# Chickens and teaching dogs to leave them be



## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

We have to 6-7 month old Aussies that I might be hopelessly thinking
we can teach to leave chickens alone. 
We do not currently have any chickens, but growing up, my dad's bantams were always loose, and really, dogs and cats usually left them alone. Hawks and Opossums were really the problem.
I would like to be able to have Hens that we just put up in coop at night, but I want to know the dogs will leave them alone, so I thought if we got 3-4 really large roosters first, some that could do the dogs damage - lol - if they bothered them, they might learn to let hens and babies be later on. 
Anyone every try this or should I just assume we'd have too many lost to bother and leave any chicken we get up in fenced area with a coop?
I have no idea how aggressively the dogs would pursue them as it is. 
I'm just assuming, as Aussies and being young, they would kill them.
We also have 10 lbs Toy Manchester Terrier that is outside and do wonder if a rooster might not be able to nearly kill him if he approached him aggressively. 
Anyway, any ideas, suggestions or advice?
If the rooster trick could work, what breed would you suggest?


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I did it once with a dog that killed a chicken. I'd get flamed for posting it but if you want I can PM you. Starting with a dog that had never seen a chicken the best way would be weeks of patient constant training, or a couple of sessions with a shock collar.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I've been able to train my dogs to leave my chicks and ducklings alone in just a few days and my dogs are bird dogs. I put the birds in a pen and then let the dog find them. If it shows any interest I scold the dog and tell it to "leave it!" I do that throughout the day and within a few days everything is fine. I keep a close eye on the dog until I'm sure it understands the birds are mine and off limits. Any signs of interest brings another "leave it!"


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## eross230 (Apr 28, 2006)

Some dogs cannot ever be trained, but I think I know what tinknal is talking about and it worked for me with every dog but one.


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## karenbrat1 (Jun 25, 2009)

I've had two heelers at different times that were both awful chicken killers. I just never take my eyes off the dog when she is loose and keep the chickens behind electric net. I've read of an interesting trick from "highlands" who posts here on the pig board, called the "electric chicken". Suspend a freshly dead chicken from a pole with a hot wire running to the chicken. Turn the dog loose, hide and wait. Haven't tried it yet but it sounds like it would work well!


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## karenbrat1 (Jun 25, 2009)

P.S. -- telling my heelers "NO" did not work. I could have the dog out with the chickens and as long as I kept my eye on the dog she wouldn't do anything -- she would look at the chickens, then check to see if I was watching her -- because she knew I'd beat the crap out of her if she did it while I was watching. But if I got too busy to watch her for, seriously, 20 seconds, she would be gone and when I'd find her there'd be a bird in her mouth. This happened with both dogs. They are a very smart, hardheaded and sneaky breed.


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## rscheiderer (Dec 30, 2009)

Depends on the dog. First (and clearly the best) is to make sure that your dog KNOWS that you are the BOSS, no question. That's harder with some dogs than others. One dog I have now is less than a year old but he won't touch anything that I've told him is "mine." If he even looks at a chicken or a full pail of milk I just give him a "no" sound. When I first got him, he chased a chicken. I made my "no" sound (kind of an "ah ah ah" noise) and said "that's mine" and he never did it again. So easy. My terrier, on the other hand, didn't get it. She thought chickens were the most fun toys I ever got for her. I'll probably get some criticism for this, but when she killed a chicken, I beat the everloving snot out of her with that chicken. She's never slipped again. As a last resort, I remember my Dad's remedy. He tied the dead chicken to the dog's collar, with a rope just long enough that the dog tripped on it all the time. As the bird "ripened" the dog was effectively shunned by all because of the smell, which is the worst thing in the world for a dog. My dad never removed the bird. It rotted off, and then he removed the rope. Yuk.


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## Beaners (Feb 23, 2005)

Are these Australian Shepherds or Australian Cattle Dogs, aka Heelers? They're both herding dogs but they're very different breeds. 

I don't know anything about teaching dogs to leave chickens alone, but I do have a dog who was convicted of chicken-killing before he got to my house. He doesn't dare look sideways at our ducks. There is always a fence between them, but they will charge the fence at him and he will head in the other direction. They aren't fluttery and flighty like chickens so he doesn't get any fun out of them.

