Four Dog Breeds That Will Probably Kill Your Chickens
Are you in the process of going back to the land? There is nothing better than eating garden-fresh food, finding a good dog to sit on the front porch and watch things around the farm, and keeping a big flock of chickens to make little “patties” on the ground while providing your own eggs. In my opinion, all dogs are good—it's just that not all breeds of dogs are good for a small farm. Some of them, in fact, are just downright wrong. Some dogs make a hobby out of killing chickens.
All the breeds that like to kill chickens will also look for other small animals you happen to have around. They might be interested in your cat, your rabbits, songbirds, a smaller dog, or, for that matter, anything that runs away.
Here are some of the dogs with high prey drive that I definitely do not recommend around chickens.
1. Greyhound
Anyone who has been to the track knows that the Greyhound was born to chase rabbits, and this sighthound really loves small animals that move strangely, like the chicken. I personally would not mind having one of these skinny dogs around the house, reclining on the couch and not doing much else. The house would be good, since my chickens would not want him out in the yard.
Although I pick on the Greyhound, not all of them have high prey drive—it is just that most sighthounds are born to chase. I have met some well-behaved Whippets, but barnyard birds have the misfortune of looking like prey to most sighthounds. (This includes Afghans, Salukis, and several other breeds.)
Greyhounds are able to run about 63 kilometers an hour (39 mph). They are able to get up to top speed in the first six strides, and only the cheetah is able to reach such speeds from a standing start.
Chickens don’t stand a chance.
2. Weimaraner
This big, active dog was bred to be a hunter back in the 19th century; when the ancestors of these sleek animals were chosen to breed, only animals tough enough to hunt boar, deer, and bear were selected. Chicken-friendliness has never been part of the breed standard.
Most of the dogs still live up to that standard. If you decide to bring one of these handsome dogs down to the farm, don’t plan on keeping much small livestock. The local deer need to be put on notice too.
Males are tall, 25-27 inches, and since they are tough, and have plenty of stamina, they will do their best to investigate your chicken coops. Those big jaws were meant to shred chicken wire.
Free range? Ha! Chickens out in the yard will probably end up being part of that days hunt.
3. Jack Russell Terrier
A lot of the small terriers love to chase things that move around a lot. High prey drive is a characteristic that was bred into them, and any dog not willing to chase prey would have been left back on the farm. The active Jack Russell terrier seems to have this characteristic down more than others, however.
Maybe we can blame the modern Jack Russell´s performance on the JRT breeding group. They still want to breed these dogs for performance, not for looks, and running down a hole in search of a badger, fox, or other prey is part of their performance. Chasing rats is also part of the breed characteristic. Chasing chickens seems to be a characteristic they are experts at, despite their other great traits.
If you are looking for a small dog (a little over 10 inches) who is tough, healthy, and bred to work, the JRT is a great choice. If you happen to have a flock of hens and want to maintain a harmonious lifestyle, you need to make another choice. That cute little JRT you see needs to be left with the breeder.
Of course, sometimes the chicken wins.
4. Siberian Husky
This dog was originally developed by the Chukchi tribes of the Siberian Arctic. Siberian Huskies were only kept around if they worked all day pulling a sled, were only prized if they defended the household against wild animals like wolves and polar bears, and were only able to earn a special place in the tribe if they were friendly enough to babysit the kids. You will notice that there is nothing in there about getting along with chickens.
Siberians still hunt like a wolf pack and will decimate a flock of chickens in no time at all. Other small animals are no safer. They are able to work as a pack to open “dog-proof” rabbit cages, chase cows with horns big enough to scare a Mastiff, and will even take on geese that are mean enough to make other dogs run for cover.
Most sled dogs are like this, but I had to pick on Sibes since I have had to clean up the dead chickens so many times. Siberians do not come with “Beware of Dog” signs. Any chicken you talk to thinks that they should.
What Dog Breed Will Not Kill My Chickens?
When you go to find a dog to live around your chickens, be sure to select a breed with low prey drive. There are several alternatives.
One idea is to get one of the livestock herd dogs. These dogs are bred to be comfortable around livestock and are unlikely to bother your chickens. The Great Pyrenees, the Akbash, and Kuvasz are a few of the breeds available. You could also try to find an Anatolian Shepherd or Komondor. Since these dogs are large and are used to moving with the herd they have extensive exercise requirements and are not usually recommended as pets unless you have plenty of room for them to move around.
