First time duck owner

[moodybubbles]

I will post pics s bit later today.

A friend gave me 3 ducks. I see no drake feathers so i assume all are female. I have a baby pool and drain and fill daily.

I bought a wild bird crumble but am wondering if they will eat my layer pellets my chickens eat? I herd them into the chicken coop at night. They make a mess of the floor but are safe. They stay in a 16'x16' run during the day with their pool.

The friend is trying to give me mother goose and a drake. The drake I want but the goose seems too large to be happy in a small baby pool and 4 ducks will be crowding that pool let alone a goose also. Should I add the goose?

If I try to free range these ducks will they just leave me for the nice full gorgeous pond the neighbors have just about 100 yards to the north?

 

[jducour]

Thx for answering, but I think one is enough, I've searched on Google and they said "ducks are loyal companions and would rather have a human friend then a duck friend", that's maybe not what they said but it's close enough. Thanks for helping. P.S I'm lucky to get 1

Yes, but only if you are able to be her companion for most of the day. They will get very lonely and depressed if left alone for more than an hour at a time - so it can be a little selfish to expect to be able to raise a happy lone duck. Do you go to school or work during the day? Unless you stay at home most of the day, a single duck isn't for you. And there are a lot of knowledgeable people on here if you want advice - Google isn't always right

 

[Miss Lydia]

A goose raised with ducks will do fine and can be happy in a kiddy pool it's when other geese are introduced problems can come up but if they have all been together then they should remain close knit and the goose is probably already grieving it's lost some of it's family. Please post pics of the goose and drake and more of your 3 you have they are very pretty. welded wire will work fine for extra protection and space during the day as long as they are locked up at night not sure how they will all get along with your chickens though. Geese are very protective of what is theirs so you might want to divide your coop so one half is chickens the other water fowl. Then again if they are use to chickens it may work out fine that is something you'll just have to deal with as you bring them home. My flock all eats the same feed.

 

[Amiga]

I have a similar issue - if I don't show my face at least every 45 minutes, I hear about it! Oh, and when I start talking on the phone, a few of my ducks think I am talking to them and they start conversing with me. In duck society, it is rude not to verbalize with flock members unless the flock is napping.

I also work from home, and I have to find a spot out of earshot of the ducks to chat for business things. In fact, I just finished a business call from . . . . the night pen! Because the ducks are on the other side of the house in the day pen. The broody duck listened quietly.

Now, when I go away for a while, the neighbors say that most of the time the ducks are quiet until they hear my car coming down the street. They will holler if they're out of food, too.

 

[deannamil]

I have to go visit mine as soon as I get home from work or boy they are not happy.
It is not a food issue, they want to see their momma!!!

 

[casportpony]

Quote: @fardar , Welcome to BYC! What will your duck do when you sleep or go play with your friends? Google separation anxiety disorder before you decide to get just one duck.

-Kathy

 

[season1223]

Here's a pic of the bed/nest i made for them! I put it where they usually sleep inside the coop! I put a roof on it because its under the roosting poles and even tho i only have 2 bantams that actually roost on them right now i didnt want them getting pooped on in their sleep, especially if i wind up getting more chickens! It's movable too...that's just the spot they like right now!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Here's a pic of the bed/nest i made for them! I put it where they usually sleep inside the coop! I put a roof on it because its under the roosting poles and even tho i only have 2 bantams that actually roost on them right now i didnt want them getting pooped on in their sleep, especially if i wind up getting more chickens! It's movable too...that's just the spot they like right now!

I think it will work, awesome! If you find eggs out of it, just add them in there a few days. They will get the hint.

 

[Amiga]

Random question? Will different breeds of ducks breed and successfully produce hatchlings! Mine is a white pekin...most of u have seen the pics of quackers! I want to find her a drake preferably a different color to have unique babies but should i stick to Pekins or is there a kind or size breed i shouldn't get? I keep finding different breeds and no pekins!

There are some absolutely gorgeous Pekin mixes out there

Some folks prefer mixes. Since Pekins are a pretty good size, I don't think I'd worry too much about the size of the drake, though my personal preference would be no one much larger than she, since duck mating can be so rough in any case.

Speaking of rough - some drakes really are brutal. You don't know till you have them. The general approach is to have 3 or more females per drake. Even that doesn't work if he picks on one. So I would prepare to have separate side by side pens should the need arise.

 

[moodybubbles]

Picture posting woes. I thought it didn't put and apparently posted the same pic many times. Sorry.