Introducing Border Collie to chickens questions

[ohiosteve]

Out of the past 10 years my daughter and I have had chickens for 8. A couple years ago we had a pack of wild dogs come in the night while our dogs where in the house and we lost all of our chickens (only 6 or 7 at the time). Fast forward to today we just brought home a dozen chicks and they are in our starter pen.........BUT, we now have a 5 year old border collie we adopted from the dog pound and she is very hateful of small animals, I've watched her kill a few groundhogs and I'm looking for tips to help Claire get along with the chickens. When we brought the chicks home today she wanted to eat them bad. I know Claire is extremely smart. We had chickens that were 100% free range for close to a decade and I'd like to keep that going. We'd appreciate any advice. Thanks.

 

[ohiosteve]

You might be a redneck if you have chickens in your house. Guilty. It's still really cold here so we put our chicks in the basement where we used to keep firewood. Claire sure is interested in those chicks.

 

[Mountain_Fork]

I don't know
She may lose interest after she gets acquainted
You can tell them no
You can teach them not to and they'll understand they're not supposed to
But if they have a big interest in catching them and you're not around I don't think it'll work
Mine will not work cattle when I tell them they'll do and they quit, but I sure wouldn't leave them alone with cattle around
And that may be your biggest problem is her herding them

 

[ohiosteve]

I know what you're saying. It could go either way. The good thing is that in this cold weather the dog beds are in the basement real close to where the chicks are. I'm hoping she gets used to them gradually, the test will be when they are outside roaming and no one is home. I've never been around a BC before Claire, but I'm amazed at how smart she is. You really can see it in her eyes. I'm sure hoping to make this work out, I'm getting sick of buying eggs.

 

[cow pollinater]

All of my dogs are chicken broke. It's really easy. You just say "NO" when they get after chickens. My border collies won't touch a chicken after that. My catahoulas and queensalands will still touch chickens but they feel really bad and that's close enough. :lol:

 

[Howdyjabo]

Never let her stare at them. Keep her on a leash and when she looks at them pop the leash till she leaves them and comes to you.
Do not pen them where she can see them. If shes staring shes hunting.
As she gets older you may be able to trust her on her own with the chickens, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[Mountain_Fork]

I know what you're saying. It could go either way. The good thing is that in this cold weather the dog beds are in the basement real close to where the chicks are. I'm hoping she gets used to them gradually, the test will be when they are outside roaming and no one is home. I've never been around a BC before Claire, but I'm amazed at how smart she is. You really can see it in her eyes. I'm sure hoping to make this work out, I'm getting sick of buying eggs.

I've got one that's smarter than most kids and knows he not supposed to do something and I've watched him from the window looking for me and thinking I'm not around and he'll take off. I can step out the door and not say a word and he'll peel off like he wasn't doing anything.
They are just like young kids, they have the mind of about an 6-8 yr old boy

 

[branguscowgirl]

Ohiosteve, I can't really say anything that has not already been said. All good advice. I have dogs and chickens together also. She is just real curious about something new in the house right now, but she is smart. Just read her body language and tell her "NO" when she starts licking her lips! :shock:
All kidding a side, supervision and training is also what worked for my dogs. I would not 100% trust any dog when I am gone. I am afraid if they got bored enough, they might grab one. Usually more of a problem if more than one dog. (Tug of war,) If you know what I mean. (But my dogs come in if I am not home.) It is much easier when the chicks get big and not so fragile. Agree that it could go either way. Good luck!
BTW- I have chickens in my house all the time for one reason or another! Lol Guess I qualify as "a Redneck also"! :cowboy: But there are a lot of folks on here that bring calves in too........so guess we all are!

 

[ohiosteve]

Clearly you guys know your border collies. I'm just hoping to make this work out because Claire is such a good dog. She's had a tough life, she was picked up in Amish country and she's missing many teeth that look like they were knocked out. She was on the kill list at the dog pound but since we brought her home she has had free roam and has never left our place even when we've been gone for several days. I will whip her if she gets after a chicken but I'm hoping my stern word will be enough. I think she knows I mean business. I appreciate all the advice.

 

[highgrit]

I use a shock collar to train dogs. It will break them from most things I have found. The dumb and tuff ones take a few times and they quit.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Clearly you guys know your border collies. I'm just hoping to make this work out because Claire is such a good dog. She's had a tough life, she was picked up in Amish country and she's missing many teeth that look like they were knocked out. She was on the kill list at the dog pound but since we brought her home she has had free roam and has never left our place even when we've been gone for several days. I will whip her if she gets after a chicken but I'm hoping my stern word will be enough. I think she knows I mean business. I appreciate all the advice.