Kayleigh


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

rscheiderer said:


> As a last resort, I remember my Dad's remedy. He tied the dead chicken to the dog's collar, with a rope just long enough that the dog tripped on it all the time. As the bird "ripened" the dog was effectively shunned by all because of the smell, which is the worst thing in the world for a dog. My dad never removed the bird. It rotted off, and then he removed the rope. Yuk.


This is basically what I did but I accomplished it in about 4 hours. I tied the chicken to her head, hog tied her with twine string and put her out in deep grass. She whined and cried for 3 hours. After that she became the best poultry guard dog I ever saw. She would kill any varmint that got near them and would lay in the yard and keep watch on them.


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

These are Australian Shepherds. I am a huge softie - though I don't mind whipping them for something, anything more than that would be too much for me - lol!
I just know I've had roosters get after me that I would think could convince a 50lb dog to think twice before bothering them again, but perhaps not - lol!


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

I like the idea of the hotwired chicken.


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## seagullplayer (Nov 6, 2008)

The drag a dead chicken around worked for us.


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## Delrio (Mar 11, 2007)

Our sheltie only needed to be told "no" once.
A few months back we brought home a four month old german shepherd pup. She hadn't been here two hours before she went after the chickens. A firm "NO" and a few shots with the BB gun and that did it. I figured if she ever did kill one we would use the chicken around the neck method!!


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## Curtis B (Aug 15, 2008)

rscheiderer said:


> Depends on the dog. First (and clearly the best) is to make sure that your dog KNOWS that you are the BOSS, no question. That's harder with some dogs than others. One dog I have now is less than a year old but he won't touch anything that I've told him is "mine." If he even looks at a chicken or a full pail of milk I just give him a "no" sound. When I first got him, he chased a chicken. I made my "no" sound (kind of an "ah ah ah" noise) and said "that's mine" and he never did it again. So easy. My terrier, on the other hand, didn't get it. She thought chickens were the most fun toys I ever got for her. I'll probably get some criticism for this, but when she killed a chicken, I beat the everloving snot out of her with that chicken. She's never slipped again. As a last resort, I remember my Dad's remedy. He tied the dead chicken to the dog's collar, with a rope just long enough that the dog tripped on it all the time..



This is almost exactly what I did. It has worked for all three of my dogs. The only difference was that I tied the dead bird close to the neck, so she couldn't reach it no matter how hard she tried. I only left the bird o for a day. If you bring the chickens in, you should expect some losses while training.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

Ok I have a full blooded 4yr old aussie that had never been around chickens until 6 months ago. I got 6 - 3 week old pullet chicks that was in the house for 3 weeks but when the weather was nice I would take them out to the coop for a couple hours forage time. When I did this I would sit on a bench inside the coop Blossom would be on the other side of the fence (keep this in mind my dog does know obedience commands) she would begin to pace back and forth watching the baby chicks and I would have her lay down and stay at the gate. I will say this her herding drive is very strong. She did snap at one of the chicks when it flew right in front of her nose and got a big Bop on the head and "LEAVE IT" from me, at that time she was in lay/stay mode at my feet. So would recommend that you have basic commands down well with the pups, and then work em with the chickens one on one, trying to handle both pups at same time is just going to stress you out big time. Oh when I did get a full grown rooster Blossom thought it would be fun to try to sneak up behind him and remove a pretty feather from his tail which really ticked off the rooster. Dog with feather running around yard with rooster chasing her. When I finally stopped laughing I made her drop it and leave it, marched her over to Titan and told her to "leave it"...she hasn't done it again...just takes time and patience. I just adopted a lab/aussie mix, 3 month old puppy that I will start training around my chickens this week since weather is nice can let you know how that goes :stars:


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## cybercat (Mar 29, 2005)

I have a AUS mix and she get along with our chickens great. But this might not be you depending on their temperment. When it comes to dogs temperment is everything. I am a profession animal person I have trained ,bred ,worked and groomed dogs and cats as well as many other species. 

What I did to help train my dog was this. Brooder boxs was in house and on floor. Ours was big since we had 25 chicks of a large breed. Everytime I went in that room I had dog come in too. She could look over the edge to see chicks but could not get to them. You can see the brooder box in my blog it is some of the first posts.

