Please HELP!!!! I need advice!!!

[DarnMom]

I am writing this with such a heavy heart. :-( I have two border collies that watch out over the farm and let me know if there is a coyote lurking and generally just keep everyone safe. This morning about 5 o'clock, my neighbor came to wake me up to let me know that my dogs had broken into the coop and were after my ducks. I don't know what came over them, they have never done this before and it isn't like them..... I just don't understand. To my dismay, my Pekin drake had defended the rest of the girls and taken some pretty bad battle scars. My female Pekin took on some pretty good bites as well. They had sustained most of the attack. I have pulled them out and put them into an old dog crate that had stored. It has a divider wall so they cannot try to clean each other but they can be next to each other. They have been together since birth and are VERY bonded. I irragated the wounds, but some are pretty deep. They both have food and water in their little area and she seems to be doing okay. She is sitting up and holding her head and I think time will heal her up. My drake though is not doing as well. He is laying, will stand up, but I can tell he is hurting. He will pick his head up and responds to me when I talk to him, but I don't know what to do. I don't want to put them on bedding, I'm afraid it isn't sterile enough. I don't know what to put under them besides towels. Any advice is welcome.

Thanks to all!!!

 

[Bault1]

I am so sorry to hear this news. Maybe you could put doggy pee pads down ontop of shavings an get some meds for ducks for the wounds if they are deep you could probably get that horse balm or some kind of salve to help stop the bleeding or wrap it in gauze if you can.

 

[DarnMom]

I did everything I possibly could for my drake, but sadly we lost him. I think the bites may have hit a lung, because his breathing sounded way off and only one side of his chest was working at breathing. I gave him so meds and he was comfy and just drifted away. I made sure to tell him what a good job he did protecting all the girls though. My female is doing much better tho. I am little nervous about introducing her wounds back into the coop, but I have her wrapped in bandage and she has a later of antibiotic ointment all over her. Hopefully it helps. Thanks for the words Bault1!

 

[Debbie1]

I'm sorry for your loss. Are you sure that the dogs intent was to hurt them? Maybe their herding instincts took over but unfortunately the drake thought they were under attack. It would be highly unusual behavior for a border collie to attack your ducks. You might check some border collie websites for an answer. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[DarnMom]

I honestly don't know what came over them. There has never been as issue before, and we even had all the girls free-ranging the entire back yard before trying to keep some of their poo a little further from the BBQ. :/ The ducks never even payed attention to the dogs. The biggest issue we had was the one border collie we call PIG, used to stick his head in the coop to get the girls all clucking and rustled and then he would run away. He thought it was funny and would do it to be a stinker. Never even snapped at them tho. Now they are cooped and they broke through the coop and....... havoc ensued. Maybe you are right, maybe being in a confined space the drake felt threatened??? I just wish I knew so I knew how to avoid this ever happening again! Thanks for that though, it is hard to not be upset with them and they are still as loving and happy as ever without the slightest clue why I'm upset with them.

 

[Bault1]

I did everything I possibly could for my drake, but sadly we lost him. I think the bites may have hit a lung, because his breathing sounded way off and only one side of his chest was working at breathing. I gave him so meds and he was comfy and just drifted away. I made sure to tell him what a good job he did protecting all the girls though. My female is doing much better tho. I am little nervous about introducing her wounds back into the coop, but I have her wrapped in bandage and she has a later of antibiotic ointment all over her. Hopefully it helps. Thanks for the words Bault1!

I am so sorry for your loss an wish i could have help you. I am glad you female is doing better maybe you could use wire to separate her until she gets well that might help from the others pickin at her bandages