Feeling Very Guilty...Need Advice

[lbgreenfield]

Congrats on your growing family! There's no need to feel guilty; you can have the dog and the chickens as long as you're careful. We let our girls in the yard with our 3 dogs as long as we are there to supervise. The first few weeks were tough; we were like the chicken's personal body guards -- dogs got a harsh NO! if they got too interested in the chickens. We used old baby gates to keep them separated until the newness wore off. Now, we let everybody roam the yard together (as long as we're there) and they mostly ignore each other. BUT the dogs either stay crated or the girls stay in their pen if we're not there to supervise. Even now one of the dogs will occasionally run after them for no reason, so I can't imagine ever leaving them alone together.

Thanks for the encouragement I have been keeping the dog inside while the chickens are out and vice-versa. He’s gotten a little better on a leash, and I’ve been using a strong AH AH NO when he looks at the chickens. It seems to be working. I somehow was able to find a trainer that will start working with Meatball (and me!) sooner than expected, so I’m hoping that helps too!

 

[Finally chickens!]

We had a radio fence for our VERY prey-oriented adopted pitbull as we live by a busy highway. When I finally got chickens, I moved her boundary so she couldn't get close to the run and resolved that the chickens would not free range. Sadly, we lost Ruby a few months later to a spine disease. We now have an adopted rat terrier who thinks she is a chicken.
If you feel you must free range your chickens, I think it might be more fair to the dog to return her and give her a chance for a happier home.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Have you tried a Thunder Coat for the anxiety?

One has been ordered from Amazon My family dog wore one and it really helped with his anxiety, so I’m hoping it helps my dog too.

 

[lbgreenfield]

We had a radio fence for our VERY prey-oriented adopted pitbull as we live by a busy highway. When I finally got chickens, I moved her boundary so she couldn't get close to the run and resolved that the chickens would not free range. Sadly, we lost Ruby a few months later to a spine disease. We now have an adopted rat terrier who thinks she is a chicken.
If you feel you must free range your chickens, I think it might be more fair to the dog to return her and give her a chance for a happier home.

Sorry to hear about Ruby. And that’s funny about your rat terrier who thinks she is a chicken. I’m going to try and work with him to tolerate being around the chickens on a lead (look but can’t touch). I know my chickens will be fine if we don’t free range them ever again as they have a very large coop and run, with lots of things to do to pass time (log jungle gym, dirt bath beach area, grass clippings, fruit/veg scraps, etc)
I think it’s harder for me to see them moping around the pen every day!! I have been able to free range them for an hour or two every evening once my husband gets home from work. Making it work as best we can!

 

[CFair]

Hello all. This is slightly embarrassing for me and a long read. We have a current flock of 11 chickens (Five 2.5-year old hens and six 12-week old chicks). I am the primary caretaker of all of them, and I am very, very attached to my chickens and they are attached to me. My husband jokes that he thinks I love the chickens more than I love him sometimes.

We’ve been debating rescuing a shelter dog for almost 5 years now and we finally adopted a 3-year old border collie/pit bull mix who comes from an abusive home. We have had him for about 5 days now. The dog pound didn’t know much about his background. He’s a surprisingly good dog despite his upbringing (friendly towards people, is semi-house trained) but as we’ve come to find out over the past few days, he has a very strong prey drive when it comes to any animal (rabbits especially). We’ve done a very controlled (fully leashed) distanced introduction with the dog/chickens and the dog has lunged and pulled to get closer.

We are keeping the chickens in their run/coop for the time being and I am feeling INCREDIBLY guilty about it. The chickens are used to free ranging during the evenings and have been vocally complaining, making crying sounds, moping around the pen/coop. I feel so horrible and have been trying to spend as much time in the pen as possible but it has been difficult with the new dog (husband works a lot and I’m the primary care taker of the dog while working from home FT). It is making me so emotional and sad and almost resentful towards the dog. Am I being crazy? Over analyzing every move the dog makes? I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to my chickens because of the dog. Just looking for some advice from others on this...

You are not crazy! Just an animal lover like so many! My girls are sooo spoiled. They all just had a spa day! Lol. I have a boxer that is such an angel with all of them, she herds them and worries about them. She's been around them since they were two days old and I think that's a big part of it although I don't think she would ever hurt them or any other chicken for that matter. But I have a good friend that just rescued a pitbull and she spent a few days at an overnight daycare in a farm who also raises chickens and roosters and unfortunately her pity got a hold of one of the roosters. The owner said that she was not super aggressive, but she did play pretty hard with it and it died very quickly. Maybe try keeping the dog inside each day for an hour or so so your girls can get out and do their thing and everybody will be happy.

