These breeds include, but aren’t limited to: Of course, like any animal, each breed has its own temperaments and you can have both aggressive roosters and laid-back roosters with each breed. Check out this post which is one of the most popular of all time. What is the Best Animal to Protect Chickens? Bury the hardware cloth at least 2-4 feet deep around the chicken run. Alpacas are fast-moving and will let out high-pitched noises and even spit at the invaders. I know I have! The larger the breed the lazier they are. Unlike the Tibetian Mastiff, the Pyrenean actually is one of the Mastiffs around the world. They can also attack using their feet when they get close. Hi, I’m Annemaria. Our goal is to grow our knowledge and yours. These suggestions will also help protect them at night. Dogs mirror their owners' behavior, so if he always sees you doing it, he’ll soon catch on. That’s because donkey is best at protecting against predators the donkey perceives as a danger. If there are at least 2 steps to opening the doors or gates raccoons are less likely to get in. This starts by teaching your dogs to respect your flock and not play with or treat them like toys. Then, when the good behavior is followed, be prepared and give him a treat or a good scratch behind the ears. This site is owned and operated by BestFarmAnimals, headquartered in Idaho, USA. OhCluck.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. They are large enough to fight off predators but small enough that they’re not lazy. They will chase most four-legged animals similar to a fox, including a dog, out of their territory. They will protect your hens, sounding an alarm and herding their hens to a safe place. Is he large or small? The vast majority of these animals spend their lives in total confinement—from the moment they hatch until the day they are killed. But if you have large predators in your area or regular visits by animals seeking free meals, it might be time to put a livestock guardian animal in with your stock. Another issue that sometimes arises is that guinea fowl are at the top of the pecking order. While many chicken keepers are most concerned about wild predators, domestic dogs are actually said to be the number one predator of chickens. BestFarmAnimals is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. If you see them in the yard take your dog with you to shoo them away from your chickens. If the predator doesn’t leave it will fight by raising up on its hind legs and striking with both feet. Guinea fowl are louder and more wild than chickens. The goal is to reduce stress in your chickens, so you can have happy productive chickens. I do not know if these animals will learn to protect chickens but they do protect the sheep & goats as they view them as part of their extended family. Roosters are the natural protector of the flock. Feral Cats and Chickens of the Conch Republic. One source suggested a goose or turkeys, and another suggested guinea fowl (although I’ve also heard they may bully chickens). Some predators are able to tear apart chicken wire. Heat can also cause stress. It is an offence to be cruel to any captive or domestic animal by anything that you do or have omitted to do. Keep playful dogs and other pets away from their coop. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Use motion sensor lights to scare nocturnal predators away. If you are unable to dedicate the time needed to tend to your new protectors needs adding one might not be for you. 4 Code of Practice for the Welfare of Meat Chickens and Meat Breeding Chickens Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 states: 9 (1) A person commits an offence if he does not take such steps as are reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which he is responsible are met to the extent required by good practice. Donkey usually don’t get along with dogs so using a donkey and a dog as a guard animal is not suggested. Some breeds of dogs are more likely to be a chicken predator and harder to train. Well, it depends. 1. While you can’t prevent all predators from going on to your property and attacking your chickens, you can make it less inviting for them. This dog is very loyal, and it can think and act on its own without instruction. To do this make sure the windows and doors on the coop aren’t easily opened. Hunting dogs can often turn into chicken predators. They are a handful but a real pleasure to watch. They will also warn against eagles, hawks and other flying predators. Alpacas and donkeys are popular guard animals. Donkeys can get along with chickens well. They are fast and are efficient at protecting their post. Why do hens lay bloody... Hi, I’m Annemaria Duran. Is he aggressive and assertive but manageable? We have another article that goes over more of the benefits of having a rooster. Use cats for protection only if they are familiar with chickens. When your dog knows the chickens and you feel comfortable, take him into the chicken run. Alpacas and donkeys are also considered strong guard animals. BestFarmAnimals also participates in affiliate programs with Bluehost, Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale, and other sites. While wild predators kill for food, domestic dogs will kill for the sport of it. They will kick and trample predators who are not fast enough to get out of the way. 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