Llamas as watchdogs??

[Thomas423]

I know that llamas are good at watching over sheep but how are they with chickens? Do they like chickens? (Not to eat, I hope). Would they trample on them? Would they stay up at night and protect against racoons, foxes and opossums? Just a thought. I assume that they would get along fine with my pygmy goats. If I had just one, would it play with the goats and not be lonely. How much room does a llama need to be happy?

They are amazing creatures. I love the way they "watch" over a herd of sheep.

 

[mylilchix]

My llamas watch my chickens, but they don't free range together. Our chicken run is within the llama pasture for added protection. I don't think that the llamas would trample the chickens. Our dogs and cat go running in the llama pasture and the llamas stay clear of them.

I believe 2 would do ok on half an acre. Ours are on that right now, but we're in the process of expanding their space.

I would get 2 llamas. They do ok with other livestock, but they like being around their own kind. We have a mother and daughter.

I don't think they'll stay up at night to watch for critters. They are very alert and have a very keen sense of smell. Our girls picked up the scent of a bear tonight. They make a horse whiney sound when they smell danger. I've only ever heard it when bear and mountain lion are around. The bear came by 45 minutes ago, and they're still watching for it.

They are awesome, I love them!!

Hope this helps,
Sonja

 

[laughingllama75]

If you buy a llama that is "trained" to be a guard, he will be on alert 24 hours a day. I would get one that is used to goats, since that is what it would be living with. Also, if you get just a pet quality llama, I would get 2....if they have not been used for guarding, they are not good for being alone. It takes a certain llama to be a loner, and they are also not great with people (they know thier job, and stick to it).

half an acre would be OK.....but you will have to feed hay.

My llamas are awesome with my chickens, the girls (chickens) free range and are in the llama pasture most of the day. In cold weather, several of the hens snuggle up to the llamas for warmth. It is the funniest thing to see...

my guard llamas have chased bears, coyotes and the neighbors cats out of the pastures. even sent a neighbor dog to the vet...
but not all my llamas will guard. Some will run at the first sign of trouble, so if you want a guard, do your research. Check into a llama association in the state you live in, or look online farms that sell guards near you.
Good luck!

 

[Chirpy]

laughingllama75 said:

If you buy a llama that is "trained" to be a guard, he will be on alert 24 hours a day. I would get one that is used to goats, since that is what it would be living with. Also, if you get just a pet quality llama, I would get 2....if they have not been used for guarding, they are not good for being alone. It takes a certain llama to be a loner, and they are also not great with people (they know thier job, and stick to it).

half an acre would be OK.....but you will have to feed hay.

My llamas are awesome with my chickens, the girls (chickens) free range and are in the llama pasture most of the day. In cold weather, several of the hens snuggle up to the llamas for warmth. It is the funniest thing to see...

my guard llamas have chased bears, coyotes and the neighbors cats out of the pastures. even sent a neighbor dog to the vet...
but not all my llamas will guard. Some will run at the first sign of trouble, so if you want a guard, do your research. Check into a llama association in the state you live in, or look online farms that sell guards near you.
Good luck!

Of my 13 llamas - only two had the guard instinct and capabilities. They were a mother/daughter team and they were great! The rest of my herd will either run or possibly give an alert to something but have never shown any signs of guarding anything except their own cria. My two guards have pummeled coyotes and dogs.

My llamas are all fine with my chickens wandering around amongst them and my goats wandering through or standing in their feeder!

 

[mylilchix]

Our pair has made a good team. They're great about alerting us to problems, and I've never seen them back down. They were up against the fence watching the bear last night. I like to keep our chickens penned up because of fox and hawks.

Sonja

 

[gaited horse]

I have heard of llamas killing coyots

 

[ksalvagno]

As stated above, not all llamas are guard llamas. If you are really interested in guards, you need to go to a reputable breeder who will be honest if a llama is a guard or not. The guard should also be at least 3 years old with proven experience as a guard.

I have adopted 2 llamas over the last couple of years. Both were from rescue situations of which I helped with. The first one I adopted has proven to be a guard. The second one had a female cria so I now have 3 llamas. Just about a week ago, I noticed that my 2 adult llama females worked together on guarding my alpacas. So I am thrilled to see that I have more than one guard on duty now. Hopefully my little one will also guard someday.

 

[norcal]

Okay, I'm a bit confused. So they HAVE to be trained, or does it come as instinct in SOME but not others?

I'm worried about my goats, with coyotes (and mountain lions) being in the Chaparral here in California. We've seen Coyotes on the property, and with the wide-open wilderness behind us, I'm sure EVERYTHING is back there.

I was always guessing that nothing would keep the mountain lions away, but coyotes & bears, another story. ??

 

[ksalvagno]

I raise alpacas so I'm not positive but I think it is more instinct than actual training. I think the training is putting an adult llama in a guarding situation and see what kind of reaction comes out when a predator comes. I wouldn't be suprised if people send a dog into the field and see what the reaction of the llama is (controlled "predator" situations).

When I first got into alpacas, I got 2 male llamas. They were only 6 months old. I was told that all llamas guard and they will work out great. Well, they made really nice pasture ornaments and were the first to run away at danger.

Then 2 years ago I adopted a llama that was part of a rescue I was involved in. No one wanted her or to foster her but she was a really nice llama. So I took her. I eventually found out from someone that she had killed a dog at a previous farm. When my dog got into the field, I saw her at work first hand. She stood between a newborn cria and my dog, ready to attack if my dog came near. Luckily my dog didn't care about the cria, she was just happy to be wandering around outside her tiny little 2 acre fenced in yard. Since then I have noticed that Lizzy is very alert to things that are normal and not normal and will stand looking very large and intent if something is amiss. Thankfully she has never truly been challenged.

Last year I adopted another llama from a rescue that I was also involved in. For most of this time, she was appearing to be not a guard at all. Then a couple weeks ago, there was something in the neighbor's yard that was a concern for the llamas. I noticed that my 2 llamas appeared to be working together. My first llama stayed and intently watched whatever they were seeing and my second llama chased the alpacas to the barn and stood between the alpacas and the "threat." This was the first time I had seen her doing anything like that. Since I have only seen her do this one thing, I'm just going to say that I think she has guarding tendencies. I would like to see more before I would actually call her a guard llama.

Hopefully someone with guard llama experience can help you with an answer in case I'm wrong.

 

[laughingllama75]

the llama HAS to have the instinct, first and foremost. then, the person (whomever has llama at the time) needs to work with it with certain flock (sheep, goats, etc.) to make sure the llama respects, likes and will protect those animals. Also, has to make sure the llama will not try to "breed" the other type of animal (some llamas will, seen bad things happen with that).

I had a cria that was not even 4 months old, before she killed a groundhog. the poor ground hog.....he was running as fast as his little fat body would go, but Uno was faster. the other llamas were like "why are you bothering with him"? BUT when they saw she wasn't giving up, they ran to her and encouraged her and all of them alarm cried to help teach her. it was pretty neat.

Llamas will help with coyotes and bears, not so much wolves and mtn. lions (wolves hunt in packs, too much for a llama, lions, well.. they jump and too heavy and agile). doesn't mean the llama wouldn't try to stop them.

Well, hope this helps.