LadyIsadora
Songster
Im terrified to introduce the ducks & dogs, but cant manage to keep them apart forever.
I have 3 dogs. 2 coy, 2 cats and now I have two 3week old pekins. I will be getting more ducks in 9 days.
the dogs drink out of the coy pond and have never bothered them
they rarely chase the cats & have never hurt them
But they are big & clumsy & don't mean to step on them sometimes.
I got my pekins 3 weeks ago. I set up a brooder in a spare room and would let the dogs come in with me and look at them but never get too close. Whenever they went into a peeping frenzy, the dogs would crowed at the door wanting to get in. After two days I lost one of my pekin, I think I cooked it under the lights, but that is just a guess. It was just before bedtime when the discovery was made. I took care of the body and the remaining duck went ape. So I put several stuffies in the bin to try to help calm him but it was still very vocal. My smallest dog, who is also the most curious about the ducks lay outside the bedroom door all night listening to that poor distressed duck.
I went to the store first thing in the morning and got another Pekin, miraculously from the same hatching, so they wont be alone.
I could no longer stand the stink and mess in the brooder so I put them outside in a dog run that I made duck safe and comfy. fully covered with plastic, re-enforced with wood, covered roof lots of hay lights and a heating pad for good measure.
When I let the dogs out in the morning the first thing they do is go check out the ducks. Even though they cant see through the plastic till I pull the plastic back from the door of the pen. Once I do, they check them out, then go about their business, so they dont seem to be fixated on them unless I am in there spending time with them.
I dont know when or how to get over my paranoia about introducing them or how to safely go about it.
I will add that "Jack" the littlest dog ( who is still a good stout thing) who seems to have the most protective tendency's also ends up with slingers hanging from his jowls when things get exciting with the ducks. This is not a super normal thing for him. I wonder if he is salivating because he dreams of munching down on a juicy duck dinner.
Does anyone have some tips or tricks or just good advise on this? horror stories? Cautionary tales? I would love to hear it all & make some decisions.
I have 3 dogs. 2 coy, 2 cats and now I have two 3week old pekins. I will be getting more ducks in 9 days.
the dogs drink out of the coy pond and have never bothered them
they rarely chase the cats & have never hurt them
But they are big & clumsy & don't mean to step on them sometimes.
I got my pekins 3 weeks ago. I set up a brooder in a spare room and would let the dogs come in with me and look at them but never get too close. Whenever they went into a peeping frenzy, the dogs would crowed at the door wanting to get in. After two days I lost one of my pekin, I think I cooked it under the lights, but that is just a guess. It was just before bedtime when the discovery was made. I took care of the body and the remaining duck went ape. So I put several stuffies in the bin to try to help calm him but it was still very vocal. My smallest dog, who is also the most curious about the ducks lay outside the bedroom door all night listening to that poor distressed duck.
I went to the store first thing in the morning and got another Pekin, miraculously from the same hatching, so they wont be alone.
I could no longer stand the stink and mess in the brooder so I put them outside in a dog run that I made duck safe and comfy. fully covered with plastic, re-enforced with wood, covered roof lots of hay lights and a heating pad for good measure.
When I let the dogs out in the morning the first thing they do is go check out the ducks. Even though they cant see through the plastic till I pull the plastic back from the door of the pen. Once I do, they check them out, then go about their business, so they dont seem to be fixated on them unless I am in there spending time with them.
I dont know when or how to get over my paranoia about introducing them or how to safely go about it.
I will add that "Jack" the littlest dog ( who is still a good stout thing) who seems to have the most protective tendency's also ends up with slingers hanging from his jowls when things get exciting with the ducks. This is not a super normal thing for him. I wonder if he is salivating because he dreams of munching down on a juicy duck dinner.
Does anyone have some tips or tricks or just good advise on this? horror stories? Cautionary tales? I would love to hear it all & make some decisions.
