Creative-Humane Solution Required?

Question

I have a 6 month old Staffy/Healer/Cattle Dog. She's really a lovely dog, and is fairly well behaved for her age. The problem is she has taken to stealing eggs! I don't know how to stop her. I won't lock the birds up because they are free range. So the most obvious solution wont work. And I don't want to restrict her from the area because part of the reason I chose that particular type of dog is so she would keep foxes and feral cats away. Telling her no works as long as I am out there with her, but the minute I go inside she's off down to the pens for a snack! So, I am looking for a creative solution to my problem. It must be humane!

I agree that collecting the eggs more often seems like a simple solution. The problem is, that I BREED ducks, geese, chickens, turkeys, guineas and swans, so I am worried that it's just a matter of time until Molly finds one of my broodies off the nest and starts taking fertile eggs. I live in an arid region so my birds need every bit of my property to be able to free range. In order to totally predator proof my place would require 6 acres of 8 foot fencing and the use of a nasty fox bait called M80 to ensure that none had been inadvertantly fenced in. I won't use poison.

Answer 1

He is about the age that I began taking my pups, on lead, around with me to do the farm chores. He would accompany me into the hen house (open doored) and as I collected the eggs, I would make a big fuss over them, letting him know they were 'precious' to me..I would hold them out to him, and allow him to sniff, but give a gentle 'shh' sound if he tried to take it..and then praise him when he drew back..cradling the egg as if it were a diamond..The pups would look forward to this daily outing, and I had very little problem raising MANY hounds on a working exotic farm...(chicken, peacocks, ducks, turkeys, guineas, pheasant, emu, rhea, all laying eggs)
Your dog really sounds like one who wants to please, and I'm betting he would enjoy pleasing you in this 'traditional' morning outing.
It normally takes fourteen repetitions for the average dog to learn a new task..I think yours might learn much quicker.

Answer 2

I would hate to tell you something that may mess with your hens laying, but you might try it on just one nest to see if it would work. We used to use this for many different things and it does no major harm at all. We used to sprinkle a little cayenne pepper around to keep the ducks out of the yard, to make the donkeys deficate in a different spot, and to keep the cows away from the garden fence. Maybe that would help.

Answer 3

Make the choice of putting your chickens in a pen off of their coop or having your dog eat the eggs.

Your chickens will be much safer inside of an area that's protected by fencing instead of relying on your dog to keep them safe.

If you do insist on having them free range, try collecting the eggs with your dog ,take him in the house with you, cook the eggs in front of him & feed them the eggs.
Then he'll associate the eggs being fed to him by you is acceptable & stealing them from the chickens isn't.

Or just go & collect the eggs more often instead of letting them sit outside for him to eat.

Answer 4

how about in invisable fence around the laying area, the foxes wont know she cant get into the roosting area, and the eggs will be safe

Answer 5

I am not sure what is available in your area but you may try to find this product and read the label for warnings. I am not sure how it will affect the eggs but it sure will stop the dog from eating them..

http://www.petvetdirect.com/home.asp?display=full&cid=0&itemid=GBADPS008&itemname=Bitter+Apple+Spray+8oz

Answer 6

Get a good dog training book. Seriously. It has a lot of helpful information that you wouldn't expect to be in there.

Answer 7

have you tried putting something on one egg and giving it to dog? like some foil tasting to your dog? pepper or?