# Our chickens keep getting attacked, what should we get to protect them?



## TXFarmGirl (Apr 21, 2019)

Hello,
Our chickens keep getting attacked, we haven't been able to trap/kill the unknown predators, and have been  coming and getting more and more chickens recently. We only have about 7 acres with no fence, so people say we shouldn't get a LGD, we thought about maybe a GS pup? I grew up with GS and love them. Can we train it to like chickens? Do you think if we got a GS that it would at least bark/scare of the predator and get along with the chickens? Or if you have any other ideas as to what we should get/do to protect our chickens, that would be great. Thanks so much!!

Also, the chickens are locked up at night free range in the day. The attacks happen at night in the various other pens we have of chickens around our property.


----------



## TXFarmGirl (Apr 21, 2019)

@LlamaGirl4

What do you think? How is your GS doing? Thanks!


----------



## Devonviolet (Apr 21, 2019)

I’m sorry to hear you are losing chickens. How frustrating!!!

We used to free range our chickens, but about three years ago, we put up 4 foot 2x4 welded wire around our side yard, to protect our chickens during the day.  At night, our chickens are in an 8x16x7’ fully enclosed chicken run, with a side door into the 8x8x8’ coop with lots of roost bars.  The run has 2x4 welded sire sides and top, to keep predators out.

We have never lost a chicken to predators. Although, our neighbors (who free ranged) lost all but one chicken to bobcats. 

That being said, we also have two Maremma LGDs, who are with our goats 24/7..... they have worn a path all around the pasture fence, and the coyotes have taken to crossing the hay field, adjacent to our property, about 300 feet away from our property line.  Many nights the dogs can be heard howling, in response to the local coyotes howls. When that happens, they coyotes stop their howling.  Our dogs are saying, “I hear you and you had better stay away! This is MY territory and I’ll tear you apart if you bother my goats!!!”   

While our Violet isn’t safe to be with our birds, she does “guard the sky” and when hawks and buzzards fly overhead, she gets up on the fence and barks. When she does that, they fly away. 

So, as you can see, I am a huge fan of LGDs.  You say you don’t have any fencing up.  Well, try as we might, we have not been able to get perimeter fencing up, since we are older and just don’t have the energy or strength, that we did when we were younger. However, last year, we bought a batch of 16’x52” cattle panels and used them, with lots of T-posts, to build a smaller pasture for our goats. Eventually, if we can get some help, we still plan to stretch permanent fencing, with wood, corner H-posts, for stability. But, for now, combined with our LGDs, our smaller pasture has worked well to give our goats and dogs more room. And as a side benefit our LGDs keep predators away from our chickens, guineas and ducks.

Of course I am not an expert on LGDs, as my only experience is with our Maremma’s and I have never had a GS.  I would think @Southern by choice might be a good person to give a more educated answer, as she has a lot more experience with LGDs and has also raised bigger numbers of chickens with her LGDs.  I think she has also had GS, in the mix. 

I hope you are able to work out a way to keep your chickens safe.


----------



## Blamo'sBestBuddy (Apr 21, 2019)

How about GP?


----------



## Baymule (Apr 21, 2019)

Do not get a dog with no fence to keep it in. It will roam and could go to neighbors, get in trouble, get hit by a car, get shot, killed by a pack of coyotes, and the list goes on. 

Our 8 acres is completely fenced in to keep our animals IN and everyone else’s OUT. It took us awhile, we did it in sections, but finally got it done. 

In the meantime, make your chicken coops predator proof. Everyone likes a chicken dinner. If you make them available, you can’t blame predators for coming to the buffet. How are your coops constructed? What kind of wire? Any openings? How are predators getting in? 

It would be helpful if you could post pictures of your coops and a description. Then we can give you better advice on how to make  them stronger to keep your chickens safe.


----------



## Baymule (Apr 21, 2019)

Blamo'sBestBuddy said:


> How about GP?


There is no fence to keep a dog on its own property. With LGDs a good fence is a must-have. GPS are notorious for claiming everything under their feet, everything they see, and wandering off. One of my own dogs has suddenly decided that he should claim the 1,000 acres behind us, the hundreds of acres in front of us and go check out all the neighbors to each side of us. He even takes the electric shock from the hot wire to jump out. A stronger charger is on the way, I’m going to fry his a$$, smoke his hair and cook his teeth. He’s done made me MAD!


