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

[B&B Happy goats]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[TXFarmGirl]

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]

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]

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]

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