[ChickenKeepinMike]

Hi everybody,
I have decided to get a few hens for the garden and am unsure which breed to go for. I only have a very small garden so am possibly thinking of getting bantams but also like the idea of getting Marans. Ideally I am looking for something that won't be too flightly due to the restricted space.
I also have a border/yorkie cross who may not get on with them too well so possibly they will not be able to free range much. Do dogs usually get on with chickens? She likes chasing cats so my gut instinct is no!
Many thanks. Mike

[richyrich7]

Hi Mike welcome to the forums    chickens are great we have 4 but no dog, I personally wouldn't leave a dog with the hens unsupervised accidents can and do happen  :shock:

[littlefeat]

hi Mike

we also have a yorkie cross and she is great with the girls, mine freerange all day and the dog comes and goes through the cat flap all day, it probably helps that we also have four cats so she is used to other animals, she never chases the cats or the chooks, every dog is different, we did keep them in their run for a couple of days then let them out and kept her on a lead just to be sure, we have had the chooks 5 months now and she has never chased them, hope this helps.
littlefeat

[Selkie]

I wouldn't leave them unsupervised together myself but could you keep the hens in a fenced off part of the garden? Ours are in a large run and everyone's happy - we have a greyhound and he's as soppy as anything (he's henpecked by our three cats) but I still wouldn't trust him with the hens

[ChickenKeepinMike]

Thanks for all the replies I will just play it by ear and see how it goes. It is good to know that some of you have dogs and chickens together so with a bit of work they may well get on but I do agree that it would be best if they were not left unsupervised. When I get them I will leave them in the run for a good few days and see how they all get on.

[Foxy]

Hi Mike and a big welcome to the forum!  
In terms of a run each bird requires 1msq. The henhouse for a medium bird needs to be 1footsq so a henhouse 2footx3 would be suitable for 6medium sized chickens. Birds need 9" perch space in the henhouse.This is only a minimum rule of thumb we all try to give as much space as possible. Hope this gives you a rough idea to help you get started!
 

[ChickenKeepinMike]

Hi Foxy, Thanks for the reply. With a bit of luck the birds are going to get to free range for a lot for the time, I really don't want to get them just to keep them in a run as that's not really the idea. The garden isn't tiny its about 10x10 meters but its not big enough to section off any space just for them. Is there any chance I will be able to grow my vegetables along side with them - are there certain things they do not eat. From reading some of the other threads I get the idea that they like to eat a lot of brassicas so I guess these are out.

[Foxy]

Hi Mike, sounds fine, although you may have to protect you veggie beds with chicken or rabbit fencing. They are a great help when the veg is finished and love nothing better than rotovating them for you or waiting for you to dig up lovely juicy worms for them! Some breeds are more docile and have feathered feet which does reduce the damage  to your garden a little-pekins for example or bantam faverolles. Pekins lay quite small eggs whereas my bantam faverolles lay a good size egg for a small bird. Some breeds though can be a little flighty and might end up in your neighbours' gardens! :shock:

[GrannieAnnie]

If you don't keep an eye on them, they will eat al your veg, all your lawn and most of your flowers too!!

On the plus side, you'll probably find the dog is okay.  Ours is a labxspringer, who catches rats, moles and mice, but she's goes into the chook run with me when I feed them and they get underneath and peck her nipples, so she soon wants out!!!!!   Doesn't stop her going in to see them though!!!!    

[Bodger]

If your dog hasn't been socialised with chickens from her puppy times, she will probably kill them. As a keeper of three pure borders, I'd say that was a racing certainty.

Marans are not usually very flighty.

[Jellyhead]

Hello, I have a Yorkie X Shiht-tsu and he is definately a little shih* oops I mean terror :oops: He chases the chickens IF given the chance (happened once by mistake) not 100% he would have killed them but not prepared to take the chance. Time will tell I think with your one

[Bagpuss]

Have you thought of getting ex-battery hens.  They are so grateful to have any space, I'm sure your run and garden would seem like heaven to them.

[jammy]

Last summer was the first year I had my chickens (only have two, both buff sussex, extremely friendly and good layers) and they definately do make a right mess of the garden, veggies and lawn - This year they are being moved to allow for a much larger run so they can't come out and trash everything!  
I have sacrificed a bit more of more garden to them to leave a nice looking garden with plenty of veggies and no poo all over the lawn  
Im not sure if you have kids or not but you can guarantee they'll walk in poo at some stage and drag right through the house (hmm maybe I should put the kids in a run outside too   )

[skyblue]

Hi

Go for Pekins lovely little birds very friendly not to flighty and have loads of character.

[reactiveprism]

We have 5 chickens and a border collie and they all get along very well together.  In fact the dog herds the chickens for us when we need to put them away.  Good luck