----------



## Devonviolet (Apr 21, 2019)

X2, x3, x4

LGDs NEED fencing!  As I suggested - consider buying some cattle panels to fence LGDs. FYI, cattle panels do not keep chickens in. Dogs, goats and sheep need woven wire. It's stronger. Welded wire is cheaper if money is tight. But it only works for older chickens & doesn't keep baby chicks in. Ask me how I know?  

ETA: we put 2' chicken wire inside 2x4 welded wire, to keep chicks in. By the time they can get over that, they are too big to get through 2x4 wire fence.


----------



## frustratedearthmother (Apr 21, 2019)

Baymule said:


> I’m going to fry his a$$, smoke his hair and cook his teeth. He’s done made me MAD!


If mama ain't happy.... poor Trip!


----------



## B&B Happy goats (Apr 21, 2019)

Baymule said:


> There is no fence to keep a dog on its own property. With LGDs a good fence is a must-have. GPS are notorious for claiming everything under their feet, everything they see, and wandering off. One of my own dogs has suddenly decided that he should claim the 1,000 acres behind us, the hundreds of acres in front of us and go check out all the neighbors to each side of us. He even takes the electric shock from the hot wire to jump out. A stronger charger is on the way, I’m going to fry his a$$, smoke his hair and cook his teeth. He’s done made me MAD!



You still crack me up.....but I'd be pissed if Mel did that tooo...."smoke his hair, cook his teeth "


----------



## Baymule (Apr 21, 2019)

Trip has always jumped interior fences. I was ok with that. He jumped in a pasture, checked everything out, jumped into the next pasture, then jumped out, where he sprawled out in the driveway, King of all he surveyed. Now he wants to go on walk about and that ain’t happening. He is losing his privileges of jumping interior fences, laying in the driveway, sleeping under the porch, sleeping on the porch. When the super charger gets here, he’ll durn sure stay where I put him.


----------



## B&B Happy goats (Apr 21, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Trip has always jumped interior fences. I was ok with that. He jumped in a pasture, checked everything out, jumped into the next pasture, then jumped out, where he sprawled out in the driveway, King of all he surveyed. Now he wants to go on walk about and that ain’t happening. He is losing his privileges of jumping interior fences, laying in the driveway, sleeping under the porch, sleeping on the porch. When the super charger gets here, he’ll durn sure stay where I put him.



Yepper, give Trip a taste of alpha mommy....works every time...gooooo ALPHA


----------



## frustratedearthmother (Apr 21, 2019)

I have a stock panel that's leaning because the stupid goats stood on it so much that a post broke off.  It's still over 4 foot tall and Cowboy sails over it like it's not even there.  But he hasn't breached a perimeter fence since we put up the super duper hot wire.  Now - if he ever figures out that the hot wire doesn't go alllll the way around the perimeter fence we might have a problem.  Hot wire is only across the front of the fence - the other three sides are shockless.   But, this fence will get your attention and only one or two zaps will sure make you remember, lol.(don't ask me how I know...)


----------



## Bunnylady (Apr 21, 2019)

TXFarmGirl said:


> we thought about maybe a GS pup? I grew up with GS and love them. Can we train it to like chickens? Do you think if we got a GS that it would at least bark/scare of the predator and get along with the chickens?



If you get a puppy of any breed, you will have to spend many hours over perhaps a couple of years to teach the dog not to chase/kill the chickens. As for the barking, a dog that barks but can't do anything else will not scare off predators (except maybe the human kind). 

Free ranging chickens are at constant risk; as Baymule said, they are an all-you-can-eat buffet for predators. To keep from feeding the local wildlife, you need structures that are predator proof. Knowing what the predator is helps you to know what you need to protect your flock, but generally, if the birds are disappearing at night, you need coops with sturdy doors that you can lock the birds in every single night.


----------



## Simpleterrier (Apr 21, 2019)

Allot of people over look a good all purpose farm dog. One that is trained to not harm livestock. A lot of people automatically say lgd you need an lgd. I don't need one I have a good farm dog. I've had a few good ones my favorite is an Airedale. I've had both male and female. I would stay away from herding breeds of all types. But some herding with another type work good.


