Pipd's Peeps!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Aww. I think he'll turn out to be a great rooster. Hoping Crashie is a girl for you.
Do you have a separate pen for your call ducks? Separate from your chickens I mean. Because... I was planning on getting two more chickens for my flock, but someone I know has way too many call ducks and said they'd sell them to me. So, I might be getting two calls if I can acclimate them to my chicken flock. Just wondering if you know how difficult it would be?

I do have a separate pen and coop for my call ducks because I have a drake. Drakes can really hurt chicken hens, so you have to be very careful when keeping them with chickens. If you get two females, you should be fine keeping them with your hens, though ducks are messier than chickens so be aware of that!

I can't help you with how difficult integrating them together is, though, sorry.






I gave Crashie a bath this afternoon and shredded up some grass for him to swim after. He went nuts! I was afraid I had put too much in and would have to clean out the tub afterward, but he ate almost every single bit of it! I was surprised after the trial run with grass in his little dish. He didn't seem to want to eat it out of the little dish!

Also, I finished a grazing frame today for the girls and planted some grass underneath it! They should have fresh grass to peck at in their yard after a week or two! Yay for getting things done!

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Thanks for the info. And Crashie chasing the grass sounds so cute!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Welp, here's a first. :/ Looks like my call duck hen, Trudi, is going broody! Add her to the list: Margaret (still!), Kit, and possibly Elda. Girls, get a grip!

We also got rain today. Yay. Because I was just thinking it was getting too dry out there!



Another thing, just for mention. The woman who I got my Swedish Flower Hen, Tilde, from has contacted me asking if I would be interested in taking in another pet hen case. Tilde, for those unaware, came home with me because she just didn't fit in at her old home and was being pushed around a lot and shunned by the flock. This other SFH hen is not producing any eggs as far as her owner knows, which is why she's looking for a pet home for her. She is truly beautiful. She has a vibrant, almost Mille Fleur looking feather pattern, but with more black feathering. Just gorgeous... But there are two things that are causing me pause. First is that I'm not sure if I'm up for a second time with all the work and stress of quarantine, weaning her to the pellet feed my girls are on, integrating her into the flock before winter, etc. And, if I take this hen home, that's less room for the possible babies I may get next year, meaning I have fewer slots, if you will, for different breeds. But she is so gorgeous... I have some thinking to do on this one.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

I don't think you can go wrong with either choice. On one hand, there's a lot less stress and work for you, or you can get a beautiful new hen. Do what's best for you.
Also, I have another question for you. You only have a pair of ducks, correct? Does your drake over mate your hen, or do the two of them do fine? I'm asking because I was planning on getting one drake and one hen, but I'm not sure about hen to drake ratios.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I do have a pair. I haven't noticed Malcolm over-mating Trudi, and he has, for the most part, been pretty gentle with her. She does have a scruffy spot on her head where he grabs hold of her, but I think that's more to do with that he's young and needed some practice to get things right. That being said, it's probably more to do with the personality of the drake than anything when it comes to the male-female ratio. Most people say to have 2-3 ducks per drake in a duck flock because a lot of drakes are overly aggressive and over-mating happens a lot in duck flocks. I'd say just be watchful if you end up getting a pair, and have a space so that you can separate them (while allowing them to still see each other) if your drake does become overly aggressive. A lot of drakes calm down after their first breeding season, a lot like male chickens.




So, I've been pooped on twice today. I think I'm learning how long is too long to hold Crash now. Usually, he does a pretty good job of holding it, but I had been holding him while looking things up (mainly on the topic of sexing ducks of his age) and lost track of time. Oops.

Anyway, some Crash pictures for today! Enjoying his cuddle time.

Look at those cheeks!

Here's Crashie's Runner Duck impression.

And a cheeky smile, taken shortly after he pooped in my lap. The little butt.

I'm going to drive myself batty trying to figure out whether he's a boy or a girl. Every time I'm sure he's a girl, I start second-guessing myself again. Ugh! This is almost as bad as my yearly case of rooster paranoia! (I guess, getting no chicks this year, I had to make up for the lack of rooster paranoia somehow. )




As far as this other hen, I'm still deeply torn. Her current owner has said a lot to reassure me that I have no obligation to take her, but really I'm more torn as to whether I want to pass up such a gorgeous hen or not... Ugh, this is so hard!

 

[lightchick]

I think you should get the hen.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I think you should get the hen.

I just am really torn about it.

My heart is saying yes, go get that beautiful hen. She'll add such a unique color to the flock and she'll be able to live out her life as a spoiled, happy hen whether she lays or not.

But my brain is saying no, I only have a limited amount of space for birds and I have other, specific breeds in mind that I'd like to fill that space with.

Then again, she is prettier than some of those breeds...

But I'm not sure how up to the work and stress of quarantine and integration I am right now...

Although, my mom has promised to take care of at least some of the work if I really want to go get her...

On the other hand, it's like the current owner said to me in discussing it with her. I'm not running a rescue and I have to do what's best for my flock... What I want for my flock...

I don't know, I really don't know. It's killing me almost as much as trying to figure out if Crash is a boy or a girl. I'll figure it out. I have some time.

 

[lightchick]

You really can't go wrong. Whatever you decide is probably going to turn out.

At least you aren't in the same situation I'm in! My EE I got from a pullet bin just started crowing at 13 weeks and that's started my Silkie hen who lays eggs and even squats crowing!
The wouldn't be a problem except that I live in town. *sigh*

Hope you are happy with whatever you decide to do!

 

[TheChickenQueen]

I'm stuck now.
Someone near where I live has 2 3 month old white call ducks. the genders are unknown.
If I had the money I would have both of them.
But my quarantine currently has my younger group of chicks in it.
And I don't have anything for ducks and I have a ton of birds anyway.

I hate when this happens, so close yet so far away

Good luck making your mind up on that hen, if it was me I'd fine a way to have her

 

[lightchick]

I'm stuck now.
Someone near where I live has 2 3 month old white call ducks. the genders are unknown. 
If I had the money I would have both of them.
But my quarantine currently has my younger group of chicks in it.
And I don't have anything for ducks and I have a ton of birds anyway.

I hate when this happens, so close yet so far away 


Good luck making your mind up on that hen, if it was me I'd fine a way to have her   

I don't actually quarantine... Tried it but my chickens found the quarantine in my garage easily. LOL