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Dog killing hens

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  • 17-06-2011 10:56am
    #1
    Builderfromhell
    Registered Users Posts: 1,569 ✭✭✭


    Noticed our 6 month old Mutt chasing hens this morning and I shouted at him to stop which he did and then sheepishly walked off. He had got very close to catching one.
    Went out to feed dog and hens later and found one hen dead with blood and feathers around the place. Another hen is missing and I will look for her later.
    Roared at dog and put him in kennels. Fed hens but not dog as punishment.

    Dog eats well and would not have attacked hens for food. Didn't eat carcass anyway. He had been going into hen hutches to steal and eat eggs but I seem to have discouraged this by shouting at him whenever I see him doing that.

    Don't know how to train dog not to attack hens. I like to let hens roam free and eat all the insects etc. I also like to let dog ramble around and follow me when I am gardening etc. But the only solution I can see is to let hens out while dog is locked in kennel and let dog out while hens are locked in Hen area.

    Any ideas on what best to do appreciated.


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    #2
    kildare.17hmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,617 ✭✭✭kildare.17hmr


    radio collar or a choke chain and invest some time in putting a stop to it. he is only young so is the right age to teach


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    #3
    pixbyjohn
    Registered Users Posts: 6,250 ✭✭✭pixbyjohn


    We had the same when we got a new pup last year. Our hens are in a closed off hen run usually where the puppy couldn't get at them. But like yourself we allowed the hens out into the main garden where the puppy chased them around the place. So our solution was to allow the hens out with the pup at times when we were there to keep a watch (approx. 1 hour a dayu ). after about 2 weeks of this the puppy got used to the hens and realisede that it was not acceptable to chase the hens, now the dog and hens roam freely about the place without any bother.


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    #4
    Builderfromhell
    Registered Users Posts: 1,569 ✭✭✭Builderfromhell


    Thanks for that.

    Had been keeping dogs and hens seperately while pup was stealing eggs. When hens were allowed out and pup was out of kennel , I would shout at him every time he went into hen enclosure. This seems to have solved that problem.

    I think I'll keep dog in kennel while hens are roaming around and hens in enclosure while dog is roaming around. When I , or my kids, are outside we can monitor him and discourage him from chasing hens.

    Don't see how a radio collar would work as hens roam around everywhere.


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    #5
    kildare.17hmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,617 ✭✭✭kildare.17hmr


    a radio collar you could shock the dog with if he started chasing the hens, not a radio fence


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    #6
    piperh
    Registered Users Posts: 989 ✭✭✭piperh


    kildare.17hmr wrote: »
    a radio collar you could shock the dog with if he started chasing the hens, not a radio fence

    Completly unacceptable to recommend shocking any animal:eek::eek:

    OP please do not consider this, supervised training should show the pup this is not acceptable.


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    #7
    kildare.17hmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,617 ✭✭✭kildare.17hmr


    piperh wrote: »
    Completly unacceptable to recommend shocking any animal:eek::eek:

    OP please do not consider this, supervised training should show the pup this is not acceptable.
    Unacceptable how?? perfectly legal and effective. not getting into a debate over it but dont say my views are unacceptable just because you do not agree with them


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    #8
    piperh
    Registered Users Posts: 989 ✭✭✭piperh


    kildare.17hmr wrote: »
    Unacceptable how?? perfectly legal and effective. not getting into a debate over it but dont say my views are unacceptable just because you do not agree with them

    Your views are as unacceptable to me as mine are to you. In my opinion it is unacceptable to subject any animal to unnessacary pain or discomfort, there are other training methods that work without doing this. A lot of things are legal but that doesn't always make them right.


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    #9
    kildare.17hmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,617 ✭✭✭kildare.17hmr


    piperh wrote: »
    Your views are as unacceptable to me as mine are to you. In my opinion it is unacceptable to subject any animal to unnessacary pain or discomfort, there are other training methods that work without doing this. A lot of things are legal but that doesn't always make them right.
    You didnt say that in your reply you just said it was unacceptible. thats fine i respect your opinion alto disagree


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    #10
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,024 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    kildare.17hmr wrote: »
    radio collar or a choke chain and invest some time in putting a stop to it. he is only young so is the right age to teach

    I'd be wary of this approach because I'd assume if the dog associates pain/discomfort with the hens he could potentially become agressive towards them? Also shouting is attention from you and could egging him on - I couldn't resist sorry!!! :pac::pac:

    I'd spend some teaching him some self control by teaching him the leave it/take it command. It's a useful command to have for teaching the dog what they can and can't have - leave the hens/washing/my runners/something horrible on the ground/your bandage alone etc Also doing some training him will burn off some energy that he may otherwise use to annoy your poor hens!


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    #11
    Dr. Greenthumb
    Registered Users Posts: 317 ✭✭Dr. Greenthumb


    Snip.


