# Herding dogs and chickens



## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I am curious if anyone has a dog that herds the chickens. I have a pitbull boxer mix that is the best. I am goin to try and get a video of him in action this evening.


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## GratefulGirl (Sep 10, 2012)

Was your dog raised with your chickens?


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## mcchicken (Mar 24, 2013)

I have a boxer. I've tried. But I don't know how to train her.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

We have a pointer, he just stands and points our chickens then smells their butts until we tell him to knock it off. lol


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

My pointer is not allowed near the hens when they are free ranging. He has a habit if catching them and plucking feathers. Diabolical little fella. Ha, and yes the boxer was around the ladies since they were 2 weeks old. He never lunges or anything, simply runs me around until they are all in the pen. It's quite handy to be honest and the chickens seem to know which dog is safe and which one is not.


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## surban (Aug 19, 2012)

We have a Corgi and she loves herding our chickens. When they are out in our fenced in yard, the dog doesn't like them to be far away from each other, so she keeps them herded together.


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## mandi (May 10, 2013)

I have two boxers. My female herds the chicks back to their coop every time she sees one out. My male on the other hand is more interested in playing with them. I have to watch him close. He just gets so excited I don't think he knows his own strength. He's my Lenny.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Apyl said:


> We have a pointer, he just stands and points our chickens then smells their butts until we tell him to knock it off. lol


 My lab's a butt sniffer too! Loves to sniff and lick other animal's butts if given the chance. Caught him out licking the sheep's butts one morning and my other dog, a GP/lab mix,looking on with complete disgust on her face. Same look she gave him when she watched him playing tag with the sheep each evening..what a disgrace! _Dogs_. Playing with _sheep_. _Bah!_


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## Roslyn (Jun 21, 2012)

We had a dog named Blue when I first got chickens. He was blind completely in one eye and mostly blind in the other eye. Most likely, with a lot of research and help from my vet we figured he was a Blue Heeler crossed with an Akita. 

When I put my first peeps outside he would circle their little pen and bark occasionally. Once they started free ranging, but coming back to the porch at night he would help round them up. He couldn't see, but he would walk around the flock, and gather them into a group and then slowly, and almost casually walk them back onto the porch and into their brooder box. Once the flock was full grown he would on occasion herd them all across the yard to the apple trees, then lay down while they scratched and so, then he would gather them up and herd them slowly across the yard again.

After the coop was built and it was time to convince them to go to the coop and NOT to the front porch then they started to scatter in the evenings. He would help me move them across the yard and towards the coop. One night we were out and it was full dark by the time we got home. Blue was in the yard, just laying there when we realized the hens (11 total) were scattered all over the 2 acre-ish yard. One by one he led us to an area in the yard that when we shined a flashlight, we would find a hen in the weeds, perched in a bush, up a tree and even one roosting on the lawn mower! We went around and gathered them up and took them to the coop and he followed us around with his big dog smile. 

I have a full blooded Blue Heeler now, and he can't help himself but to herd the chickens. We have taught him over the years that he isn't allowed to harass the hens, but sometimes he will pick a rooster and just herd it around for a cheap thrill. I have taught him when I yell "JAKE" "ROOSTER" and point, when the roosters are fighting he will run and put himself in the middle of them and break them up. It's pretty cool to watch.

It's tough with dogs and chickens. They move weird, make weird noises, and just in general look like walking dog toys. Some dogs can be trained, and some dogs just can't help their instincts.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

> he can't help himself but to herd the chickens.


 I had a cat that would do that! He just seemed to have fun making them run every now and again. I used to be able to call him if the chickens got out of the fence and tell him "Get 'em back in, Spike!" and he would! He'd chase them towards the gate until they frantically moved back over the fence gate the same way they got out and then he'd sit down and look so satisfied...like a job well done and fun in the doing of it. Loved that cat!


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Positive reinforcement has helped our boxer/pit. I spent a lot if time with him and the chicks. Once they grew up and went in the yard he witnessed a massacre by a strange dog, and ever since he is on the ball. You say "where the chickens" and he is out the door. He searches the whole yard and then comes trotting back to the deck.


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## 2rain (Jun 2, 2013)

My two doxies hate them! It so sucks


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