[Stewart P]

Showing my novice ignorance once more and please feel free to privately snigger but would appreciate any helpful comments.

Supposing one were to have a small flock of free ranging hens on a little bit of rural land, cooped at night but not shut in and so potentially vulnerable to nasty foxes.  How effective would an outside kennelled dog be at keeping them safe (assuming kennel close to the coop)?  I have heard that border collies are an effective guard against foxes attacking.  Is this true?

[Sassy]

My understanding is that, especially a boy dog, is a good deterrent to a fox. Also if they urinate around the hens area. However, a fox would soon realise if the dog could not get at it!!!

Do not feel there are questions you shouldn't ask - it is always easy when you already know the answer.

[joyfull]

you would be better off with an electric fence although I did read the llamas are supposed to be good chicken guards 

[Stewart P]

Thanks Sassy and Joyfull.

It was just a hypothetical question really as still some way away from the small flock on a little bit of rural land.  We assembled an electric fence today which encloses half our urban garden so our quartet can free-range, hopefully safe while we're not around.  At the moment a dog is not an option anyway and llamas would undoubtedly freak both the neighbours and the landlord.

As for Sassy's last comment, you are quite right.  It is very rare to ask a stupid question but not uncommon to get a stupid answer (though not from this site of course)

[annie7]

you would be better off with an electric fence although I did read the llamas are supposed to be good chicken guards 

I heard about that also, that llamas are really good for guarding the chickens. 

[nnbreeder]

 We had Komondors as stock protection dogs. They don't bark a lot like other breeds of LGD ( livestock gaurdian dog ), they are not prone to jumping up on humans, and are highly territorial, agile and fast.

 One of the most important factors is that they not leave what they are protecting as many breeds do. Fox and our Coyotes will often work in pairs with one to draw off the dogs and another to come in and do the damage to the stock, A fox or other predator is of no harm when running away and these dogs know it. When the Coyotes would start yipping and howling about dusk the boys would each give a single low bark and that was the only warning they gave.  I would often try to sneak up on them and even when I thought they were dead asleep I couldn't get anywhere near without seeing a tail wag.

  Sadly we lost them both to a lightning strike this spring, as usual they were on the highest point of our place standing watch when the strike came.

[joyfull]

wow just had to look up Komondors, gorgeous dogs. Will you be getting any more? 

[8doubles]

Depends on the collie, i have known a few that have lost their jobs on farm (and nearly their lives) through their tendancy to molest the hens!
IMO collies are only good with stock when the owner is on their case !

[Sassy]

Ilooked into alpacas as guards and got conflicting advice. Some say that not all make good guards and you would need to get them from a strain of 'guarding' alpacas.

[pepsi100]

I dont know if Llamas are any good at guarding anything, but their milk is nice 

Tucking the birds away at night is a good idea, free ranging is good, I think any dog could be trained to leave the hens alone (well mine shows no interest in them)

I think foxes learn about electric fences, but they will still probe around looking for a weak spot, I think they do that with any fencing (I have introduced several to dustbin heaven, I still have people feeding the darn things, as if they were pets)

I can tell when anything is in the garden, the dog just stands looking out the door, open the door and he belts out and has a good sniff about, a pee, then just checks all is okay and comes in 

[nnbreeder]

  We will be getting more in the spring, amazing dogs. In the past we have had Anatolians and Pyranese and the barking even rattled my nerves.

 

[joyfull]

I see you tend to like giant breeds like me - at the moment I have 1 x 13 year old German Shepherd x Newfoundland, 2 x 8 month old Newfoundland Landseers and a 2 year old small dog who is a Staffordshire bull terrier x English bull terrier x Jack Russell.

[nerdle]

You'll probably find an electric fence a tiny fraction of the price as well....running cost wise. 

[nnbreeder]

I see you tend to like giant breeds like me - at the moment I have 1 x 13 year old German Shepherd x Newfoundland, 2 x 8 month old Newfoundland Landseers and a 2 year old small dog who is a Staffordshire bull terrier x English bull terrier x Jack Russell.

 

 Got to have bigger breeds, the Coyotes here are about the size of a German Shepard and they can be good fighters when cornered. Plus it's just cool to have a massive friend like that.

[nerdle]

A lot of poo to pick up there Joyfull!!!!