Aagh! My dog chased my chook, can I help her recover?

...after being good for 2 weeks my Springer Spaniel Molly had a go at Jean, my ISA Brown and the only one of my girls laying yet. She (Molly the dog) chased her across the garden and pulled a clump of feathers out.

Dog has been severely disciplined and will not be left alone with chooks EVER (though mind you we were with her when this happened). I have examined Jean and she seems calm and without injury - no blood, no broken bones, just loose feathers. She is a very stolid bird and appears to have recovered fine. But is there anything I can do to help her get over it? Is there a Rescue Remedy for chickens?

I know this isn't a dog site, but if there are any suggestions about improving Molly's behaviour I'd be grateful. I think it's at least in part jealousy as Jean is top chicken and I have been giving her attention... I'm thinking of a shock collar, personally!

...after being good for 2 weeks my Springer Spaniel Molly had a go at Jean, my ISA Brown and the only one of my girls laying yet. She (Molly the dog) chased her across the garden and pulled a clump of feathers out.

Dog has been severely disciplined and will not be left alone with chooks EVER (though mind you we were with her when this happened). I have examined Jean and she seems calm and without injury - no blood, no broken bones, just loose feathers. She is a very stolid bird and appears to have recovered fine. But is there anything I can do to help her get over it? Is there a Rescue Remedy for chickens?

I know this isn't a dog site, but if there are any suggestions about improving Molly's behaviour I'd be grateful. I think it's at least in part jealousy as Jean is top chicken and I have been giving her attention... I'm thinking of a shock collar, personally!

A shock collar !!!!!!!!  I think it is your job to make sure the dog can't get at the chickens than it is for punishing her for just doing what a Springer will do.  They are bred to get game, though a softer mouth would have been more appropriate

One of my Border Collies killed my 28 week old Bluebell last year.  Took it's head right off, and went into the chicken house to look for another.  It was my fault, I'd left the door open.  I just skinned the hen (skin too fine/young to pluck) and I roasted it that evening.  Very tasty.
But I've learned a lesson. It was my fault one of my dogs got a chicken and it was your fault your Springer killed a chicken.  I think you should be the one wearing a shock collar. LOLOL

Valerie

I use normal rescue remedy on my chooks. Works a treat Just 1 drop in the mouth My little Fox Terrier got out once and on a day the chooks found a way out of the coop after a storm so poor Henrietta bought it I couldnt tell Suzie off as its her nature to do what she did but if your dog is normally with you round the chooks and is normally ok then I would have done the same as you and told her off. That way she learns that it is unacceptable for her to do it and hopefully wont do it again. Of course dont ever leave her alone with them tho, just in case

Please don't get a shock collar, they are really nasty and can give you more problems with the dog which be physcological. You can de-sensitise any animal to a degree if you know how to correctly train them .We have gsds who have a high prey drive, they are well trained but we accept their limitations and keep the chooks in their run or the dogs in theirs and never the twain shall meet. Our pup got one of our girls when she accidentally got out. She gave her a good mouthing but the chook was very resilliant. We found that just keeping the dogs out of eyesite of the chooks for a few days then gradually letting the hens see the dogs again kept things calm. I'm sure your girl will be fine.

I thought shock collers were outlawed, if not they should have been.

I hope the chicken is fine.

I'm not Caesar Milan or whatever his name is off of Sky TV, but like you, I had to consider the dog /chicken dynamic when I got my girlies.

Eight hens in a small back garden and two Jack Russells was always going to be a challenge but they all get along fine now after a little bit of training.

Firstly I introduced the dogs one at a time on a short lead and kept the chickens in their run until the dogs no longer showed interest. Then I bought both the dogs out together.
In week two we had the chickens out in the garden and the dogs on a short lead.
In week three we moved to extension leads.
In week four we let the dogs off the lead whilst we (and the chickens) remained in the garden.

Fortunately we have a park nearby where the dogs can run away from the chickens but where a garden is concerned a dog is always going to be territorial.  I think if you persevere with training your dog it will work out fine in the end.  My chickens will now stand up to the dogs and chase them (quite comically)

One thing I still never do is leave the dogs outside when I give the chickens their peeling / corn / treats - that would be asking for trouble - but otherwise the chickens and the dogs have learnt to get along as the best of enemies.....