Chickens aside the dog run?

[Naj]

If you are keeping chickens next to the dog run make sure you 'dust' them well. They can get overrun with a little red mite & if this is capable of transferring to dogs it will drive them nuts. My chickens had them once & they irritated me when they got on my skin. Also, 8 chickens produce a hell of a lot of eggs. Hope you've got a big family, or plenty of friends.

Naj

[Hepe]

If you are keeping chickens next to the dog run make sure you 'dust' them well. They can get overrun with a little red mite & if this is capable of transferring to dogs it will drive them nuts. My chickens had them once & they irritated me when they got on my skin. Also, 8 chickens produce a hell of a lot of eggs. Hope you've got a big family, or plenty of friends.

Naj

Thank's Naj, will keep an eye on the mites (sounds like some i saw on hedgehogs) and yes i do, got two neighbours and family living close so not too worried about the egg production, i figure i can give the dogs some too! The plan is to move them further away later in the summer so they won't rub against the dogs.

Helene

[shootingstu]

Uum, what are frizzles? Sounds like a bad hairdo to me.

Helene

Frizzles

[Hepe]

Oh my gosh they are dead cute and the bad hairdo truly fits! What are they, any chance of a more chientific name so i can check for them in Sweden?

Helene

[shootingstu]

I think Frizzles is their only name, they come in various colours they are half the size of a standard chicken and they lay small eggs most days.

[Judy]

They even have their own club over here! http://www.thefrizzlesocietyofgreatbritain.co.uk/

Gorgeous looking birds, I'd never heard of them but even I could get excited about keeping a few of those. I expect my Cockers could to...

[alfie12]

I have 3 young wcs and have just introduced some chickens . They are in a coop and run in the garden . Have only had them for 3 weeks but have nearly lost one already ! Dogs want to get at them constantly . One day I had let the chickens out and decided to take the dogs out a walk . I put their leads on (only 2 dogs) and headed off for a lovely walk . When I returned 2 of the really friendly Isa Brown chickens came trotting over, making a beeline for me . The dogs started really pulling on their leads and I was trying to get away digging my heels into the grass . Too late... I fell over and one of the chickens came within an inch of my dogs face . He lunged forward and grabbed it. I shouted and tugged the lead really hard and the other dog lunged also, to grab it . Feathers everywhere ! I pushed one of the dogs off with my foot and tugged the other one off by the lead. It all happened so quickly ! Dogs dragged into house and dumped, and went off to check chicken . It was a bit shocked but no blood so put it in nesting box to recover . That was a few days ago and chicken is fine.... just missing a few feathers . I was upset by the whole thing and considered getting rid of the chickens . I haven't done so and will never let the dogs out if chickens are out . I thought dogs would be ok on their leads but obviously not. Don't think wcs and hens will ever mix, especially as I feed them raw chicken . Think I'm mad . Good luck with your idea !

[Bryn]

10 mixed chickens, 3 cats, 2 collies and a spanner, all seem to be fine together.

Just don't go for silkies very, very cute but totally unproductive permanently broody PITAs.

Thankfully I don't think Bryn has made the connection between his breakfast egg, chicken kibble and the feathered things running around the yard

[Rookie]

They all live in harmony together here but the dogs do usually need to have a few "chicken etiquette" lessons when they arrive regardless of how old they are. The birds just roam free here.

Mostly there are very few problems once the initial lessons have been learnt but I did have bother with a dog after he'd had his first few running pheasants. He had been fine before that although it had taken more work than usual. He started giving the chickens a really hard time and eventually one day pegged the only one that had a brood while she was sitting on them. I think he knew I wasn't pleased! He let her go when he realised quite how angry I was and I expected her to die within a couple of days. Fortunately she was fine and that incident cured the dog.

[Rascal]

Oh Alfie,

That did make me laugh, I'm sorry but all that was missing was the Benny Hill music.....

You have now got the ideal opportunity to teach your dogs to "leave that" and you can maybe progress that onto the pheasants you were having problems with...

You need to do it one dog at a time for a start and with them on a lead it shouldn't take that long so don't get rid of the chucks make use of them....

Rascal