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I have two beautiful girls (Frank and Roger - my teenage daughter named them) who over all seem to be faring well. They are free-range in my back-yard, wander into the kitchen on occation.

I have two questions - the first one is about the colour of their shells, which are pale brown is this normal? The shells are hard and the eggs have gorgeous orange yolks. They each laid an egg yesterday and one lay one today (or I only found one today). Spring is arriving here but today was cold and wet.

The second question and most troubling question is my dog (jack russel) tries to play with them - should I stop this? They don't try to get away so I'm not sure if he's hurting them. We have seen him with tails, heads and wings in his mouth and put a stop to it immediately. Will they attack him if he hurts them? They flap and flutter when I move them out of his way so does this mean they don't mind.

Hey Ness!

The brown on the eggs is cosmetic and quite normal, it varies with the breed.

Chooks are prey animals and unlikely to hassle the dog, if he hassles them enough they will go off the lay and may moult (if stressed enough). Segregation is good, or just supervise as best you can while they play together

Nev

You must have a very chilled Jack Russell! I was sure the terrier code of conduct is 'play with things until they're broken'. I'd segregate if I had chickens with my dogs, but it depends on your dog I suppose, or get a cockerel to scare off your JRT if he gets too close!

Thanks for the replies - still slightly confused - does that mean the chooks won't stick up for themselves.

By the way wombat I am surprised they started laying since he hassels them.

Wombat wrote: Chooks are prey animals and unlikely to hassle the dog,

Perhaps I'd better tell that to my girls. They will go for the cats without any provocation. They've had several beak-fulls of fur and Jade was quite traumatised after getting locked in the hen house that time.

Cheers
Zoe

the biggest danger is that you dog will get a liking for chook blood, once he dones that he can never be truseted again, you are better off stopping him playing with them altogether.

Thomzo wrote:

Wombat wrote: Chooks are prey animals and unlikely to hassle the dog,

Perhaps I'd better tell that to my girls. They will go for the cats without any provocation. They've had several beak-fulls of fur and Jade was quite traumatised after getting locked in the hen house that time.

Cheers
Zoe

Fair enough Zoe, I was speaking only from personal experience!

Nev

jack russell are pre programmed to 'play' until it stops moving...keep the dog away.

Oh they also pinch the eggs I found with my one

Sorry Nev, my hens are masters at controlling my dogs and my cat..they make, with breaks at dawn, the later lay down between them all for warmth!

Thanks everyone looks like the dogs in for a shock.