Pros & Cons of raising a few chickens...
I live in a village up here in New York State on the Vermont border. Herself is thinking about raising a few chickens...three or four she says. She,( me ), plans on buying one of those small chicken hotels from Tractor Supply.
I know nothing about chicken except they taste good. She's looking for eggs and meat.
What do I need to know. Should I try and talk her out of this?
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I have had red tailed hawks here for ever. Every thing was fine until one day one decided chicken made great dinner. It never did that again....
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David Nunn: 31515665909787/comments/31515652857243
https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/comment/11258042#Comment_11258042
Is a Golden Retriever a bird dog? If so, ours puts the lie to your statement about bird dogs. Ben is the gentlest, most humble and unassuming dog I have ever seen. He thinks anyone should be his friend, and any animal should be his playmate.
Chickens Home The Daily Wag! Behavior Why Dogs Kill Chickens Unusual Concerning Find a Trainer Introduction Chickens are becoming increasingly popular, not only on farms or ranches, but even in some cities. The allure of farm-fresh eggs every morning, especially when the cost of eggs is on the rise, is enough that some people would rather pay for the whole bird than the eggs. But having chickens in your back yard isn’t always a good thing. Everyone knows that foxes kill chickens. But some dogs may chase down chickens as well. Having a dog that goes after chickens can become problematic, especially if your dog accidentally (or intentionally) kills someone else's chickens. Why do dogs kill chickens? The Root of the Behavior If you have a ranch or farm and you own livestock, you’re probably well aware of the threat of nearby predators, from foxes to coyotes, and even wolves in some areas. You’ve probably taken precautions to try to secure your animals and have a pretty good idea about potential threats. But what some people don’t expect is their own dog going after their livestock, chickens included. Most dogs don’t want to kill chickens, they just want to chase and play. But chickens may break their necks or have a heart attack if they’re trying to run away and can't find a safe place. And, even if the chicken is unharmed, the stress might cause the chicken’s egg-laying routine to change or discontinue for a few days. So, whether or not you’re the owner of the dog or the bird or both, you don’t want this situation to cause problems for anyone involved. Domesticated dogs might be different than their wild cousins in a lot of ways, but even pet dogs are still carnivores. Many retain instincts they were bred for, even after hundreds of years of breed selection. Dogs bred to chase or hunt, including many terriers, some sighthounds, Greyhounds, Weimaraners, Huskies, and a few others may have a higher “prey” drive than other breeds. Some herding type or ranch dogs, including some kinds of shepherds, should normally leave most livestock alone. For example, Schnauzers, Boxers, Golden Retrievers, and Labs are some breeds that tend to be gentle around chickens and other small critters and are a good choice to have on a farm. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean all terriers will kill chickens, or that all shepherds will leave them alone. It can depend on your dog’s specific temperament. As a general rule, it’s always a good idea to monitor your dog closely around small livestock and to keep your animals protected by fences and kennels. Encouraging the Behavior So what can you do if your dog kills chickens? If they’re your chickens, you should monitor your dog at all times. If your chickens are “free range,” it’s probably best to keep your dog inside or contained in a run, kennel, or leashed or tethered in your yard out of reach of other critters. If you keep your dog confined, make sure you’re letting your dog out to get plenty of exercise. If you catch your dog killing a chicken, separate your dog immediately. Don’t punish your dog, they won’t understand why they’re being punished for doing what they were meant to do. A dog who has attacked or killed a chicken isn’t irredeemable. You can contact a trainer or behaviorist to help rein in your dog’s instinct to hunt. Keeping your dog trained, exercised, and engaged is a good way to keep them away from unwanted activities. You should consult a trainer, preferably one that can come to you, for advice on socializing a dog to be around chickens and other livestock. If the chickens are not yours, and your dog has killed someone else’s animals, you should keep your dog separated and contained to your yard or home. Prevention is the best deterrent. Ensuring that your yard is fenced, or you have a safe place to put your dog, like a dog run or a large kennel, is important. Don’t rely on your dog’s good manners. Train and socialize your dog around other animals, as many as possible, to avoid complicated situations and potentially legal and financial consequences. Other Solutions and Considerations You should always be aware of your rights in your city or county. If your dog is the one killing another person’s chickens, you may face legal consequences. As your dog’s owner, if they kill someone else’s animal, you’re financially and legally responsible. Not to mention, many ranchers or farmers are understandably protective of their livestock, and your dog may be hurt or killed. If your livestock are the ones being attacked, there are ways you can stop the situation without punishing the dog for being a dog. It’s not their fault for wanting to chase chickens, it’s something deeply