Dogs and Turkey Vultures

[Sweetest]

We have three dogs...one pure lab, two lab mixes (rescue...we thing one is lab-hound and the other is lab-pit or lab-cattle dog). The pure lab has snapped at the chicks already. The lab-hound is afraid of them...but also afraid of the dark, rain, sunny days, days that end in y... The lab-pit/cattle dog is interested in them, and he licks his chops when we hold some chicks for him to smell. But I don't think he'd hurt them. I once found a kitten in a ditch and brought it home with me. He took it out of the box on the porch and dropped it at soon as it meowed.

My issue is...it's in our dogs' nature to retrieve. They are bird dogs. How do we go about fighting their natural instinct to pick these birds up? I'm afraid our pure lab might be the one to kill a chicken...she's killed rabbits before, and once she gets her jaws on something, you can't get it out. We want them to be able to co-exist. Now, I'm not worried if our chickens gang up on our dogs at some point. The dogs can take care of themselves, and they're bright enough to run away from trouble. But they're also dumb enough to try to eat our other pets.

Our chicks are still in a crate right now inside. When is a good time to introduce them, and how should I go about it? I've let the dogs smell the chickens and ducks, but I've never let a chicken just run loose and see what a dog does with it. I'm afraid to!




Also, a side question. We woke up this morning and our neighbors yard had about ten turkey vultures in it. They looked HUGE. Eventually, two of them flew over our house and we could see that they were, indeed, turkey vultures (we had thought possible hawks or eagles at first). Will these birds, which I know are not pets, pester our chickens outside? We intend to make the coop as predator-proof as possible. But when we're out there with them and they're free-ranging, are the turkey vultures something we should worry about (if they're still hanging around)?

 

[shmccarthy]

I have 2 labs. One being a pure lab, male, he is 2.5 years old. The other was a rescue, she is half whippet, 7 years and afraid of her own shadow. She doesn't go near the chickens because they are bigger than her. The other lab however, thinks they're the best thing since dog biscuits. He really likes chasing them and licks them if he catches up to them. I don't think he'd hurt them, because he's got an extremely gentle disposition, but because of his instincts, I don't leave him alone with them. It's entirely up to you if you want to train your dogs and trust them enough to let them be with the chickens. I'm still training mine, he's really good with the babies but he always wants to chase the adults. You know your dogs disposition better than anyone and whether or not they can be trusted, but being retrievers, I wouldn't chance it.
My lab cried once when he stepped on a fly, he's a real sweetie, but it's in his blood to retrieve birds.

As for the turkey vultures go, it's kinda an iffy thing.. Living in boonieville Michigan, I see them a lot. They are mainly, not only, scavengers. It is their preference to eat carrion. But, if they are hungry enough, they will go after live animals, and if chickens are available, I don't see why they wouldn't go after one. I've only had one land in my yard and I chased it off. They're definitely big enough and strong enough to kill a chicken, and I would definitely keep a tab on them, just in case.