 

[lbgreenfield]

You are not crazy! Just an animal lover like so many! My girls are sooo spoiled. They all just had a spa day! Lol. I have a boxer that is such an angel with all of them, she herds them and worries about them. She's been around them since they were two days old and I think that's a big part of it although I don't think she would ever hurt them or any other chicken for that matter. But I have a good friend that just rescued a pitbull and she spent a few days at an overnight daycare in a farm who also raises chickens and roosters and unfortunately her pity got a hold of one of the roosters. The owner said that she was not super aggressive, but she did play pretty hard with it and it died very quickly. Maybe try keeping the dog inside each day for an hour or so so your girls can get out and do their thing and everybody will be happy.

Aw thank you! So many encouraging and supportive people on BYC. We’ve been giving the girls some free range time in the evenings when Meatball is in the house. The girls got lucky tonight, they got let out right after a rainstorm so it was a worm feast for them tonight!

 

[jsmeureka]

After my red heeler killed one, scolded her & a little correction..she went out w a dog collar w a small chain hanging down to keep her from running. I took her back around the chickens sum. 2 or 3 wks passed & I let her off that. That was 7? yrs ago. Smooth sailing. & the new little beagle type..here 6 yrs no problem ever. He's a squirrel, mouse, vole, frog, lizard...killa

 

[Sueg4332]

Hello all. This is slightly embarrassing for me and a long read. We have a current flock of 11 chickens (Five 2.5-year old hens and six 12-week old chicks). I am the primary caretaker of all of them, and I am very, very attached to my chickens and they are attached to me. My husband jokes that he thinks I love the chickens more than I love him sometimes.

We’ve been debating rescuing a shelter dog for almost 5 years now and we finally adopted a 3-year old border collie/pit bull mix who comes from an abusive home. We have had him for about 5 days now. The dog pound didn’t know much about his background. He’s a surprisingly good dog despite his upbringing (friendly towards people, is semi-house trained) but as we’ve come to find out over the past few days, he has a very strong prey drive when it comes to any animal (rabbits especially). We’ve done a very controlled (fully leashed) distanced introduction with the dog/chickens and the dog has lunged and pulled to get closer.

We are keeping the chickens in their run/coop for the time being and I am feeling INCREDIBLY guilty about it. The chickens are used to free ranging during the evenings and have been vocally complaining, making crying sounds, moping around the pen/coop. I feel so horrible and have been trying to spend as much time in the pen as possible but it has been difficult with the new dog (husband works a lot and I’m the primary care taker of the dog while working from home FT). It is making me so emotional and sad and almost resentful towards the dog. Am I being crazy? Over analyzing every move the dog makes? I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to my chickens because of the dog. Just looking for some advice from others on this...

 

[baah]

Certain breeds just do not do well with chickens, but all the same, good training can make all the difference. I have a BC, bulldog/boxer mix & Chiweenie. All are secondhand dogs. There are also goats, sheep, & cows, as well as chickens, but the dogs don’t bother any of them unless I ‘turn them on’ verbally to help me move them or separate somebody out. If you want to fix the separation anxiety in the dog, get him a buddy & try to choose a breed that will be less hyped around the birds. Your BC/pit (BTW, that’s a hyped up crossbreed!) clearly needs a job...ALL BCs need a J-O-B to be happiest. He needs something to DO. A buddy could help make him feel more secure (most dogs are social), but make sure the easy things are taken care of too. Is he neutered? Take him to basic obedience school. This will bond the 2 of you & give you both something to work on. Instead of feeling guilty, work on his behavior...lunging at anything unless asked to is misbehavior & needs to be corrected. Calmly, patiently, consistently. Even amped up purebred BCs can be voice trained to ‘turn off’ and not herd. Put in some work with him now & it will pay off later. And some canine company may help as well.

 

[Sueg4332]

I've more pit bull dogs eat though the chain link s pens and kill chickens. Once a pit and a chihuahua mute killed 26 chickens just for fun. The chihuahua carried afull grown chicken home with him.. My neighbor saw them... Get rid of the dog....