inherent in dogs since they were used for hunting, chasing, and killing other prey. You can always ask your local animal control or police/sheriff station for information about your rights as dog owner or chicken owner, and the laws applicable in your area. Conclusion Some dogs, just like their wild cousins, may think that chickens or ducks, and even sometimes larger livestock like goats or cattle, are closer to their intended diet than kibble is. But a dog who kills another animal is doing what they were bred for. Proper training, socialization, and common sense are important to keep your dog and you safe from unfortunate accidents and legal trouble. author-img Written by a Border Collie lover Charlotte Perez Published: 03/12/2018, edited: 01/30/2020 More articles by Charlotte Perez Why Dogs Don't Like Cat Food Why Do Dogs Make Noise In Their Sleep Why Dogs Don't like It When You Blow in Their Ear What do you think? Meet Local Walkers Book my walk Book my walk Help Center Download the Wag! app About Wag! Trust and Safety Community Guidelines Wag! Partners Press Blog Careers Become a Dog Walker Top Wag! cities San Francisco Los Angeles Chicago New York Atlanta Washington D.C. Dallas Miami Philadelphia Resources Dog Health Dog Training Dog Grooming Dog Breeds Dog Names Dog Activities Dog Senses Dog Behavior Lifestyles Dog Beaches Dog Campgrounds Dog Parks Dog Trails Security Responsible Disclosure © 2020 Wag Labs, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy policy CA Privacy Terms & conditions Accesibility Why Dogs Kill Chickens Ask a Trainer
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select-fire, I cannot explain or excuse how other dogs behave. All I can tell you is that our dogs don't bother our chickens, and our chickens are not afraid of our dogs.
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My nearby SIL wanted chickens. While they were still laying, the eggs were indeed much better than store-bought.
That is the only "Pro" thing I could see about them. The "Cons" were numerous, expensive, and disgusting.
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Unless taught better most dogs are going to chase and kill chickens. Dogs are dogs. Like Nunn's dogs that are kept in the house and pay close attention to their masters some will leave chickens, or what ever, alone when they are introduced to the pack environment. My dog will chase and tree cats, but it leaves my DIL's cat alone when he is there. I won't shoot a dog for getting into my chickens (when I had chickens) but I will go to the owner for reimbursement and an understanding they need to keep their dog away. Chronic issues can take a different approach. I had a neighbor shoot a couple of my beagles for bothering their chickens. I didn't even know they had started raising chickens. Had they told me the dogs were a problem I would have paid them for any damages and dealt with keeping the dogs away from there. I lived on a farm and would turn them loose a couple of times a week to run rabbits, seems they found some chickens on a neighboring farm. Probably came across them in the woods between us and followed them to the barn yard as they didn't make a habit out of going that far.
When I raised chickens I raised for butchering and eggs. Just hobby raising for eggs is a lot of efforts for little return, but it's fun if you have the time and inclination.
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When I did raise chickens, I ate enough eggs to last me a lifetime!
I still like them but you can eat too many. I also remember that I had run out of cartons and went to the local feed store to buy some. Picked up a stack of them at a cost of 50 cents each. Went across the road to the big grocery store and found Grade A Large eggs selling for 50 cents a dozen and that included the carton!!!! 😓
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wife let "her " chickens out into the yard a couple days ago 1st day its been some what nice sunny and about 40 . any way we let them run the yard most of the time . but come closing time one was missing "whirly twirling" most have names by the way . it was a "star gazer" we got in a bunch last fall . there born with a twisted neck and look like there staring at the sky all the time tended to walk in some what circles but managed OK well up to two days ago ..
not sure what got her no sign of feathers or struggle possible a yote sneaked in or attack by air as we have hawks that visit also
I pick up another dozen eggs earlier also been running a dozen +/- one a day , for me unless they start laying gold eggs I would still prefer to buy eggs over having chickens as far as store bought or country eggs there is enough road signs around us with eggs for sale .
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Some good advice here.
I stopped with the chickens because it was too much of a pain to take care of them in the frozen winter. I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark and I got sick of dealing with frozen water and chicken chores when it is zero degrees in the dark.
Stray dogs killed the last ones I had.
When I retire I will have them again.
Get rhode island reds, you won't regret it.
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Freezing water was a problem until I bought one of those electric plug in water tanks from our local Family Farm & Home store. Cost about 40 bucks and had no more problems even in sub zero temps.
I ended up with quite a bit of chicken raising equipment along with a very well built coop that would hold a dozen birds or so. When my last bird went to the neighbor, I gave all my stuff to my oldest son who bought a mini farm.
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