detlef Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 We're putting finishing touches on our chicken coop and are going to pick up four baby girls tomorrow for egg laying. The pen I built is inside our fenced veggie garden, so the dogs are separated by two barriers (though we've often allowed the dogs to come in the veggie garden with us when we're out there). It is my hope that they can somehow co-exist. Even if only in supervised situations. But my dogs are all dog, so I have my doubts. Anyone have any luck pulling this off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar Magnolia Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 My friend had free range chickens until she pet sat my dog. Now she has none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 My friend had free range chickens until she pet sat my dog. Now she has none. I've read a few theories, some of which are pretty damned Draconian, but this is what we're going to try: We're getting the chicks young enough that they're going to have to live in a box with a heat lamp in the house for at least another week or two. I've been told that there's a decent chance of getting the dogs to accept them as family members if they 1) meet them as chicks and 2) you "own" the chicks by sitting down with the dog and hold and pet the chicks. As if to say, "this is dear to me and, since you like to make me happy, you won't wring its neck". Or so the theory I've read goes. I would think that, after a bit of that, we can let the dogs sniff them and such while we're holding the chicks. Again, ultimately, if it just doesn't seem like they're ever going to see them as anything but food, or at very least toys to be played with violently, then we just have to keep them separate forever. Every morning when I take the dogs down to the river for their run, my wife can let the chickens out in the yard to peck for bugs in the grass and I can just give her a call on the way home to gather 'em up and put them away before we get home. And I don't hope to ever get to a point where we can just leave them alone together and forget about it. Just to a point that we don't always have to worry about making sure all the gates are shut at all times when we're working in the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Just separate them. Why make this hard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballjoe Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Better build a coop with a top if you don't want the foxes to get them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yukon Cornelius Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 depends on the dogs ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Just separate them. Why make this hard? Depends on your definition of "why make this hard?" To me, hard means having to constantly worry about my dogs looking for any chance they can get to kill the birds. As I said before, I built a pen and that pen is inside a fenced veggie garden. Here's the thing, everywhere I've read says the birds like to get out as often as they can and, from friends who have chickens, they said they love to get in the compost and eat the bugs (which is also good nutrition for the birds). So, ideally, when my wife and I are working in the garden (which is often), it would be nice to let the chickens out so they can stretch their legs and root around in the compost. Thus, it would also be nice to not have to worry about every time I open the gate to go in and out of the garden that my dogs are going to try and dart past me to get at them. Like I said, I have no illusions of having the chickens and the dogs snuggling together. Just trying to make it so I don't have to worry about it as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Better build a coop with a top if you don't want the foxes to get them. done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 We have four backyard chickens and we have a 4-year old (as of today) black lab. Now, maybe it's just the temperament of our dog, but there has never been any issue. None whatsoever. We also let our chickens out to roam once or twice a month around dusk to eat bugs, but simply leave the dog inside "just in case". If you're in an area with raccoons, snakes and other vermin, I stress you to ensure the coop is 100% secure. We converted a 3ish foot by 8ish foot shed into the coop, cutting out "windows" and putting thick-gauged hardware cloth in with staple gun from the inside. No way a coon is gonna be able to get it that way. We also built an L-shaped "run" for the chickens to hang out in during the day out of the hardware cloth. We extended the walls, bent them into an L shape and covered the bottom part with dirt and leaves. No way any vermin's gettin' in there. And no way the dog's gonna get in there too. Sorry, this turned more into a chicken commentary rather than a dog with chickens one. That said, a few more nuggets: Definitely get the chickens as young chicks. Their poop and pine shavings you're likely using at the bottom of their coop is fantastic to add to your compost pile/bin. Definitely check out Backyard Chickens. That place is The Huddle of chickens. As far as socializing your dogs to the chicken, I really have no ideas. Our lab likes to run around their coop/run from time to time but never appears as if she's trying to get to them. They enjoy watching her cavort around their home, and I get the feeling she's protective of them. Perhaps BackyardChickens.com can offer some better commentary on dog-chicken socialization. Having backyard chickens is awesome. Never have to buy another store egg again. Fresh eggs are the bomb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 depends on the dogs ... Agreed, what kind of a dog are we talking about? My dog would probably get picked on by the chickens (I chit you not) but others would hunt those suckers down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Agreed, what kind of a dog are we talking about? My dog would probably get picked on by the chickens (I chit you not) but others would hunt those suckers down. 2 mutts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 We have four backyard chickens and we have a 4-year old (as of today) black lab. Now, maybe it's just the temperament of our dog, but there has never been any issue. None whatsoever. We also let our chickens out to roam once or twice a month around dusk to eat bugs, but simply leave the dog inside "just in case". If you're in an area with raccoons, snakes and other vermin, I stress you to ensure the coop is 100% secure. We converted a 3ish foot by 8ish foot shed into the coop, cutting out "windows" and putting thick-gauged hardware cloth in with staple gun from the inside. No way a coon is gonna be able to get it that way. We also built an L-shaped "run" for the chickens to hang out in during the day out of the hardware cloth. We extended the walls, bent them into an L shape and covered the bottom part with dirt and leaves. No way any vermin's gettin' in there. And no way the dog's gonna get in there too. Sorry, this turned more into a chicken commentary rather than a dog with chickens one. That said, a few more nuggets: Definitely get the chickens as young chicks. Their poop and pine shavings you're likely using at the bottom of their coop is fantastic to add to your compost pile/bin. Definitely check out Backyard Chickens. That place is The Huddle of chickens. As far as socializing your dogs to the chicken, I really have no ideas. Our lab likes to run around their coop/run from time to time but never appears as if she's trying to get to them. They enjoy watching her cavort around their home, and I get the feeling she's protective of them. Perhaps BackyardChickens.com can offer some better commentary on dog-chicken socialization. Having backyard chickens is awesome. Never have to buy another store egg again. Fresh eggs are the bomb. Thanks for the comments! We're pretty tight security wise. My city ordinance even required me do bury my fence 1 ft deep in the ground to prevent anything burrowing underneath to get at them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Agreed, what kind of a dog are we talking about? My dog would probably get picked on by the chickens (I chit you not) but others would hunt those suckers down. They're well tempered, but they're certainly dogs. Enough so that I have no faith in them not going after them if I didn't put some effort into training them not to. One tries to wring the neck of every toy we give her. One walks around with every toy in her mouth like she's a cat-mom. The second isn't looking to hurt anyone but is like Lenny of Mice and Men, so she needs to be worked on as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballjoe Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 I suggest viewing this so you understand what could happen if you have chickens and dogs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwo8amOULkw...feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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