Oops! My lab is a chicken killer..What now?

[Traildust]

I have 2 labs, a black female and a choc male. Both are over 3 yrs old. I only hunt dove and quail with them and have done so since they were both pups..

My mother deceided that my little boy(18 months old) should have some baby chicks ducks and geese to play with. Well now the yard birds are getting bigger and have d been moved out to the hen house. My dogs have been around them before but the chicks were caged. Yesterday while calling my labs to kennel them for the night, my male came to me but the female did not. I walked around the garage and I could see my female laying down by the chicken pen. I could tell she had something under her paws...yep it was a young chicken( dead, not eaten). My first instinct was to scold her and whip her. But I stopped short of pulling my belt off and bust'n her butt. I had trained these pups to hunt and the last thing I want to do is to have them think they will get disaplened for going after birds. I say birds because neither of my dogs have ever seen a chicken, duck or goose. To me, I think both dogs see the chickens just as dove or quail...

How can I trail them to leave the farm birds alone, and yet still have my bird dogs that I trained so hard with?

[cj7zrcool]

I've always heard to tie the dead chicken around his neck and leave it there for a few days. Not sure how it would actually stay on there that long though without him "releasing" it.

[Cajun Blake]

dust,

how about spraying the chicks with some Tabasco sauce.

That way the dogs won't bother with them, and when it comes time for chicken on the grill, they'll already be seasoned the cajun way !

Whatcha think Chew ?

cb <*)))>{

[skyhawk]

I don't see the problem, but then again, I raise cows.

[Traildust]

dust,

how about spraying the chicks with some Tabasco sauce.

That way the dogs won't bother with them, and when it comes time for chicken on the grill, they'll already be seasoned the cajun way !

Whatcha think Chew ?

cb <*)))>{

LOL... good one!

[LostHawg]

Bird dog's suppose to retrieve it, not eat it. Seems to me you've got some training to do.

While you're at it, you want to train my pointer too?

[Traildust]

I don't see the problem, but then again, I raise cows.

Well, my neighbors have chickens, guineas and peacocks...I'm just afraid that once they get a good scent of more farm birds that it might be to much temptation...And I really don't want my dogs being shot for killing chickens..

[bobo]

I was told, and I don't condone this in the least but duct tape the chicken in the mount for a couple days.

[Traildust]

Bird dog's suppose to retrieve it, not eat it. Seems to me you've got some training to do.

While you're at it, you want to train my pointer too?

Actually she was not eating it, I really think she was playing with it...The chicken neck was stretched out about a foot long, like maybe both dogs where playing tug-o-war......she does the same thing with rabbits, mice, june bugs ect....she is totally different in a hunting setting, this was just playing aroun the house....

[SaltwaterSlick]

You're just asking for it to let your dogs run loose where "yard birds" roam. If you want them to be hunters, keep them kenneled (in a pen, not one of those little travel kennels or a dog house) until you let them out for training and work/play with you. If they have access to "Play" as you say with the yard birds all day, then they are less likely to have a real desire to work or train when you want them to. They should know that being out and able to run free is special and that you're the one who allows that. A yard dog that is around his hunting quarry all the time will soon lose interest in the "quarry"... Myself, I'd keep them separated at all times. This would be especially true for the neighbors "stock"...

[Traildust]

You're just asking for it to let your dogs run loose where "yard birds" roam. If you want them to be hunters, keep them kenneled (in a pen, not one of those little travel kennels or a dog house) until you let them out for training and work/play with you. If they have access to "Play" as you say with the yard birds all day, then they are less likely to have a real desire to work or train when you want them to. They should know that being out and able to run free is special and that you're the one who allows that. A yard dog that is around his hunting quarry all the time will soon lose interest in the "quarry"... Myself, I'd keep them separated at all times. This would be especially true for the neighbors "stock"...

I kinda agree....My dogs stay in a kennel with a 75' x 150' dog run. I just let them out while I feed and water and am usually outside with them all the time. Maybe the coons and chicken hawks will soon end my problem

[skyhawk]

Well, my neighbors have chickens, guineas and peacocks...I'm just afraid that once they get a good scent of more farm birds that it might be to much temptation...And I really don't want my dogs being shot for killing chickens..

I understand, I was kidding that I don't see a problem. My lab had my neighbor's rooster one day when I came home from work. I called him, and he was really good about it. I told him to feel free to pepper my dog with rat shot if he caught her on his property, but honestly I think the rooster was the trespasser in this case.

[Bowtech32]

when I was a kid, our dog killed a couple of the neighbor chickens. My dad took the dead chicken and beat the crap out the dog with the dead chicken. That dog was scared of chickens after that. It sounds kinda crool, but it beats get shot by the neighbor.

[Tuffbroadhead]

Sounds like a good job for a shock collar and some training..

[BrianL]

I think you are going to have to decide if you want yard dogs or yard birds. One of the two will have to stay in a pen.