[Tonks]

Hi everyone! First post but have been lurking, reading information on keeping chickens

I would love to keep chickens at home, and have a large secure garden.

The only problem is I have two dogs, a collie and a retriever. Both from working stock, though neither have worked a day in their lives!

The collie is very obedient, and 5 months old. He's seen livestock and after a quick look will come back to heel. The retriever actually a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever(well known for their excitability!) is 3 years old and an utter law unto himself. He is obedient on the lead, but is the type to chase livestock and gets very over excited very quickly. Both are walked twice a day with longer walks at the weekend so have plenty of opportunity to work of excess energy.

These two are the only ones stopping me getting some hens. Primarily, because I have to put them first. I don't want them being wound up continually, when the garden has always been their space.

Also, I don't want to bring hens into a stressful environment.

The setup would be at the side of my house, which is about 15ft long, 4ft wide. The dogs would only be able to see the hens through the 4ft side, and not run up and down the fence line. Dogs don't spend too much time in the garden, so hens could have the garden when dogs were indoors.

Is it possible?!

Oh, and also someone told me chicken droppings were harmful to dogs, is this true?

[Missie]

Hi Tonks,

I'm not sure but I have a labrador of 7 years and she is actually quite scared of them,she will not under any circumstance go through any of the coops,she would prefer to run around them,whilst coming with me down the paddock she keeps close to me as possible and if any chicken goes towards her,she whimpers and runs! 

[joyfull]

Only you will know how your dogs would react. I have a 10 year old Newfie cross who will avoid my hens at all costs and a 2 year old Neapolitan Mastiff who used to chase them but now just plods near them. Both dogs will chase rats and rabbits (very successfully in the case of rabbits) and both have eaten chicken pooh  . My previous dog a collie cross though would have killed the chickens and did used to try so she was never left unattended. Personally I would be very wary with your retriever if she is known to chase livestock so if you go ahead with chickens then let her off her lead near them.

[Tonks]

Thanks for the replies!

My collie is dominant, but is scared of pigeons and pheasants when we're out walking  He's usually at heel anyway though.

The retriever would always chase something, but never try to get it. He just likes the chase. If an animal was just sat, he'd have a sniff and try to get it to play/run but it's only when an animals moves he goes into chase mode and gets over excited. We used to have a cat he never bothered with as he couldn't get it to run, but he has tried to chase a friend's rabbit.

[themagicaltoad1]

My 2 dogs always chased anything with fur or feathers and we often found dead birds in the garden, so when we first got the chickens it was a juggling act which ones were loose in the garden. After a couple of months the dogs interest had waned, so we kept them on a lead while the chickens were out of the run and they sort of warily investigated each other. It didn't take long for the chickens to establish dominance over the dogs and the only time we have to keep a careful eye on them is when the dogs have food in the garden, ie a bone, because the girls will try to steal anything from them and I think that would be pushing it too far!

[dawn37]

I have 3 dogs 2 border collie and a lab cross
buster my 6yr old has been in with hen since he was 7week old so he knows no different he's not bothered with hens
But the ducks i have are another matter his hearding instincts come out in him he's never hurt 1 he likes to puts them to bed
when i'm up all with hens thats where he stays untill i go home
my other 2 only go in when no hens/ducks are out not that they would hurt them its just with hens being flighty and not take the risk

[lucylou]

i have a Jr terrier who likes nothing more than to snack on what the hens leave behind  nothing awful has happened to her yet and i know lots of other dog's share this unpleasent habit given half the chance! we keep our girls behind a mesh fence but our little dog still hopes for a chance to have a fresh chicken and checks evertime she goes into the garden - i kknow that she would kill them if she ever got the chance & sometimes she gets quite excited watching them stretching their wings - they couldnt care less about her though, they got used to her really quickly and her presence doesnt stress them at all good luck

[death of rats]

I have a couple of dogs who will have a chicken if they flutter at all so I had to move them out of the garden into a run at the side of the house where the dogs do not go. I do not think you can trust the dog becuase it only takes a second and the bird is dead. The dog may very well not mean it but the end result is one less chicken.

[Ice]

I have a couple of dogs who will have a chicken if they flutter at all so I had to move them out of the garden into a run at the side of the house where the dogs do not go. I do not think you can trust the dog becuase it only takes a second and the bird is dead. The dog may very well not mean it but the end result is one less chicken.

Would you mind just using black please as it makes it easier to read.

[karlooben]

hi well done on wanting to keep chickens but the best advice would be build a secure run its not only the dog you need to watch but also the foxes , birds can live quite happily within a large run 7 days a week mine do totally fine .
it only takes a second for a dogs natural instinct to kick in and you could have problems that you really dont want , it has been posted on here where ppls dogs have just turned on thier owners birds .

[death of rats]

I have a couple of dogs who will have a chicken if they flutter at all so I had to move them out of the garden into a run at the side of the house where the dogs do not go. I do not think you can trust the dog becuase it only takes a second and the bird is dead. The dog may very well not mean it but the end result is one less chicken.

Would you mind just using black please as it makes it easier to read.

Apologies I shall of course, in future.

[Ice]

Thank you.  We do have members with sight problems and black is much easier to read as it contrast better with the background.