When the chicks were a week old and older I started olding them in my hand to let her sniff them. Now she is a sensitive dog sound shy and not aggressive at all. We got her from the shelter and I temp tested her with my mind knowing we would be getting farm animals. Her sound sensitvity comes from us being quite people. In her case it is something she learned for she did not test for it when I picked her out. I have had other dogs turn that way too due to lack of loud noise in house.

Anyway when chick start hoping ontop of brooder she would nuzzel them back in. If she put her mouth on feathers I told her not too and made her leave them room. By the time they were 10 weeks old I could leave them with her with no problems. I left the door open to the room which is right across from where I sit now. So I could watch her all the time. Her big attraction now is our roosters tail. I occasionally have to call her off from trying to get it. But other than that I can leave her out with out free range chickens with no worries. BTW she is a tall dog coming in at 27 inches at shoulder. 

I see your big problem is going to be your terrier. Even as small as it is they have that tenacious temperemnt. Going after anything bigger than them. It was what they were bred for rodent hunters. Your Aussies might and might not be able to be trained again depending on their temperment BUT you will have a pack problem. 

Pack problem is two or more dogs together. It become a feeder thing in that what one dog does the other does and they get each other worked up into a frenzy. Which means if ones starts to chase a chickens the other will do it and it will turn into a hunt and a dead chicken. This is a fact and there is nothing you can do about it except never let them out without control when the chicken are our roaming. Two dogs will wipe out a flock of chickens in minets. So If you plan on free ranging you will not be able to let the dogs out if they start this behavior. Your only other recourse is to pen up the chickens and never let the dogs near them.


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## okiemom (May 12, 2002)

I am delaying getting chickens as I too have a new dog (dumped when we moved to our new house) and I am not sure how she will do w/ chickens. She is murder on rats. COOL! Not so cool w/ chickens. The other dogs are just fine w/ the chickens.


I am a firm believer in the shock collar. It really helps when they can't see you and they are trying to be sneaky and they get bitten. I have a collar for our pyrs but don't have one small enough for the 15-20lb mutt mix. They are kind of expensive for a hopefully couple day deal. 

As spring gets nearer I really want my chickens back. I might just have to bite the bullet. The dog could be good after a few no no's. I could be dreaming too.


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

rscheiderer said:


> I'll probably get some criticism for this, but when she killed a chicken, I beat the everloving snot out of her with that chicken. She's never slipped again. As a last resort, I remember my Dad's remedy. He tied the dead chicken to the dog's collar, with a rope just long enough that the dog tripped on it all the time. As the bird "ripened" the dog was effectively shunned by all because of the smell, which is the worst thing in the world for a dog. My dad never removed the bird. It rotted off, and then he removed the rope. Yuk.


LOL! Sounds like sound advice to me! We'll be getting our first chicks (EVER!) in a few days and I have been wondering this myself. I have heard that Pyrenees are great with chickens, but despite it all they ARE DOGS!


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

Wait, wait.. on that note.. could I just borrow a dead chicken from someone? LOL Would save myself from losing any I actually paid for! LOL


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## Jay27 (Jan 11, 2010)

My friend has an aussie and no chickens, but her aussie comes to my house a lot. Her aussie doesn't seem to want to hurt the chickens as much as she wants to herd them. She prefers to chase the ducks since they stay in a tight group. 

I have 4 dogs - 2 shep/labs, 1 hunting pointer (DD) and 1 JRT. All of them can be more-or-less be trusted with my birds because they know that the birds are MINE. The JRT took out a mallard this year and got a beating with the dead duck. Hasn't looked at them since. 

I don't think the rooster trick works. I had a nasty buff rooster. He would try to spur me, so I would kick him across the yard. If I kicked the rooster infront of the dogs, the dogs would immediately want to go after the rooster too. The rooster would haul after the dogs, especially the JRT, thinking he was tough... the dogs were not afraid one bit!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Whatever you do, it is easier to train the dog right away instead of waiting until it is a problem. Your dogs should be reliable with "leave it" or "no" or some other cue that means the same thing. You supervise the dogs one at a time with the chicks or chickens and don't give them a chance to get into trouble. As soon as the dog shows interest in the birds he is told "leave it". If he doesn't instantly turn his head from the birds, you pull him away via the leash. You begin the lessons at a far distance from the birds and as the dog responds correctly, you can get nearer and nearer until the chicken can come right up to the dog and not be harrassed.