Another idea is to find one of the dog breeds that has been used to herd cattle and sheep. The Australian Kelpie and the Border Collie are two examples. These dog breeds can be aggressive to chickens at times, and also need a lot of exercise.
The final idea is to find a dog breed that was developed for use around the farm. The Puli is a livestock guard dog that is not as large and hard to handle as some of the others. Most of the other farm dogs were bred to be ratters, so some do have a high prey drive, but many of them will be okay. I prefer the Schnauzer. Boxers are also a good choice, as are most Golden Retrievers.
Okay, this list has no scientific studies to back it up. On the other hand, PETA would approve, as no chickens gave their lives in order to write this article.
My personal favorite chicken killer is the Siberian Husky, but my Pit Bull hangs and guards my small livestock. My chickens are happy with the “No Siberian Huskies or Vacuum Salesmen” sign posted on my front gate. My dog enforces it.
All dogs are great, just stay awat from those dogs that love to kill chickens!
Questions & Answers
Will a Husky and Border Collie mix kill our future chickens?
Both Huskies and Border Collies have a high prey drive, and are likely to kill your chickens. If you have birds then this is not a good mix to bring home.
Helpful 17Will golden retrievers kill chickens? We are planning to get chickens, but we don’t know if our dogs will kill them or not.
Goldens usually are very good around chickens. Make sure that you monitor your dog around your chickens when you first bring them home. If she acts too interested, tell her to calm down. If she ignores them, so much the better.
Helpful 15Do dachshunds kill chickens?
They are hunting dogs with a high prey drive. If the chicken runs at all, like chickens are likely to do, the dog will chase it down and kill it.
Miniature dachshunds have a different origin and do not have as strong as prey drive. Individual dogs are not as likely to chase.
Helpful 11Will a German Shepherd/Collie mix kill or chase my chickens?
Shepherds have a high prey drive. Most dogs with a high prey drive chase chickens. I cannot guarantee the actions or behavior of any particular dog, but most dogs of that mixture will chase chickens.
Helpful 10Will a whippet cross kill our chickens?
Even without knowing what the cross is, I would assume that your dog will kill your chickens. Whippets, like all sighthounds, have a high prey drive and will chase almost anything that moves.
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Do You Have a Chicken Killer That Did Not Make the List? Leave a Comment.
I have a four month old jrt. He does not chase or kill my chickens. It is important to socialize them at a very young age...7 weeks.... The chickens pecked him and he does not chase or bother them. My cats adore him and they love his attention usually laying on their backs and exposing neck and stomach to him. Just takes some training at a very early age....
My golden lab mix got loose feom my yard today abd brought one of my neighbors free range chickens home she did not kill it but it went into shock and died anyway she is 3 and never has bothered the chickens vefore. Should I be worried or change her traiining ?
Will a rat Terrier Mixed with dachshund Killer chickens
My Belgian malinos will kill any chickens
Will Pomeranian chase or attack a silkie chicken?
My border collie is good with chickens and geese, though he was NOT raised with them. He kills lambs every chance he gets. How can I train him to be gentle with lambs?
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I wanted some chickens and a dog to help me herd and protect the chickens at night. I was thinking a border collie or labrador would be good for this job. I also have a rabbit that I don't want to be hurt by my dog. Which breed do you think is best for herding and guarding but won't kill my chickens or dwarf rabbit.
It's all in the training or most likely the lack of training. I have several upland bird hunting dogs and never had any issues as each of the dogs where taught not to touch them. I've seen chicks standing on them while the dogs are sun bathing in the morning.
Sadly most people put little effort or pride in their dogs and try to blame genetics on poor behavior. Blaming dog breeds is pathetic and stupid.
The domestic neighborhood dogs are the worst predators. I agree with the husky assessment. I chased one for a half mile after he invaded my chicken crib. Also Labradors are not chicken friendly or any other bird hunting dog. My neighbor had his pond full of pet white ducks. A black lab slaughtered every duck in the pond and came across the pasture hunting my chickens too. I made it very plain to my neighbors, any critter comes to my chickens, my chickens get to eat that critter. They keep ther dogs home now.
will a bernese mountain dog or english shepherd kill chickens
I own (2) shelties and a border collie and they are all fine with chickens if they are trained to watch them. Very intelligent and obedient.