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    #12
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,585 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    Kildare/Piper--I dont think this thread is the place for airing your opinions whether you agree with each other or not.

    Make a new thread and hammer it out there.


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    #13
    kildare.17hmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,617 ✭✭✭kildare.17hmr


    Hellrazer wrote: »
    Kildare/Piper--I dont think this thread is the place for airing your opinions whether you agree with each other or not.

    Make a new thread and hammer it out there.
    I think we have said all we wanted to say so no need


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    #14
    ppink
    Registered Users Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭ppink


    I think you should concentrate on training him positively to ignore the hens. shouting and roaring at him teaches him that you are out of control and that he is ok to go hell for leather when you are not there.

    you could put a long lead on him leaving it trail around behind him.....20ft or so? it will be easy for you to put your foot on it and bring him back to you if he shows interest in the hens. teach him that he benefits from ignoring the hens. Give him treats when he ignores them and stays with you.
    I think it is all about putting in effort. you could go the lazy route of the shock collar and you will end up with a dog afraid of you and afraid to move outside in case he gets a belt. As humans if we are not smarter than a shock collar then I wonder if we should own dogs at all.

    Definately dont leave them out together unsupervised.


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    #15
    !!!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 329 ✭✭!!!


    Slightly off-topic, but not feeding the dog as 'punishment' is animal cruelty.
    He is a dog.


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    #16
    Builderfromhell
    Registered Users Posts: 1,569 ✭✭✭Builderfromhell


    Fed him after I fed hens.
    Agree pointless punishment if I had not fed him for a long time.
    WIll try to train him while he anmd hens are out and about. Until then the hens will be out when he is in and vice versa.

    Don't like putting dogs on leads while I am not there as I have seen where they get all tangled up while owners are away (sister's neighbours house).

    On a a positive note, dog is most likely keeping foxes away.


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    #17
    Wisco
    Registered Users Posts: 637 ✭✭✭Wisco


    !!! wrote: »
    Slightly off-topic, but not feeding the dog as 'punishment' is animal cruelty.
    He is a dog.

    The 'not feeding as punishment' jumped out at me too, but more because any 'punishment' that doesn't IMMEDIATELY follow the bad behaviour won't mean anything to your dog. He won't associate an empty belly at dinnertime with being 'bad' and chasing chickens- dogs simply don't have that sort of mental capacity.
    Chasing things that run away is normal dog behaviour, so like some other posters said, you're better off rewarding the dog when it stays away from the chickens or responds when you call it over if it starts sniffing around the birds.


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    #18
    Discodog
    Registered Users Posts: 15,829 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Builderfromhell wrote: »
    Fed him after I fed hens.
    Agree pointless punishment if I had not fed him for a long time.
    WIll try to train him while he anmd hens are out and about. Until then the hens will be out when he is in and vice versa.

    Don't like putting dogs on leads while I am not there as I have seen where they get all tangled up while owners are away (sister's neighbours house).

    On a a positive note, dog is most likely keeping foxes away.

    You are leaving a very young dog, on it's own, with hens & expecting him not to chase them ?

    Take him to a training class so that you & he can learn together. You need to understand the need for positive reinforcement. When you & the dog have a good relationship going then teach him that hens are not playthings & that he should not chase animals & birds.

    A few evenings now will give you 14 or more years of pleasure as your dog will be well trained for life.


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    #19
    paula w
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭paula w


    As he is still only a pup he needs training. His nature is to hunt. Allow him near the hens as was said earlier keeping him on a lead. Correct him every time you think he is doing what you dont want him to do and reward him when he gets it right. Time & effort on your part and you should succeed.


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    #20
    ISDW
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,378 ✭✭✭ISDW


    !!! wrote: »
    Slightly off-topic, but not feeding the dog as 'punishment' is animal cruelty.
    He is a dog.

    Have to agree that not feeding is completely uneffective, he will not associate being hungry with what he did.

    Please do not use a radio collar on him, as has been pointed out, he may actually become more aggressive to the hens because he will associate them with the pain that he gets from the shock.

    What kind of a dog is he? Some dogs have such a high prey drive that they can never be trusted with small animals or birds.


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    #21
    Builderfromhell
    Registered Users Posts: 1,569 ✭✭✭Builderfromhell


    he's mostly alsation but has some Siderian Huskey and Wolf in him I'm told.

    Was chatting with someone today who told me that once dogs get the taste of blood they can become dangerous around other animals and even babies. This has me concerned.


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    #22
    ISDW
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,378 ✭✭✭ISDW


    Builderfromhell wrote: »
    he's mostly alsation but has some Siderian Huskey and Wolf in him I'm told.

    Was chatting with someone today who told me that once dogs get the taste of blood they can become dangerous around other animals and even babies. This has me concerned.

