The Poultry Keeper

jamesnkate · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 14 Location: darwen

just chased a loose dog out of our chicken pen, can't see how it got in, must've jumped the fence, heard a commotion from inside the house, looked out to see it running around in the pen, chickens flapping everywhere.
Once I'd chased the dog out of the garden I could only find our 2 young cocks. Thankfully our two maran girls have come back, but no sign of our 2 rhode islands. Not looking forward to the kids coming home, if they get back before the chickens... well!
fingers crossed they'll be back for bed!

Evil or Very Mad

grrr why don't people keep a check on their dogs? this one did the same thing previously, got a chunk of rhode island! thankfully we wre there that time too.

hope you're all well!

*UPDATE*
They all came home for bed! phew!! very quiet in the coup tonight!
Kate

Welsh Duck · Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 6:48 pm Post subject:

Sorry about your hens- hope they come back. Its awful when someone elses animals mess with your own.

Let us know whether they come back

debcat · Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:07 pm Post subject:

really glad they all came back OK Very Happy

hope you manage to find out where the dog is coming from

Welsh Duck · Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:25 pm Post subject:

glad they came back Very Happy

sasha.p · Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 479 Location: gwent

oh god im glad they are all back and ok it makes me mad as a dog owner i never let my dogs out on their own unless we are on our field but if they are outside our house they are on leads i hate it when other people do not make the same effort my labrador used to be a freindly dog until OTHER dog owners who could not control their dogs led to my lab being attacked on three separate occassions once by a ridgeback once by another lab and the final time by the local police dog handlers dog german shepard!!!this was the final straw and i went and got my shepard so at least my dog would not get picked on again its even worse when they chase smaller animals and livestock!!whats wrong with people dont people train and restrain their animals anymore Shocked

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3202 Location: Monmouthshire

Sheer b****y idleness. From the moment you bring home the puppy you should be training it. What's possibly endearing in a small, is downright dangerous when they're large. Once trained, I rarely use a lead for my dogs. All I ask of them is that they walk to heel, sit instantly when told, and come when called. There are plenty of add-ons, but those are the basics - and the training reward was lots of fuss and a cat biscuit!

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1379 Location: Carmarthenshire

We have just been discussing this on another site (agility) and someone said that "dogs will be dogs" Evil or Very Mad

- I'm afraid i was rather rude!!!

I have 8 sheep, 23 chickens, 1 cat and 7 dogs. My dogs are a mixture of 4 collies, 1 kelpie, 1 cocker spaniel and 1 Parsons Russell Terrier - NONE of them chase. I have trained them all that chasing, anything, is a big no no. Not all of them were brought up with the chickens and sheep but it did not take any longer to train the older ones not to chase than training the puppies. I can now take my dogs to play ball in the same paddocks as both the sheep and the chickens with no problems - in fact both sheep and chickens don't even move out of the way and often get their bums and faces washed by the dogs:lol:. I admit i wouldn't take this attitude with other peoples livestock but when i go to my sisters they don't chase her cats, horses or chickens either. It doesn't take long to train a dog not to chase and a few days training could just save the dogs, and any livestocks, life.

As much as I am an animal lover i am afraid I would shoot any dog worrying my livestock.

Chris

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3202 Location: Monmouthshire

And if any dog of mine worried livestock I would expect it to be shot!

Sparklepeeps · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 1942 Location: Cheshire

Chris, out of interest what type of training do you do wih your dogs Re:Chasing? (I am not and have never been a dog owner, but like to learn all the same, because one day I might be!)

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1379 Location: Carmarthenshire

Hi Sparklepeeps. Basically with older dogs I take them in with the sheep/chickens well way from the sheep etc and on a long line and stand still. Every time they look at me, and not the sheep etc, they get a big reward (usually hot dog). When they are taking no notice at all, still on a long line, I then let them get nearer and go through the whole process again., I then get my husband to get the sheep or chickens too move whilst still keeping the dogs attention on me and rewarding for not looking. When i think the dog is reliable I then will take it in the field off lead but keeping well away from the sheep/chckens and have a game with it gradually getting nearer. If at any time the dog shows any interest I turn and run away from the dog whilst getting it to chase me for it's reward (you have to be pretty sure of your dog before you get to the stage of being off lead). With puppies it is easier, especially if you already have dogs that don't chase, they tend to stay near you and/or the other dogs and you just keep on rewarding them for being near you. I also will take them near the sheep etc on a lead and introduce them. My sheep and chickens are so used to our dogs now that neither take any notice and will even stand and let themselves be washed Very Happy

. I am not saying that any of my dogs have never chased, they have, but it just made me more determined to teach them not to.

Chris

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7145 Location: isle of lewis

my dogs do chase it's their job Wink

,sheep and cattle dog ,but chris ,thats the way i've taught my dogs not to chase chickens ,anything loose would here be shoot after one warning which is given every year in the paper ,7 dogs last year Evil or Very Mad

,that i know of ,lose to sheep from one dog i know of was 7 sheep ,2 had to be put down because they were badly injured ,person who shoot it was livid with the owner ,he was really upset at having to shoot it

Welsh Duck · Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:26 pm Post subject:

I have seen ewes after they have been attacked by dogs, it is not a nice sight at all. Many of them sustain terrible injuries and occur a painfull death.