Chickens & Dogs

COCK-A-DOODLE – WOOF… WOOF!

Can dogs and chickens coexist together?

Backyard chickens are becoming popular pets from coast to coast. People keep chickens in Chicago, Seattle, Missoula, Montana and even New York City! And now certain residents of Chatham County whose property qualifies under the new guidelines will be able to do so as well… and there lies the potential problem. Can dogs and chickens cohabitate in peace?

Chickens are a great addition to organic gardens because they kill slugs with glee, produce tons of nitrogen rich manure and lay delicious eggs.

Training a dog to coexist with chickens isn’t as easy as it appears on those TV programs where one sees a dog just laying in the yard with these little critters clucking and pecking around them. It takes time and patience.

Even livestock guardian dogs are prone to eating chickens. Without proper training, you’ll most likely discover that everything goes fine for months, so you let your guard down a little, and in just a few minutes time, your flock has been reduced to a pair of jittery, terrified looking pullets.

Teaching the “Leave It” command is essential. This is usually taught in increments (called shaping), where the dog learns to not only leave things alone they are not supposed to have, but also to walk away from it! With consistent practice, repetition and rewards for leaving something alone, the dog will eventually learn that Leave It means “you can’t have it”, and “you’ll be rewarded for leaving it alone”! “Leave It” is one of the basic cues taught in all of PetSmart’s basic puppy and beginner training classes, and is relatively easy to train a dog to do. On the other hand, trying to train a dog that has had no basic obedience training to “leave chickens alone”, would be like trying to train a cat to leave a mouse alone, and will most likely fail! Chickens are fast moving little critters, which most likely will stimulate a dog’s prey drive and will have them chasing it like a cat pursuing a mouse. With basic obedience training, a dog will learn to look at the person issuing the Leave It instruction as a leader, and one that needs to be listened to and obeyed.

After teaching a solid leave it to your dog, you’ll need to introduce the two species properly, and go to work on desensitizing your dog to not be over stimulated and seeing your chickens as prey, or even worse, as dinner!

How to Introduce a Dog to Pet Chickens

Instructions

1. Build a secure coop and an enclosed outdoor run for the chickens, which is important before you introduce your family dog to them. Simple chicken coop plans are available online at organicgardening.com. You can also purchase a coop from a feed store or online.
2. Make it clear to the dog that you like the chickens and they are part of the family; this is key to training a dog to live with chickens. On the first day of the introduction, release your chickens into their secure run. Then, put your dog on a short lead and walk him over to the run area. Allow your dog to sniff around the coop and enclosed run and to investigate the chickens through the fencing. If your dog lunges or barks at the chicken, use your “Leave It” cue, and immediately walk the dog away. Repeat this step twice a day for three to five days.
3. Allow the dog to investigate the chickens (still safely enclosed in their run) off leash. Supervise the dog closely and do not allow her to bark, growl or lunge at the birds. Praise the dog profusely when she acts calmly around the birds and give her a treat (or two). Repeat this step twice a day for an additional three to five days, or until the dog displays consistent calm behavior around the chickens.
4. After a week to ten days of separated introduction, it is time to allow your dog to get up close and personal with your chickens. Invite a spouse, family member or neighbor to help with this step. Put your dog on a short lead and take him out to the coop. Have another person hold the dog while you pick up a chicken. Pet and talk to the chicken in calm, gentle tones for a few minutes while your dog observes.
5. Using a calm voice, invite your leashed dog to approach the chicken and sniff the bird while you are holding it. Again, do not allow the dog to act aggressively towards the chicken (and be prepared to move if he does so). Heap praise on your dog and give him a treat if he investigates the bird gently. Then, walk a few feet away from the dog, put the chicken down and let your dog observe the bird wander around the yard for 5 minutes or so. Repeat this leashed interaction twice a day for 5 days or until the dog displays consistent calm behavior around the chickens.
6. Once you feel confident that your dog understands you love the chickens (and her), you can try letting the dog interact with the chickens off leash. Stay close to your dog and keep a leash handy. Praise the dog for interacting positively with the chickens and pet her occasionally so she doesn’t feel jealous. If the dog aggressively approaches or barks at a chicken, reprimand her with a firm “Leave It” Repeat these supervised encounters daily until you feel comfortable leaving the dog and chickens out together unattended.