Help and advice needed helping rescue ducks to settle

[Ravynscroft]

You're very welcome, but all I did was give some advice... YOU are doing amazing!! So glad you found some yummy foods they will eat besides the corn... these are big steps in the right direction... I forgot to ask, do you have access to something like crushed oyster shell? Now that she is laying, she will need free choice to replenish her calcium from making those eggs... good news that she feels comfortable to make a nest... will keep my that she gets in the mama mood...

 

[Kye0001]

Yeah Ive got oyster shell out all the time, I have it for the chooks

. I'm going to start mixing that in with their food as one of the chooks eggs was soft last night

. I'm really enjoying it...once I've got the kids to dig all these ponds in I'll put some pics up

. X

 

[Kye0001]

Well the ponds are in place. I've managed to get another pond off gumtree for the lower pond so hoping to get the pipework in today

. Mamma duck is sat on 10 eggs and hasn't been off her best in 2 days

 

[Kye0001]

 

[Ravynscroft]

She went broody!!
Is her nest in your big lovely fern?

Awesome pond setup! My ducks would be so jealous!

 

[beccaWA]

Sounds like she's starting to feel comfortable, laying in the fern and all. Ducks are not fond of change, so if they've never seen a pond, that's a BIG change. Give it time. The more you monkey around with their environment the more suspicious and avoidant they are.

What I did when my Khaki decided to lay her clutch under a brush pile was to put half of a large dog kennel over the nest and completed it with "camoflage" brush on top. She was suspicious (of course!) but eventually returned to the nest. That way I could block the doorway to keep predators out. She successfully hatched six ducklings.

Sounds like yours are going to be fine! Keep up the good work.

 

[Kye0001]

Thanks. I'm lucky she's laid all the other eggs in a nest in the shed. They took to the shed straight away...tbh that wasn't going to be their home but if it works for themselves it works for us

. It's already got a cat flap on it so they're safe

.

Yes I think your right about the ducks and me tampering too much. They won't even attempt to climb into a pond so hopefully one the lower pond is built they can just get in/out as they want. I think the first pond was too close to the house for them as well, I've got dogs so I think they're happier at the back of the garden

. Hopefully we'll get it right soon and she'll hatch us some ducklings

xx

 

[Ravynscroft]

They may not like the changes now, but the idea you had for the lower pond was brilliant... and I think will be needed soon when she hatches ducklings... they'll get comfortable once it's done...

So glad she nested in the shed! Looks like she agreed it was safest, and lucky for your fern too, lol...

 

[Kye0001]

They may not like the changes now, but the idea you had for the lower pond was brilliant... and I think will be needed soon when she hatches ducklings... they'll get comfortable once it's done...

So glad she nested in the shed! Looks like she agreed it was safest, and lucky for your fern too, lol...

Thanks

The plumbing is harder than I thought...went to the garden centre yesterday to try and get some ideas and they pointed out as its gravity fed if/when the power goes off all the water will flood to the bottom

I'd not even thought about that so need to get some overflow pipes going as well

It's a bit more technical than I'd thought

 

[Kye0001]

Sorry about the lack of updates Hattie and Howard are still doing well

They're now eating proper duck food with little extras mixed in

Hattie is still sat on eggs so I think ducklings are imminent

The ponds coming on well, I didn't expect it to take so long but we've kept adding bits and it's ended up being a mammoth project

I've finally got the pumps up and running tonight, it's still not finished and needs the plants adding. Here's tonight's pic of it all so far

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