Guard Dog for Chickens?

[FarmKat]

Are there any dog breeds that make good chicken guards? We want an outside dog, and figured they could add some extra protection for our flock.

 

[carolinagirl58]

most dogs will not bond with chickens, even good livestock guardian dogs. Many dogs will accept chickens and not bother them though. Many, many different breeds of dogs work for this. It really depends on the dog's personality and how good a job you do training it.

 

[chickenzoo]

I've had good results with my GP's. they guard all my chickens and exotic fowl. They let the geese & swan bite them with out retaliation, let the cranes pounce on them why they are sleeping and share their food with the chickens..... however not all Gp's are good with birds, as with most breeds their are those better than others. Many dogs w/o a huge prey dog can be taught to be good around birds, it depends on temperament and how much time you put into training them.

 

[chicken-whisperer]

Last night Bear our Bernese Mountain dog chased of a raccoon. (He is even more aware than our previous dog, a Golden. He watches TV even with the sound off he will growl at a wild animal on the tube.) My chickens even walk under him through his legs and he very careful not to move until they are clear.

 

[thekid]

Well if you get a German Shepard or Husky as a puppy and introduce them to the flock as soon as you get them they should think of them as family. A beagle would work also.

 

[carolinagirl58]

NOT a husky. They are probably one of the WORST dogs to have around poultry.

 

[RockerHen]

My Anatolian Shepherd, Dakota, is great with my birds

we have a large red fox population where we live, and they don't dare visit my flock when Kota is around

they share scraps with him sometimes. He makes my big RIRs look like bantams though!

no wonder, he's 140 pounds!

 

[shelleyd2008]

My Rat Terrier thinks all the birds are hers and goes nuts barking and running to see what's up when any of them make an odd sound. She's pretty comical, only being about 10#, but at least she tries

She has never even offered to try to 'get' one of the birds and used to sleep with our guinea pigs....best dog I've ever had

This is an old pic of her (last spring around 5 months old) but I can't seem to find her new ones right now.

And here she is in the guinea pigs' cage with an egg laid by the silkie

Oh, here's the newer pic! It was in the 'puppies' album thanks to her 'oops' babies last winter