chickens

I now have 5 hens! They arrived here on Saturday afternoon.  Unfortunately, my dogs immediately manifested a propensity to view them as fast food.  Why is it that some dogs seem genetically predetermined to eat chickens, and other dogs would never dream of even chasing them?  Anyway, we're working on getting the dogs to recognize for good that these tempting, clucking creatures are NOT a succulent mouthful to supplement their diet.  The chickens are living in the extra room in the shed.  I've been letting them out into the garden each morning with the dogs tied up, so that the dogs will learn their lesson.  Today was a bit of an adventure, because this morning one of the hens managed to fly over the top of our fence!  She disappeared into the bush area at the back of our house, and I wasn't about to chase her through the bush, so thought maybe I'd lost her.  But then again, I knew she might just come back because they already know where their food is. Sure enough, just after we finished dinner I heard the squawking of a chicken and she'd come back... It took a few minutes to chase her into the shed, avoiding the jaws of the dogs on the way, but now all 5 are back safe and sound.  Tomorrow we're going to clip their wings so that they can't fly over the fence anymore.  So far they seem to REALLY enjoy the tasty treats found in my garden!  I am hoping that our tick and flea problems are solved now. Do hens eat ants too?