Our dog killed a duck today :(

[BlackberryAcres]

Our dog is a border collie and has never shown any interest in anything but herding the ducks. She's killed wild rabbits and mice by accident and not known what to do with them. She spends most of her time out with the birds just watching them, chasing away any other dog that comes onto our property. . .

Today I went out to check to make sure everyone had enough water, and I found her under the bird barn eating the head off of one of our ducks (one of our two Silver Appleyards no less. ) Actually, the head and neck were gone by that point. . .

I'm really upset about losing the duck, and I'm upset that now I have to tie the dog up every time she is outside because she can't be trusted around the birds anymore, and they free-range. Maybe at some point we'll get fencing for pastures and just train her to stay away from them (she could easily clear fences if they're less than 6 ft tall) but for now that's not an option.

It just sucks.

 

[HEChicken]

Did you actually see her kill it? (By the sound of your post, it sounds like....not). While it is quite possible she did, I wouldn't be too quick to jump to conclusions. I had a friend who had always trusted her dog around her chickens. Then one day she came home to find the dog eating one, was livid, scolded the dog furiously and so on. Was careful for awhile but after some time had passed, relaxed enough to leave the dog home alone with the chickens free-ranging and came home to find a repeat of the experience. Something didn't feel quite right to her because when she was around the dog didn't show the slightest interest in chasing them. Then she spotted a fox on the property and realized that the fox was the one killing them and the dog was actually trying to help by chasing off the fox before it could take its kill, but then found the allure of the fresh, raw meat to be too tempting to pass up, so ate what the fox had killed.

 

[cskotek]

Very Interesting. I know my puppy had killed 3 of my ducks when they where about 2-3 weeks old. I was BEYOND mad. Ive come to the conclusion that shes a pup and thought they where toys, she didnt try eating them just i guess she grabbed them and their necks broke she wouldnt touch them then0 Now their their bigger she just looks at them and sometimes she barks at them. Im sorry about your loss!!!

 

[BlackberryAcres]

Did you actually see her kill it? (By the sound of your post, it sounds like....not). While it is quite possible she did, I wouldn't be too quick to jump to conclusions. I had a friend who had always trusted her dog around her chickens. Then one day she came home to find the dog eating one, was livid, scolded the dog furiously and so on. Was careful for awhile but after some time had passed, relaxed enough to leave the dog home alone with the chickens free-ranging and came home to find a repeat of the experience. Something didn't feel quite right to her because when she was around the dog didn't show the slightest interest in chasing them. Then she spotted a fox on the property and realized that the fox was the one killing them and the dog was actually trying to help by chasing off the fox before it could take its kill, but then found the allure of the fresh, raw meat to be too tempting to pass up, so ate what the fox had killed.

You know, I had started to wonder about this myself. (And I feel bad for punishing her as much as I did if she DIDN'T actually do it. . .) The amount of feathers I saw under the bird barn really weren't very many. There wasn't much damage on the body (one wing was pulled off but not eaten) except for the missing head. It seems like I would have seen more feathers and a head and bill if she'd actually eaten the whole thing under there? I know we have foxes on our property, but none have ever come close enough to the house to get to the birds. As far as I know at least. And I know we have a neighbor dog (who I haven't seen recently but still. . .) who attacked our rabbits under their hutch and actually pulled so much skin off that we had to put the one down. So there are definitely predator possibilities.

The duck was 12 weeks old, definitely full sized. Seems like it would have taken more than an accident to kill him. . .

 

[Mum]

So sorry for your loss.

As far as foxes go, just because you haven't seen them come close to your property, doesn't mean they haven't. One cheeky fox attacked one of my chickens just a few feet away from where I was standing and it was in the middle of the day; must have been especially hungry, I suppose.

Foxes are very devious and will watch for hours for an opportunity. Collies I have known herd and are not inclined to kill their herd.

 

[new2ducks]

My dog loves to play and play hard! I know she wouldn't purposely kill my ducks but I would never let her in with them and even though they are fenced in I'm out with her when she's out...you never know. She trapped a rogue prarie dog under our trailer a few years ago and never broke the skin! I actually think she gave it a heart attack because her barking was so loud and this little thing tried to bark back and was cornered and couldn't get away and I couldn't get under to get my dog but when it was all over she came out with it in her mouth and just galloped around with it like it was a toy and then she put it down on the ground and barked at it like she wanted it to run again so she could chase it! At the time it seemed like that whole ordeal went on for hours! I wanted to wash her mouth out with lysterine...lol She loves anything she can chase!

 

[Littlesplashers]

I had the best Springer, really couldnt ask for a better pal, who was an amzing duck hearder. He could gently "put em in" at night and get any off the pond for shut in time. My flock was all pekins at the time and i raised them all myself. He would let the mature ducklings hop all over him, sleep by him,etc. The i brought home 2 runners and 2 khaki cams. When the khakis matured they chased him and bit him if he were near the duck house. I tried all types of crazy things to keep them apart but the khaki's started going further out their way to launch mini attacks on the dog. One day i was out doing some yard work with my dad (who had seen all the drama) and my dog brought me the female and the male. Both were dead. Not chewed or eaten. He definately killed both. I was livid. My dad got the dog to a safe distance (from my mom rage). After i calmed down I came to terms with the fact that i expected to much from my pal. He was putting up with a lot. His natural prey was attacking him. I never tried reintroducing khakis again. He never killed another bird after this episode. Dont be to hard on your freind living in such close contact with birds. It goes against their natural instincts. Imo. Sorry for your loss. I've been there.

 

[Marwan]

Ive heard alot of people who have problems with foxes. its seems i am one of the only people who have two ducks who will chase a fox away and the foxes run soo fast its a joke. i never leave them out and the live indoors but on an occasion they were out and a fox came up to them i watched in horror because they were a little far and in the time it would take me the fox would get them. they were only 7 months. and before my eyes the fox rand towards them and my ducks just charged towards it, it spun around and ran all the way down the road. i dont take chances thoe. but human urine will keep any preadator away. just spread it around the property and pen and they will stay well away.

thats a video of my duckies on the train