The shelties are excellent. The border collie will pin them with his mouth, but will not harm. He has chased off predators including hawks, foxes, and coyotes. He is the best protector. We leave him out with them and will heard them all day while they are free ranging.
I'm thinking of getting a Great Pyrenees and I have chickens. This is so helpful. Thanks!
My boyfriend has a Boston Terrier. The people that live next door to us have chickens & roosters. They keep flying over the fence and land in my backyard. The Boston Terrier kills a chicken or a rooster every week; he's killed around 10 of them now in a 8 month period. I told the owner of the house next door about this and she said she doesn't care and that if the chickens are stupid enough to fly over the fence that they deserve to be killed!!!!!! OMG...this is disgusting!!! I have walked outside on 4 separate occasions and have caught him killing them....it makes me sick to my stomach!!!
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Pitbull twice killed our chickens. Second time we caught it in the act. Just murdered them for fun. Maybe didn’t make your list because people have mostly learned to keep them Restrained so they are not out and about as much as some other dogs. But it seems logical that they would kill anything with their reputation and breeding for that purpose.
Yes, most breeds are naturally prone to be chicken killers, maybe some more than others but even the worst can have a loving buddy relationship with a chicken or other small animals if they are raised together from 3 to 4 weeks of age. Puppies will imprint with normally prey animals if you put them together at 3 - 4 weeks old and keep them together all the time (except while nursing if mama isn't cool with it). I have done this with Siberian Huskies and cats. Someone bought a pup from me and raised it with his cat but I had raised the pup from 3 weeks old with cats because this Husky's parents were natural cat killers and I didn't like that. I watched once when the pup was full grown and his owner put a bowl of spaghetti on the kitchen counter. The husky sat tentatively on the floor as the cat leaped up on the counter. The cat picked up a strand of spaghetti in his mouth, scooted to the edge of the counter and dangled it over the edge where the husky was sitting, looking up excitedly like he was ready to leap and snatch the cat. Using his paw the cat pushed the strand that was partially sticking to the counter off the edge and lowered it so the dog could remain seated as the strand went into his mouth. The cat fed him half the bowl of spaghetti this way one strand at a time before we got bored watching them. I could hardly believe my eyes as this pup's parents once got loose and killed 15 rabbits a neighbor had in not so well constructed rabbit pens. This was a long time ago but I've read where the same can be done with wolves and their natural prey. However, under abnormal stress or hunger I wouldn't be surprised if all bets are off.
Great hub page. If you want to do one on birds that might kill dogs look at male Muskovey ducks, boy they can be big and mean. :-)
Do you think a Border Collie would kill chickens? We have one and we want to get chickens and let them free-range, but we're not sure if our dog would kill them. He likes to chase things, especially birds and he's yet to catch one so I have no idea if he would kill one if he ever caught one.
Oh sorry, I should know better.
If any dog people took offense at your article, they're the ones who need an attitude adjustment, not you, Doc. I don't need to tell you that many of the behaviors of today's domesticated dogs are instinctual, including predator/prey. Such behavior violates our civilized conscience, but not the dogs' domesticated conscience. Note to dog people: We know they're your "children," but they're primitive, get over it.
Loved the PETA disclaimer. Must admit I haven't thought about dogs being a nuisance to chickens, but it is a good thing to think about.
Another interesting, helpful hub presented in an entertaining way. Even here in suburbia, people are getting back to the land. I started seeing "city slickers" at my feed and grain store seeking baby chicks, equipment, and advice on raising them. That started around 2005ish. Many communities amended their by-laws to accommodate this trend. Being allowed to keep 6 hens X-number of feet from the property lines seemed to be in vogue. Voted up, useful and interesting.
An interesting hub... informative it is, well written as well. I never have come across such a topic, now i know this info.
Thanks for the advice - as a chicken keeper that is considering getting a dog!
I had a cat that was viciously attacked and nearly killed by a greyhound with very nasty owners, but I also know a greyhound cross that is well enough trained to walk right past my chickens without batting an eyelid - perhaps it depends on the owners and level of training to a certain degree.
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