around the exterior of our property yet the dogs are only on the property on lead OR in their run. The chooks get to free-range when we're home and free to make sure they don't wander next door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austen Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 Well, we are constructing the chicken pen along a back fence, so the only place the dogs will be able to see them is from the front door basically and it will be completely dog proof, but am just wondering if the dogs are going to be constantly barking or whether they will get used to it. The chicken run will be quite big so don't really need to let them free range. ( but am just concerned amount of barking etc. Hopefully it will only go on for the first day or so and when the dogs realise they can't get in they will just stop it ( but am not really sure about this last part). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rastus_froggy Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Train the dogs to accept the chickens and not bark at them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Depends on the breed .i could guarantee mine wouldn't give up & would hunt around the house like crazies. It is a risk you will have to take & be prepared to address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shekhina Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I think it depends on the dog really. I don't have chickens, and as much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE chickens I couldn't have them while I still have Kovu because no amount or training or time would have him stop barking at them and wanting to chase and catch them. I think Daegon would get used to them, but Kovu no way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythings Shiny Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I do not let me dogs near my ducks or geese as two of them have murdered my feathered children before 6 years on (after getting them) and they still bark at them whenever they walk around the yard they are in. My ducks and geese get free roam of our top acre paddock and get locked up in a smaller yard of a night, or when the dogs are let out for a run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Depends on the breed .i could guarantee mine wouldn't give up & would hunt around the house like crazies.It is a risk you will have to take & be prepared to address. agree. my 2 have too much of a high prey drive to live peacefully with chickens or any other small animals. they would do anything to get to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I don't have chickens yet, but my chook run will have corrugated iron at least to dog-head-height level so my dogs do not have visual contact with the birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austen Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 I don't have chickens yet, but my chook run will have corrugated iron at least to dog-head-height level so my dogs do not have visual contact with the birds. I was thinking of doing this too - As I mentioned in previous post, the only section that the dogs will be able to see the chickens will be from the front, and I thought if I covered the door in, they would not see them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythings Shiny Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 They will still smell them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravyk Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 It really depends on the dog. Some will give it up, others won't and will continue harrassing the chickens. Slightly off topic, but I have noticed a lot of chicken/poultry related threads popping up lately. Just a friendly reminder that there is a dedicated Poultry thread where any and all chicken [and other poultry] related questions are more than welcome. Poultry Thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ark Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 .... and hear them. One of my 8 week old pekin bantam chicks decided to climb up the stay and jump the fence into the front yard last week. I first saw it being carried around in our Aussie Shepherd's mouth, and when she dropped it for me it looked like it was taking its last breath. I kept it inside overnight, and a week later it is now running around with the flock again (and we've fixed the stay problem). Vivi (the Aussie) is our gentlest, most placid dog but I have seen her kill a chicken in the past so our dogs and chickens are not to be trusted together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shekhina Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I don't have chickens yet, but my chook run will have corrugated iron at least to dog-head-height level so my dogs do not have visual contact with the birds. Kovu would slice himself to itty bitty pieces working out a way to get into the run. The dog is a nutcase, a lovely nutcase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austen Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 It really depends on the dog. Some will give it up, others won't and will continue harrassing the chickens.Slightly off topic, but I have noticed a lot of chicken/poultry related threads popping up lately. Just a friendly reminder that there is a dedicated Poultry thread where any and all chicken [and other poultry] related questions are more than welcome. Poultry Thread Oops sorry - that is probably my fault! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle Mum Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I converted my aviary into a chook enclosure for my pekin bantams. I have 3 std poodles ranging 4yrs to 12yrs, my poo's love to sit & stare at the "girls".....it depends on the day but my 12yo poo will bark at the pen, it drives me nuts We have only only one unfortunate incident (i was interstate for the weekend ) it involved my 11yrold daughter thinking she had shut the gate properly. That was all my 5yo bitch needed It is 12mths since the girls have been in the aviary, but I would not trust the bird-dogs as far as I could throw them PS We love the eggs we get! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 When we brought our first lot of chooks home, the dogs broke down the wire fence between the house and our paddock (which is where the chook run is situated), in a valiant effort to get to them. They didn't succeed and the fence has now been fortified and they can't get it down again, but they have never let up their interest in the chooks and will herd them and chase them along the chook run fence. Because the way our property is set up, the dogs have to be taken into the paddock by one of us (the gate is never left open) to be able to see the chooks, so they really only see them once a day under strict supervision. The chooks sometimes leg it over their run into the paddock but have learnt to stay clear of the dividing fence or the dogs WILL bark and run up and down the fence. The dogs bark when I go into the chook run, in fact Benson doesn't let up so he gets his special collar on before I go in there or we'll all end up deaf, chooks included. I have no illusions that if one or all of the dogs were allowed in with the chooks, I'd have a pile of feathers and some sadly dead chookie carcasses. Dusty might be the exception, she might be gentle, she tends to lie down and watch them rather than run and bark, but I'm not going to test her out. I love the chooks, I love the dogs and I consider myself fortunate that I CAN keep the safely separate from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austen Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 I converted my aviary into a chook enclosure for my pekin bantams. I have 3 std poodles ranging 4yrs to 12yrs, my poo's love to sit & stare at the "girls".....it depends on the day but my 12yo poo will bark at the pen, it drives me nuts We have only only one unfortunate incident (i was interstate for the weekend ) it involved my 11yrold daughter thinking she had shut the gate properly. That was all my 5yo bitch needed It is 12mths since the girls have been in the aviary, but I would not trust the bird-dogs as far as I could throw them PS We love the eggs we get! Does he/she bark incessently or will she stop after a little while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I do not let me dogs near my ducks or geese as two of them have murdered my feathered children before 6 years on (after getting them) and they still bark at them whenever they walk around the yard they are in. My ducks and geese get free roam of our top acre paddock and get locked up in a smaller yard of a night, or when the dogs are let out for a run. That would drive me spare. This is how all our dogs get on with the chooks, except the Belgian because they terrify him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glendabenda Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Peaches has killed a chook about a year ago, she was playing with it a little too hard But they now live in peace I can let them out and she does not bother them. I just followed her around when the chooks where out and squirted her with some water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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