training your dog to not attack chickens

I do not have a dog, so i have never tried this. but if you are having trouble getting your dog to accept the chickens i would suggest going to this website to train your dog:

http://www.self-sufficient-life.com/Keeping_Chickens/DogVideo.htm

i have watched this video and it seems to work with dogs. but remember, before you get chickens it is a good idea to ask a friend or neighbor let you test your dog on their flock first to see how your dog reacts. keep your dog on a leash when doing this! if your dog is very aggressive, either don't get chickens or make a very secure coop/run to keep your dog from attacking them. but try the training video too!

more coop/run ideas for small backyards

things to remember:

--in the coop think 2 square feet per chicken, and 4 square feet per chicken in the run.

--to make sure your chickens are happy, have the run be 4x bigger than the coop (if they won't have freedom to roam the backyard everyday)

--make sure it is all predator proof http://www.mypetchicken.com/ebook.aspx?Chapter=5

--chickens are big water drinkers and 70% of what they consume in a day is water. so what i did was have an outdoor bowl of water outside and an indoor water feeder inside the coop-this also helps with overcrowding around the feeders in the coop.

--make sure the chickens have plenty of ground space in the coop to fly down from their perch.

--perches in the run are also appreciated so the girls can still feel safe if scared. and a chair, small ladder, perch, stool, stump, etc, is a good escape for a chicken to take a break from the others. especially when introducing new chickens.

--possible ground coverings in the run are: mulch of any kind, mowed grass, fluffy thick dirt, hay, leaves, etc. but NEVER cement, bricks, wood, or wire floors! this will cause foot/toenail problems and keep the chicken from using its natural instincts to scratch on the ground, and the poop will not dry which causes more flies.

--if your run does not have a top covering on it, you should at least put shiny or colorful rope/strings/wires crisscrossing over the run to deter flying predators.

--sign up on the free online magazine http://www.keepingchickensnewsletter.com/ to learn more about chickens through te experiences of others just like you!