The new puppy and the chickens.

[hippywife]

No pics at the moment but we've been wondering how she would do with the chickens if we let them out to range again. Before we got her we were hoping that if we got a pup and raised her with them, she would just grow up with them around and leave them alone.

She's not quite four months now and has always been fast on hubs heels when he goes out to feed them, clean their pen, and gather eggs. She sits outside the fence and takes it all in. She's come nose to beak with some of them through the fence, and more than once got it pecked when she stuck it through the fence to get a piece of whatever he's feeding them. LOL

This weekend we decided to let one of them out. It was Rambo since she has never been intimidated by our older dog and would even follow her around. The new pup kind of nosed around after her as she ranged around until Rambo finally turned around and flared all of her feathers out and raised her wings in the air. Scared the pup to the point that she got up on the steps to hide behind me. So we let the others out of the pen, too.

She seems to understand that they are sort of pets around here, too. And because she's part border collie has even helped round them back up when it's been time to go back into the pen, and sometimes even when it's not. LOL

I'm so glad that's worked out and we don't have to worry about her attacking them. :D

[beac]

1. hippywife, that is one ODD-looking chicken!

:rofl:


But seriously, it's so nice when all the creatures get along. We are STILL trying to teach our puppy that when our mature feline bats him in the face it is NOT an invitation to play poke-the-cat-with-your-nose. :)

[hippywife]

2. LOL!

:rofl:


Yeah that was a lesson she had to learn here, too, with the two kitties in the house. They were so relieved to see her get big enough to go outside and stay there. ;)

[wildeyed]

3. Glad it is working out.

Our BC mix is doing well with the chickens. At first he was overly interested in them, although not in a violent way. He really, really wanted to sniff and lick them and they did not enjoy that at all. Recently he seems to accept them as just another pack member. Wouldn't let him out with them alone, but if I had to wager, I think he would be ok.

[hippywife]

4. When we first let them out to free range

a couple of years ago, our adult dog had even gotten the idea by then that they were not for her to eat. She pretty much totally avoided them and has ever since. She's a black lab mix of some kind or another.

You might try it with just one of them when you can be out there with her to stay close and direct him if he tries to get to rowdy with her. He might just surprise you if you are already feeling confident about it. It's a gamble but if they've seen you caring for them, they seem to do okay.

[elleng]

5. Thanks for the great image, hw!

'Border' herding chicks!!! LOVE it!

[bvar22]

6. Beautiful Pup.

We're still waiting for our Pup to find us.
We need a good Porch Dog to keep away the varmints and deer,
but one that leaves the chickens alone.

Border Collie/Lab looks like a good mix.
I am reassured by your post.
Thanks!
:hi:

[hippywife]

7. She's really something of a goober. LOL!

I was watching her tonight laying in front of the chicken pen trying to stick her nose in and get something. Any time one of the braver chickens rushed the fence, she ran away. :rofl:

I mean look at this face and tell me it doesn't have goober written all over it!

[hippywife]

8. Here are some pics

but the chicken is actually chasing the puppy in the last two. Tippy just wanted to play with her but she wasn't having any of it. :rofl:

[wildeyed]

9. Yep, total goober.

:loveya:

[hippywife]

10. See, I told you! LOL

Total freakin' goofball with waaaaaay too much energy. :rofl:

[LWolf]

11. My dog has lived her whole life with free-ranging chickens, without a problem.

She's an aussie.

When I brought her home, the chickens were bigger than she was, which helped. It also helped that I didn't let her loose with them for awhile; always on leash in case a correction was needed.

By the time she was 5 months old, she was loose with them all the time. She sometimes bathed them, if they allowed it, but never, ever, got aggressive or laid a tooth on them.

When I moved out of state (she was 2) and got a bunch of day-old chicks, we went back to "on leash" for visits to the hen house; the chicks were contained until they were fully feathered, and she was leashed when they were small enough to inhale.

I've had a broody hen hatch out chicks every summer since then, and she's never bothered any of them. They show no fear of her, and she generally ignores them.

I think the herding instinct helps them recognize them as "herd" and not "toy" or "prey." My aussie sure knows the difference. She'll never chase a chicken, or horse, or sheep, or cat; they are part of our "herd." Let her spot a rabbit, or a flock of quail, though....