# An LGD for poultry?



## CraterCove

I was wondering... Where we plan to have a pond to 'keep' fish is where I'd like to have my poultry. However, with the contours of our land that is not really near where the current house is or where the someday awesome house will be. I plan to have houses to lock the chickens and ducks in at night for their own safety, but are there any dogs that would make good guardians? Do you have to raise them specifically with birds?

I am looking at the Akbash for my goats. We live in a hot southern climate so that is something to keep in mind. 

Any suggestions?


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## Wolf Flower

My Akbash is great with my poultry, but it was a learning curve. The first spring he was here, he thought that hatchlings were vermin to be dispatched. But once he learned that the babies are to protect and not eat, he's been awesome. 

But he does steal eggs.


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## CraterCove

I have never had any experience with training or acclimating a LGD to doing it's job. It's actually a bit intimidating to me. I have trained dogs before, even to ignore other animals when they have a strong prey drive... but not to be protective of animals that they might otherwise munch.

And thanks for the warning on the eggs!


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## Bearfootfarm

> but not *to be protective *of animals that they might otherwise munch


You don't need to train a GOOD LGD to "be protective" BUT you do have to train them to not play too rough or try to eat the birds, and it requires a LOT of work and patience.

It's best to have them with birds at as young an age as possible, but even then it won't always work out well.

They are more suited to guarding larger livestock.

Here is some good info on LGD's:

http://www.bountifulfarm.com/lgd_seminar.htm


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## CraterCove

That is a fantastic link, thanks so much for it. This is why I am here. LGD's are not my specialty and I need to learn a lot about them before I take that plunge.


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## SilverFlame819

A lot of people have issues training LGD's for birds, as they just weren't bred to think of birds as members of their pack to protect. I watched a show on it once, and the lady in the show had success with a Pyrenees as her poultry protector. From the time it was a tiny puppy, she would reprimand it for eye contact with the birds... So it grew up thinking of the birds as being higher ranking or off limits, but still had the same reaction to "outside" animals who were not members of its birdy pack.

It's good that you're doing lots of research first. I would try to find some people who have raised or used LGD's specifically for poultry and pick their brains!


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## Spinner

My Great Pyr's are good with the chickens. As young pups, they sometimes want to play with the chickens, but once or twice of letting them know not to play that way and they did great. I have one chicken DS made a pet out of. That crazy chicken roosts on my oldest pyr every night. During the winter when it gets too cold, a lot of the chicks would cuddle up with her and she was fine with it.


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## CraterCove

So, it's seeming like while this might be a difficult proposition, it is possible. We have the Pyr and Akbash that people are currently using for poultry guarding. And the Akbash is what I was looking at for my goats. Pyrs can be wonderful dogs... but man that coat! I wonder, in hot regions can you shave them? lol!

Anyone know of any good forums devoted to LGDs? I won't need such a dog for a couple of years but I never like doing anything without a goodly amount of research before hand.


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## Wolf Flower

CraterCove said:


> Pyrs can be wonderful dogs... but man that coat! I wonder, in hot regions can you shave them? lol!


Yes, you can. People do it all the time in hot, humid climates, but you have to be careful not to shave them too close, as they can sunburn!

I was really lucky to get a nice short-coated Akbash.

On the subject of LGDs and poultry... The other day DH got mad at Whaley, the Akbash, because it looked like he was attacking a goose! I didn't see it, so I wondered what in the world would happen that would make Whaley attack a goose, especially right in front of DH. By the time I got there, DH was hopping mad and Whaley was lying on his back with all his feet in the air in a doggie apology.

We separated him from the geese and I watched for a while. Our goats share a large pen with the geese and suddenly, for no apparent reason, the gander latched onto one of my does, and hung on while she ran for her life.

I had an a-ha moment, realizing that breeding season is drawing near, and the gander would be getting rather territorial.

We put Whaley back in the pen and the gander attacked him! Poor Whaley was only trying to defend himself; I saw him put that gander's neck in his mouth, without leaving a mark on the bird. We broke up the fight and we're working on a separate pen for the geese now.... for the dog's safety. 

And DH felt bad for reprimanding him. The dog actually showed amazing restraint.


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## SilverFlame819

Awww. Poor Whaley. I'd feel terrible knowing I'd reprimanded him for trying to protect himself and the goats and being able to do so without hurting the goose. Poor doll. It's too bad they can't talk. He would have been like, "But DAD!"  He definitely needs some kisses and a doggie treat in apology.


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## Cyngbaeld

I have two Great Pyr pups for sale that were born in the poultry yard Dec 21, 2010 and are ready for a new home. Female is $50 and the male is $75. My Pyrs do a great job of guarding the poultry.


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## CraterCove

Lol what a story! It will remind me never to assume the worst unless I have actually witnessed an event myself.

I wish I could take you up on one of those Cyn, but I just found out we are moving back to GA! My husband has benn laid off! Also, I don't have the livestock for them to actively guard yet and everything I've been reading is telling me to make sure they have something to guard on day one. You wouldn't happen to have any potential poultry dogs that will be ready for homes around June? That will be when I'm ready.


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## Cyngbaeld

No, sorry, but I'm not planning to have any more.


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## ginnie5

Tucker is great with our chickens this year.....last year not so much. He's grown up a bit I guess. Now not only does he watch over them he won't let our little dog kill them. I've watched him and he will walk over to Peanut stand there and look down at him for a minute and then Peanut gives the chicken one last glance and walks away. So far he's keeping the hawks away too. They perch on the deer stand where they can see the chickens but are not venturing back there. Neighborhood dogs don't stand a chance either.


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## longshadowfarms

Easiest, most secure way to do it is to double fence. Larger outside fence for Pyr, smaller inner fence for birds.


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## Bearfootfarm

This Maremma guards nothing but poultry, and was started with them at 5 weeks old
She had a few "accidents" the first year, but was corrected and is now doing a great job

Her name is Sophie:


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## Wolf Flower

Bearfootfarm, I just died of cute overload.


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## Bearfootfarm

> Bearfootfarm, I just died of cute overload.


LOL
That was just average.

But THIS is "cute":


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## Wolf Flower

Stop it!!

Maremma and Pyr puppies are sOoooOOoo cute. 

I don't know if I'd get another LGD, though. My Akbash is the perfect dog for our situation; barks a warning at strangers, but very friendly once introduced. He keeps away varmints and stray dogs, but is totally benign with "guest" dogs, once introduced properly. I understand this is unusual for an LGD; most won't tolerate strange dogs no matter what. If I could clone him, I would.


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## Bearfootfarm

> I understand this is unusual for an LGD; most won't tolerate strange dogs no matter what


My dogs will accept other dogs when introduced.
Some do it more readily than others


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## Judy in IN

When I got my female as a puppy, she went running out of the barn, right toward my chickens. I was worried until I saw that her goal was the chicken POOP. Bleeccch! LOL!

Now I free range my poultry.


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## westbrook

during their puppyhood, I lost about 2 chickens per dog. About 8-11 months the pups would finally get faster then the chickens. They never ate them... just played with them and well... these dogs aren't known to be tender mouthed.

After my Academy Award Winning role with dead chicken in my arms and no one to see my dramatic role.... the pups got it! 
Gosh I was good... crying over my chicken... yelling... look what you did.. my chicken! MINE! shows the dog the chicken.. dog in down cause he is in trouble! dog never seeing me behave this way before....

and then....










this link may help
http://www.anatoliandog.org/poultry.htm


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