Duck eggs are scrumptious and plentiful even if you don’t raise classic egg-laying breeds, such as Khaki Campbells and Indian Runners. The only problem is that ducks need a bit of managing.
You can’t let these waterfowls wander off at night and you need to rotate them across your property, lest they will overgraze, scatter mushy poop, fight each other, or dabble up moist ground. Also, you need to gather them around bodies of water where they are most useful, so they could snack on mosquitoes, flies, snails, and slugs.
Apparently, ducks are a lot of work and you will benefit from the help of a herding canine. So, let’s talk about Border Collies and ducks. Are they good with ducks?
How Do You Train a Border Collie to Herd Ducks?
Before anything else, I’d like to ask you why you want to raise ducks. Is it for pest control, feather and down production, exhibition, herd dog training, or meat and eggs? Because if you plan to raise ducks, you’ll need to choose a duck breed that will suit your needs best. From there on, you’ll have an idea of what’s in store for you and your furry sidekick.
Choose the Right Duck Breed
Are Border Collies and ducks compatible?
Domesticated ducks, in general, have a calm demeanor and a temperament that is a bit more predictable than sheep. However, some breeds are unfriendly, devious, and downright aggressive. Among these notoriously pugnacious birds are Steamers, Muscovies, and Rouens.
But regardless of the breed, male ducks can be quite bold and dominant. You’ll hear a lot of complaints about drakes gashing human legs and pecking doggie bottoms. Although these angry birds can’t beat the tar out of dogs, your canine buddy might make a split-second response that you will regret, especially if your pooch doesn’t like working with these butt nippers.
Therefore, start with docile egg-laying breeds if this is your first time raising ducks in your backyard. If you wish to participate in stock trials in the future, consider getting Indian Runners, as they are the Cadillac breed for herding due to their fast gait and upright stance.
Herd Anything One Step at a Time
The first and most important part of training is to teach your puppy obedience commands followed by establishing a reliable recall. Then focus on basic herding commands, such as:
- Come by: to approach from the right side, moving to the left
- Away: to approach from the left side, moving to the right
- To me: to approach from behind, moving the flock towards your direction
- Walk-up: to approach the ducks and stop a few feet away
“Come by” and “away” are two of the most commonly used herding commands. So, it goes without saying that your Border collie should master how to respond to these cues.
To achieve this, you’ll need to put Doggo on a leash and have him walk around you in circles. Then have your pooch reverse directions using the said commands. Keep practicing until your collie can switch directions speedily and without hesitation.
Once your hairy trainee has mastered these simple commands, you can teach him more advanced techniques used by expert herdsmen. Better yet, enroll Doggo in a class that specializes in herding.
I also suggest you watch Dogs and Ducks Have You Herd? The Six Basics of Herding Ducks, especially if you’re serious about joining herding competitions or starting a duck farm. Written by the “Duck Lady” herself, Joyce Norris, it delivers a comprehensive explanation of the six most important principles of duck herding.
Get Motivated
To give you some inspiration, here’s a video of three Border Collies demonstrating how to herd a group of ducks at Putnam County Fair in Cookeville, Tennessee. The goal was to guide the ducks down the dirt road into the hula hoop.
Hyper-focused on the task, the expert herders aren’t letting any duck stray from the group. All three dogs moved stealthily, crouching down so low as to prevent the fowls from panicking. Slowly but surely, the Border collies moved the ducks to where they ought to be.
Are Ducks Afraid of Border Collies?
Most ducks are afraid of dogs, but there will always be one bossy drake among the group. Most of the time these little daredevils aren’t sure about their standing in the pecking order, so they decide to find out by challenging the hairy dog! Unfortunately, some ducks are too aggressive that they are more than willing to give your dog a full-blown assault!
Now, you have probably run across the fear of your canine sending your duck to the veterinary hospital ICU. However, whacking your cuckoo duck with a stick will not accomplish anything. Nor should you punish your dog for defending himself from a crazy duck.
Fortunately, it is rare for Border Collies to attack livestock, be it large or small. Also, there are many ways you can train your dog to ignore the crazy duck.
Is it Similar to Chickens?
Herding ducks seem to be more challenging for your furry sidekick than herding chickens. Ducks are smarter than chickens, and they have more personality to boot.
In fact, some ducks would deal with pressure by offering a “sacrificial duck.” This particular duck will act hurt or feign death, distracting the dog and letting the rest of the flock escape. As soon as its pursuant is distracted, the clever fowl gets up and runs for the hills!
But at the end of the day, there is nothing Border Collies can’t do!
Conclusion
In theory, ducks are easier to herd than chickens because they can’t run fast. But in practice, they may well become a handful for the novice dog. So before you decide on getting ducks for your collie or vice versa, it is wise to list your priorities first and evaluate yourself.
Are you confident that you can meet the needs of a Border Collie? Do you have the time and commitment to train and take care of this breed? Will you accept the challenges and risks when raising these two animals? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, then I wish you all the best in your venture!
Border Collies are overflowing with potential, given how intelligent they are! These canine geniuses can herd just about anything living, including toddlers if you let them. However, it is up to you to hone their skills and make the most of their budding talents.