The trick is supervision, and never let her get the taste of blood from one. Once she learns that they are part of the family, she may be just fine. You should not have to ever "whip her". Dogs can be trained without whipping. But that's a whole other subject that I won't open up. :frowns:

 

[Howdyjabo]

Lay the ground work without whipping. Latter when She ignores you and charges to get one in her mouth after she knows its not what you want a thorough whipping goes a long way.Much better than nagging her to leave them alone constantly.

 

[Mountain_Fork]

Clearly you guys know your border collies. I'm just hoping to make this work out because Claire is such a good dog. She's had a tough life, she was picked up in Amish country and she's missing many teeth that look like they were knocked out. She was on the kill list at the dog pound but since we brought her home she has had free roam and has never left our place even when we've been gone for several days. I will whip her if she gets after a chicken but I'm hoping my stern word will be enough. I think she knows I mean business. I appreciate all the advice.

Most times with border collies all you need is verbal scolding
The next reprimand would be to grab them on the cheek with you forefinger and thumb and scold them good
The highest end would be grab by the scruff of the neck and a quick shake and scolding
Anything more isn't going to be anymore affective and pain is not a factor to them.
A dog naturally wants to please and a scolding hurts them and your disapproval of them hurts them the most
I have one that gets his feelings hurt pretty easy and another that never takes it personal
So it depends on the dog as to what level to need

Edit
As Howdyjabo said what makes sense to us doesn't always click with a dog
You have to catch them in the act so they understand what they're doing wrong
You can't find a dead chicken and whoop the dog and they understand that is the reason for the whooping

 

[branguscowgirl]

Clearly you guys know your border collies. I'm just hoping to make this work out because Claire is such a good dog. She's had a tough life, she was picked up in Amish country and she's missing many teeth that look like they were knocked out. She was on the kill list at the dog pound but since we brought her home she has had free roam and has never left our place even when we've been gone for several days. I will whip her if she gets after a chicken but I'm hoping my stern word will be enough. I think she knows I mean business. I appreciate all the advice.

Most times with border collies all you need is verbal scolding
The next reprimand would be to grab them on the cheek with you forefinger and thumb and scold them good
The highest end would be grab by the scruff of the neck and a quick shake and scolding
Anything more isn't going to be anymore affective and pain is not a factor to them.
A dog naturally wants to please and a scolding hurts them and your disapproval of them hurts them the most
I have one that gets his feelings hurt pretty easy and another that never takes it personal
So it depends on the dog as to what level to need

Edit
As Howdyjabo said what makes sense to us doesn't always click with a dog
You have to catch them in the act so they understand what they're doing wrong
You can't find a dead chicken and whoop the dog and they understand that is the reason for the whooping

Very good answer! I did not want to go into all that, but you said it all better than I possible could anyway! :nod:

 

[Mountain_Fork]

branguscowgirl
Very good answer! I did not want to go into all that, but you said it all better than I possible could anyway!

I may not understand people or much of anything else, but I understand dogs, probably cause were on the same level

Edit again
with that said if she shows a real interest and even if she knows not to she may still do it when our not around
I'ts going to be ho big an interest she takes

 

[MO_cows]

In that photo, she was asking for some education. She shouldn't be standing up there looking at them. You correct her when she focuses on the chicks. Every single time. They are none of her business. Hopefully she knows "leave it" already. You know your dog, whether a verbal correction will do it or if she needs more.

We brought in an adult dog from the city and we have free range chickens. She was never let outside without a leash at first. She got a NO! and a jerk on the leash whenever she showed interest in them. Within a few days, she was good to go. She steals an egg every once in a while, but she leaves the hens alone.

Border collies are so smart, I'm sure you will be able to teach her these new rules.

 

[ohiosteve]

Thanks for all the great advice! I certainly didn't Mean to come across as a dog abuser when I said I'd whip her. We love our dogs and treat them like family. We will be working closely with her and hopefully have Free range chickens and dogs in harmony once again this summer.

 

[peg4x4]

I never had a Border Collie,but with my German Shepherd and Doberman,I picked up the baby chick,showed it to the dog,let them smell and said "MINE" in a growlie kind of voice. They were taught that word from day one. Your BC,having lived on her own,may not take your word for anything.

 

[skyhightree1]

this is what I use to get all dog problems under control

 

[slick4591]

Not a border collie but my bulldog has quite the manners with my chickens. Just took a couple of mild interventions and she understands that she might not be as valuable to me as my chickens are. (Bulldogs are easy to bluff.)