    OK, if he's got sibe in him, then I don't think you're going to be able to train the prey drive out of him.

    The myth - for that is what it is - about dogs tasting blood and becoming killing machines is absolute nonsense. Plenty of dogs are fed on a raw diet, but don't go around attacking animals and babies.


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    #23
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    ppink wrote: »
    you could put a long lead on him leaving it trail around behind him.....20ft or so? it will be easy for you to put your foot on it and bring him back to you if he shows interest in the hens. teach him that he benefits from ignoring the hens.
    I used an 8m lunge rope for this purpose, although I was never going to train the prey drive out of an Irish Setter:eek: ....worked very quick with collie cross.


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    #24
    Interceptor
    Registered Users Posts: 3,180 ✭✭✭Interceptor


    Tough one. I had 18 hens, three roosters and two dogs (labrador and a basset hound) in a pen together. The dogs and hens shared the same shed for sleeping as well as drinking from common bowls and eating each others poop. I've never had a problem apart from the Basset chasing a chicken once. Once.

    I trained both dogs to SIT and then I put a chicken on their heads and if they tried to move I gave them a STAY command. After twenty minutes of chicken-sitting the dogs didn't want anything to do with the chickens ever again. As for stealing eggs, I put high nest boxes that the dogs can't get into - good luck getting the dog to forget the taste of egg.

    The Basset has recently taken to munching strawberries as well as digging up potatoes and eating them - but thats for a separate thread...

    'cptr


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    #25
    Mo60
    Closed Accounts Posts: 485 ✭✭Mo60


    Interceptor wrote: »
    Tough one. I had 18 hens, three roosters and two dogs (labrador and a basset hound) in a pen together. The dogs and hens shared the same shed for sleeping as well as drinking from common bowls and eating each others poop. I've never had a problem apart from the Basset chasing a chicken once. Once.

    I trained both dogs to SIT and then I put a chicken on their heads and if they tried to move I gave them a STAY command. After twenty minutes of chicken-sitting the dogs didn't want anything to do with the chickens ever again. As for stealing eggs, I put high nest boxes that the dogs can't get into - good luck getting the dog to forget the taste of egg.

    The Basset has recently taken to munching strawberries as well as digging up potatoes and eating them - but thats for a separate thread...

    'cptr

    I am thinking of getting chickens and this reply gave me a smile, a change from some of the strong opinions often given in reply. I have 5 small dogs, so I wonder if this would work for me?
    If you find a solution to the eating of strawberries and vegatables please post as I also have that problem.


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    #26
    hadook
    Registered Users Posts: 792 ✭✭✭hadook


    *Thread has been moderated with a brick*

    Advice advocating cruel and/or unusual punishment isn`t going to be tolerated peoples no matter how well intended. As an owner of both `predator` and `prey` pets I understand how emotive and challenging this can be but srsly keep it clean.


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    #27
    Builderfromhell
    Registered Users Posts: 1,569 ✭✭✭Builderfromhell


    Went out to yard early this morning and saw pup come round corner with small hen in his mouth. I shouted at him and he dropped it. Fortunately it was still alive and ran off.
    Both dogs and hens were out together all night as I had to go away on an emergency.
    Fed hens later and counted one missing. Looked for but could not find body.

    seems the only solution is to lock dog in spacious kennel when hens are out, during the day and lock hens in chicken run when dog is out,

    Would prefer to have been able to train dog and hen to accept each other so they all could enjoy the freedom to run around. Have seen fox a few times in past week and would prefer dog to be about to protect chickens.


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    #28
    The Sweeper
    Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    That's all well and good, but other than shouting at the dog, you've given no indication that you've tried any other solution. No effort, no reason for dog to change his behaviour.

    Roaring at him like a train when he goes for the chickens and you're out isn't training.


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    #29
    dodderangler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    unfortunately this is as we hunting men call 'bloodened'
    basically it means wen a pup such as a german pointer i had was a pup she picked up the scent of a hare and wen we found the hare it was dead an my dog had eaten some of it. since that day he got the taste of blood he only hunted hares instead of bein a good game hunting dog.
    same applys in your situation. he has the taste of hens blood on him and its quite possible now that your dog will no matter wat want to attack and kill a young hen now maybe not wen your around but he will wen your not looking. its horrible to know this but it happens to dogs they are still a predatory carnivore at end of the day


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    #30
    Themadhouse
    Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭Themadhouse


    Would you put a bucket muzzle on your pup That way he can be around the hens while supervised but cannot bite out.


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    #31
    kildare.17hmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,617 ✭✭✭kildare.17hmr


    Themadhouse wrote: »
    Would you put a bucket muzzle on your pup That way he can be around the hens while supervised but cannot bite out.
    if he caught a hen with a muzzle on the hen would most likely still be killed but not as quick, this dog tho young would have big powerful paws and if he is anything like my shepard will use them too


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