Game Birds or Chickens in Yard?

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wkirscher
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Game Birds or Chickens in Yard?

Post by wkirscher » Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:08 pm

Hi! New to the forum and will hit it off with a question .....

I live in a suburban area with a fairly small yard. Wondering if folks could offer opinions on what adverse impact it might be to keep game birds (chukar) a small coop in the yard. My concern is that my two young vizslas (1 and 2 yrs) might become desensitized with the birds and scent always in the same area they get exercise. Thoughts?

Bill

Schatz's Pop
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Re: Game Birds or Chickens in Yard?

Post by Schatz's Pop » Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:37 am

No advice, but have a similar situation. I'd like to put in a bird pen/flight pen close to the house. Will the dog get desensitized to constantly being around birds?

Hope the more experienced will give some guidance on keeping birds close to a kennel/house.

In my case, I have too many coyotes around to keep a bird pen too far from the house.

On a positive note, when I send her to her trainer, the kennels there are in spitting distance of his bird pens and he has quail, chuckar and ducks.

It seems to keep her fired up, she hasn't lost any drive while she was there.

Max2
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Re: Game Birds or Chickens in Yard?

Post by Max2 » Sun Jul 19, 2015 5:23 am

No problem. I say go for it. The birds are in a pen so pup can't catch them. It can get a little sketchy when flying birds are still out after training session. :D All in good fun though. A good recall pen and bobwhites come home. I don't believe it to have any bad effects for the pup to keep birds in a pen in your yard as your pup will soon figure it out.

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greg jacobs
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Re: Game Birds or Chickens in Yard?

Post by greg jacobs » Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:49 am

Suburban? Close neighbors? Is there training space next to your house.
Not sure how chukar or quail are going to recall with dogs in the yard regularly. Not sure how spooky they are for recalling. I guess dogs in the house for a while might work. Or are they taking a one way trip to a training area? If that's the plan the dogs quickly learn the game. They know the difference from birds in a pen and birds out for training.
I have at least a hundred wild quail around and my dog is bird crazy. She would much rather hunt quail than train with the pigeons. Although she loves to sneak around the corners, looking for pigeons on the ground. In the coops she for the most part leaves them alone. She gets pretty excited when i pull the doors and let them free fly. It all gives her something to do all day.

Greg

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greg jacobs
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Re: Game Birds or Chickens in Yard?

Post by greg jacobs » Sun Jul 19, 2015 9:00 am

Long ago one of my shorthairs got into the neighbors chicken coup. Killed 20 chickens then couldn't figure out how to get out. The neighbors came home and found her. Not a good day. So make your pen more than dog proof. Neighbors never raised chickens again. Luckily they were good friends and law enforcement wasn't involved.

Greg

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