----------



## B&B Happy goats (Apr 21, 2019)

Simpleterrier said:


> Allot of people over look a good all purpose farm dog. One that is trained to not harm livestock. A lot of people automatically say lgd you need an lgd. I don't need one I have a good farm dog. I've had a few good ones my favorite is an Airedale. I've had both male and female. I would stay away from herding breeds of all types. But some herding with another type work good.



I have to agree with you, although we have a LGD ( Latestarters dog Mel)  ...our english / american bulldog is awesome  with the goats, rabbits and chickens. She was not raised with farm animals, it's  just her nature to be gentle with them.
I am sure there are many breeds of dogs that can be brought up to be farm animal friendly.


----------



## TXFarmGirl (Apr 22, 2019)

We were thinking an English shepherd or collie Great Pyrenees mix...


----------



## TXFarmGirl (Apr 22, 2019)

How our property is set, we really just can't put a perimeter fence, it's just not an option...

Do you think if we raise it from a puppy in the barn with the chickens(in its own pen of course), that it would learn that we are its property?


----------



## B&B Happy goats (Apr 22, 2019)

If you are at home full time, willing to spend at least four hours a day working with the dog.....even a LGD takes many hours of human interaction and training and bonding and building trust....
Just putting a puppy in a barn with chickens, will not teach it anything other than chickens may be fun to chase., raising any breed of dog with farm animals is a full time job...without a fence......not something I would choose to tackle.


----------



## Baymule (Apr 22, 2019)

There must be somewhere you could put up a fence. No dog of any breed is going to bond to chickens. I had a chicken killing Great Pyrenees given to me. My coop was predator proof. Over time, she became their protector by default. They were in HER yard, so she kept away predators. It took 2 years before I could let them out and she was ok with them. 

If you think that you can leave a dog at the barn with a bunch of chickens, think again. The dog will want to be with you, or wandering around. While it will know where it lives, it won't be in love with the chickens. 

You would do better to build better coops and runs and make them predator proof.


----------



## B&B Happy goats (Apr 23, 2019)

I am not meaning to sound like a jerk...but the dog is NOT going to solve your problem with your chickies. ..read Baymules post....fix the coop
Get whatever you want if your just looking for a pet puppy.....
If you want a farm dog, you have to put in the work and time to train, bond and build trust.....
Personally,  i would fix the coop like Fort Knox, then fence....somehow
Then get a puppy
But hey, what do I know, ....I have only been around for 67 years and had lots of animals, lol
Good luck to you, whichever  way you decide  to go


----------



## TXFarmGirl (Apr 23, 2019)

Simpleterrier said:


> Allot of people over look a good all purpose farm dog. One that is trained to not harm livestock. A lot of people automatically say lgd you need an lgd. I don't need one I have a good farm dog. I've had a few good ones my favorite is an Airedale. I've had both male and female. I would stay away from herding breeds of all types. But some herding with another type work good.


Thanks you!


----------



## greybeard (Apr 23, 2019)

Yep, you have a fencing problem, and not so much of a predator problem, but the most common poultry predator in East Texas is Barred Owls. They're everywhere. They'll leave a good bit of the chicken carcass, but other vermin will quickly clean up the evidence. Fox, hawks, coyotes, buzzards, and bobcats..even possums and raccoons..they eat whatever the owls leave..

Free range is a great management style but you have to keep in mind, that predators do it far better than anything else and no dog does much against an owl attack....it happens too quickly. They swoop down, day or night, the talons pierce the skin of the poultry immediately and the poultry is dead. Dog may prevent the owl from eating it's prey, but the damage is already done.


----------



## TXFarmGirl (Mar 25, 2020)

Update::: We did end up getting an LGD in November 2019. SHE WAS A GOOD CHOICE! We dreaded the 2 years of trainin, weren’t comfortable getting an adult LGD, were scared of the loses we might suffer from one, but it didn’t go that way. She accidentally killed 1 chicken(yes it was our favorite hen), but the one loss saved the whole flock. We haven’t lost a single chicken to a predator since we’ve had her. She Counts them every night, she checks on them, she is sad for one that has a poopy butt, and she knows when we get new chickens(she doesn’t like newcomers much, but eventually excepts them). Thank you all for all the impit you gave. She is turning out great with a bit of work, and we are working on more every day.


----------



## Baymule (Mar 27, 2020)

That is great news. What about pictures?? LOL


----------

