Ducklings curling necks under them into a circle?

[Amiga]

Relief! Thanks for the report!

 

[AnotherKim]

 

[BurchFunnyFarm]

Ruger is actually a highly trained bird dog. I trained him to protect my birds and leave them alone. He actually runs off dogs he doesn't know when they come around the birds. We have 4 dogs that aren't confined and roam around with the birds. I do keep the ducks in an enclosed pen because we live on a river and I fear they will swim away. I always watch him around them, but he has given me no reason to worry. Actually he brought me a rooster that was ill or something out of the woods this summer. My husband and I couldn't believe it! He was gently carrying it and brought it to us like he knew it needed help.

My dogs alert me to when the eggs are peeping and hatching, and they spend hours watching them in their brooder. I think all the work I do around the animals as a group has conditioned them. My chickens hop on the dogs and often scratch dirt onto them. We had a neighborhood dog kill some chickens and I trained my dogs to keep her away. I live very rural and there aren't any leash laws here.

It was really cute the way Ruger and the duck got nose to nose. He licked it but I didn't get a picture and it snuggled under his neck when I was trying to get a photos.

 

[Amiga]

 

[AnotherKim]

Ruger is actually a highly trained bird dog. I trained him to protect my birds and leave them alone. He actually runs off dogs he doesn't know when they come around the birds. We have 4 dogs that aren't confined and roam around with the birds. I do keep the ducks in an enclosed pen because we live on a river and I fear they will swim away. I always watch him around them, but he has given me no reason to worry. Actually he brought me a rooster that was ill or something out of the woods this summer. My husband and I couldn't believe it! He was gently carrying it and brought it to us like he knew it needed help.

My dogs alert me to when the eggs are peeping and hatching, and they spend hours watching them in their brooder. I think all the work I do around the animals as a group has conditioned them. My chickens hop on the dogs and often scratch dirt onto them. We had a neighborhood dog kill some chickens and I trained my dogs to keep her away. I live very rural and there aren't any leash laws here.

It was really cute the way Ruger and the duck got nose to nose. He licked it but I didn't get a picture and it snuggled under his neck when I was trying to get a photos.

That's great. Unfortunately my dogs think my chickens are squeeky toys. They killed four of them while we were away from home one day. I've learned to dog-proof my pen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's great. Unfortunately my dogs think my chickens are squeeky toys. They killed four of them while we were away from home one day. I've learned to dog-proof my pen.

Me too, my dogs Mini dachshunds have been around these critters since they were babies, I think the prey drive was just too much for my dachshund and this tiny duckling. My lesson learned a very hard way, once they get around 4-5 weeks on they are okay with them.
so happy you were able to train yours to protect. Those pics are so adorable. and such a beautiful place to live, Oh but I hate it when people let their dogs roam onto others property and kill. To me doesn't matter if there are leash laws or not, it's respecting others property and life.
I hope to have a LGD one day.

 

[BurchFunnyFarm]

I couldn't agree with you gals more. When I said Ruger is a trained bird dog I was referring to hunting. He is a phenomenal dog, but teaching him that the chickens and ducks were our family was so easy. I was lucky. And he trains and helps our other dogs understand that as well. I told the man who owns the dog that I would shoot it if I saw it on my property again, but I honestly didn't have the heart to. I decided to teach Ruger to guard them. He is a very special dog. He doesn't bite or hurt the other dogs, he just charges and sounds aggressive. He stops where our property ends and they seem to have gotten the message. They stay away from him and my littles! I was worried it wouldn't be enough to keep the dogs away, but Ruger is a 115lb ball of love and when he means business he MEANS it. I've rarely seen a dog that doesn't bolt at his charge towards them.

On another note. The yellow duckling seems so be fully recovered and normal. Just one left that is curling its head on and off. I think it's improving and will be okay though. I had everything set up to move them to the brooder in my coop and didn't. I'm going to keep them in my jacuzzi tub where I can peek in on them regularly until the last one starts looking stronger.

 

[BurchFunnyFarm]

The guy who owns the dog get very emotional when I told him that his dog had killed 13 of my chickens. I asked him to keep her controlled and he said he just couldn't. He couldn't bear to keep her confined. He offered to pay for my chickens and I explained that it wasn't the money, it was the principle. I couldn't put a price on my chickens. I mean when my meat, eggs, and pets are destroyed how do you decide what that is worth? He even had the gall to catch my husband outside alone and gripe about me threatening to shoot his dog. My husband laughed and told him that he not only supports me but would have killed the dog himself if he had been home when she slayed my flock.

I don't want to kill his dog though. I know we had a dog turn to killing chickens and other problems and we got rid of her. Owning animals is not easy, and good animal husbandry is even harder. You shouldn't own animals if you aren't willing to commit to them and do your best.

 

[casportpony]

The guy who owns the dog get very emotional when I told him that his dog had killed 13 of my chickens. I asked him to keep her controlled and he said he just couldn't. He couldn't bear to keep her confined. He offered to pay for my chickens and I explained that it wasn't the money, it was the principle. I couldn't put a price on my chickens. I mean when my meat, eggs, and pets are destroyed how do you decide what that is worth? He even had the gall to catch my husband outside alone and gripe about me threatening to shoot his dog. My husband laughed and told him that he not only supports me but would have killed the dog himself if he had been home when she slayed my flock.

I don't want to kill his dog though. I know we had a dog turn to killing chickens and other problems and we got rid of her. Owning animals is not easy, and good animal husbandry is even harder. You shouldn't own animals if you aren't willing to commit to them and do your best.

You could trap his dog and hand it over to animal control, then he'd have to pay fines, liscense, etc. Do this a few times and and he'll find a way to secure his mutt.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

How are the ducklings today?

-Kathy