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

Thanks! I really think teaching them to leave it or such is going to be my best route first in that case. They are very smart. The terrier is a dumb as a rock though. . .so he might be a hopeless case.


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## luv2farm (Feb 15, 2008)

Now this is something I'll have to try....we have a hard time with chicken killing dogs.....mine and the neighbors 



karenbrat1 said:


> I've had two heelers at different times that were both awful chicken killers. I just never take my eyes off the dog when she is loose and keep the chickens behind electric net. * I've read of an interesting trick from "highlands" who posts here on the pig board, called the "electric chicken". Suspend a freshly dead chicken from a pole with a hot wire running to the chicken. Turn the dog loose, hide and wait. * Haven't tried it yet but it sounds like it would work well!


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## luv2farm (Feb 15, 2008)

My Pyrenees killed more chickens than any dog we ever had. And we did the shock collar thing with her----on HIGH. And...she killed sheep (lambs) too. We got her as a pup, and could never teach her anything. Glad she's gone!!




therunbunch said:


> LOL! Sounds like sound advice to me! We'll be getting our first chicks (EVER!) in a few days and I have been wondering this myself. I have heard that Pyrenees are great with chickens, but despite it all they ARE DOGS!


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

This works for me, I attach the dog to me with a rope (around my waist) and the rope has a slip knot collar that goes around the dogs neck. I tie the dog no longer than 2 feet from me and we go do the chores in the poultry barn. The dog can be corrected or praised in arms reach. rscheideren, I can understand. Some times you have to be the leader of the pack. No, means NO.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

If your terrier terrorizes the chickens, you can put a bell on him to warn the chickens. Not ideal, but if the cx have a place to fly up to they can take care of themselves. At least until you have an alpha rooster. One of my RIR roosters played matador with my ram.


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## bluestarsneyes (Jan 7, 2010)

rscheiderer said:


> Depends on the dog. First (and clearly the best) is to make sure that your dog KNOWS that you are the BOSS, no question. That's harder with some dogs than others. One dog I have now is less than a year old but he won't touch anything that I've told him is "mine." If he even looks at a chicken or a full pail of milk I just give him a "no" sound. When I first got him, he chased a chicken. I made my "no" sound (kind of an "ah ah ah" noise) and said "that's mine" and he never did it again. So easy. My terrier, on the other hand, didn't get it. She thought chickens were the most fun toys I ever got for her. I'll probably get some criticism for this, but when she killed a chicken, I beat the everloving snot out of her with that chicken. She's never slipped again. As a last resort, I remember my Dad's remedy. He tied the dead chicken to the dog's collar, with a rope just long enough that the dog tripped on it all the time. As the bird "ripened" the dog was effectively shunned by all because of the smell, which is the worst thing in the world for a dog. My dad never removed the bird. It rotted off, and then he removed the rope. Yuk.


I'm a newbee here...but your post gave me the biggest laughs I've had in months! Thanks!


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

We got a GSD because where we live a guard dog,KNOWN as a guard dog is number one priority.

Then we sat in yard with birds fenced off.Within a week she went from crazy dog to bored dog.Then I let her in with birds,when she got excited she was talked to and removed.Did that for about a week.

Now she is outside their fence and can be trusted not to mess with em,though occasionally likes to race up to the fence,birds arent impressed at all and ignore her.

When Bud visited his dog was out when I let birds out,and spooked the birds just by standing there. The GSD came charging into yard and gave his dog the what for for scaring HER birds.

So so much for the folks who say GSD and other breeds cant be bird protectors.Ours is.

The Key? YOU must be alpha dog and set limits.Im sure some dogs or breeds possibly will never get it,but the GSD can be trained.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

airotciv said:


> This works for me, I attach the dog to me with a rope (around my waist) and the rope has a slip knot collar that goes around the dogs neck. I tie the dog no longer than 2 feet from me and we go do the chores in the poultry barn. The dog can be corrected or praised in arms reach. rscheideren, I can understand. Some times you have to be the leader of the pack. No, means NO.


 This is actually a good training technic for young dogs called the umbilical cord. Since it keeps the dog closer to you for immediate reward and/or discipline. Especially with young dogs if you have to go to them to reprimand them lots of times they run and then you have lost that moment of correction. I always tried to get people with puppies that they are trying to housebreak to use this technic when they are home. Using it while you are out and about doing chores is great too. Very good idea!!


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