I never put water inside your asking for a big mess, I use heated buckets got mine from TSC they have 2 gal and 5 gal.It will be freezing pretty soon and obviously my little pool is going to be frozen, so no point in filling it for them. What do you use for waterers for your ducks in the winter? I know they are supposed to be able to stick their heads in but I need something that isn't going to make a mess in their shed…TIA and pics appreciated
You just leave them loose in the yard? your asking for trouble preds will eventually find them. My flock has to be locked up at night they lay their eggs in the deep shavings I put in their house. usually by day light they have laid their eggs. Best way to find your eggs too ducks are notorious for hiding nest and eggs.thanks Miss Lydia. I was only thinking of something for them to drink out of…but I suppose they could go without until I let them out in the morning then…does anyone else lock their ducks in at night so they can make sure they lay their eggs in their shed? Mine aren't laying yet….or at least we havent found any eggs yet because they AREN'T being locked in…
Sorry to hear that your having problems, glad to hear you have a Maremma watching over everyone. I do find it easier if mine are up and in their beds to lay their eggs, most breeds of duck lay before or close to sunrise. I have had a few that waited till later though which means we can't lump them all together they all have their own clocks. so to speak.
I have Maremma Livestock Guardians. They watch over our lambs, calves and free range poultry. I do lock the birds up at night so the dogs can concentrate more on guarding and patrolling against the cougars, coyotes and other predators that try to sneak past their perimeter and not have to worry so much about the owls etc.
The ducks are pretty good about going in the shed along with the 6 chicks that aren't supposed to be in there, but TheMan won't catch them to put them in the hen coop and I am non ambulatory right now. pffft!
What breed of ducks? some ducks will lay over winter, I have Muscovy and they are seasonal layers so they for the most part have finished for the year, and all mating has come to a close too. If your ducks were bron late spring there is a possibility they may not lay till nest year. But again it's hard to put them into one category since there are so many breeds. Most drakes aren't very gentlemanly about mating. It's a pretty rough sport. I use deep shaving and I have to use the pitch fork to turn over the bedding to find eggs those girls are expert at hiding them.
I have 3 Khaki Cambells, 2 Ruens and an Indian Runner, plus an Indian Runner Drake that thinks he is quite the man about town. I got them as ducklings in early April so maybe they won't then. I'll let TheMan know how tricky they are and hopefully ill look hard now and then. Thanks for all the info
