Nederlandse Kooikerhondje Club of Southern California
EENDENKOOI
The Dutch word eendenkooi, “duck cage”, appears to explain a part of the etymology of the English word decoy. An eendenkooi was an elaborate structure of water ways situated in a small wooded area where wild ducks would be lured into a trap. The middle of the eendenkooi was formed by a pond which was connected to a number of canals. These slightly curved canals. known as (catch) pipes, were covered with netting and reed screens on both sides. They became narrower toward the end where a trap or cage would be located. Wild ducks would be lured into the pipe with a combination of tame ducks and a small dog which walked along side the canal in a most mysterious way. Ducks are curious animals and once attracted to the little dog, would follow it until their demise in the trap.
NO NOISE
Ducks and birds in general, prefer quiet surroundings. For the eendenkooi to be effective, it must be somewhat sucluded and the kooiker (decoyman) and his dog should operate quietly. Therefore, a kooikerhondje does not bark and can work easily with hand signals.
A SECOND JOB
An important aspect of the eendenkooi operation is maintaining a group of tame ducks which are used to help lure the wild ducks into the catch pipe. When our little dog first steps out from behind the reed screens, the tame ducks know it is feeding time and approach the dog. But all keeping all this food on hand attracts rats, mice etc. which can become a problem. Therefore, our kooikerhondje was expected to hunt for rodents if she is not working with the ducks.
WHY DUCKS?
Ducks were an important food article that added variety to the diet in the middle ages and later. Meats were not only expensive, cows and chickens also provided for milk and eggs. Yet wild ducks came in flying just about every day, but how to catch these quick-eyed fat birds? Guns at the time where hardly any accurate and even if you were a musket-sharp-shooter, you could perhaps expect to kill one bird but chase all the others away at the same time. Alternatively, one could sneak up on a few unsuspecting birds and throw a net; perhaps that got you 3 or 4 birds. Good for oneself, but not much of a business. Catching ducks in serious quantities was not easy until the eendenkooi - methods to improve its operation (such as with a little dog) often a well kept secret.
