The khaki-Campbell duck Thread !!!!!!!!

[caesargirl]

Mine do get broody. I would never let ducklings near any other big ducks except momma. Drakes have been known to kill ducklings. Ponds/pools aren't necessary, but do help ducks spread their oil that keeps them warm and dry. They absolutely must have water any time they have food and they must be able to dunk their faces to keep their nares clear. Ducks love to forage. Be it in soil, mud or gardens. I have to pen off my gardens to keep them out... They like the same veggies I do!
There are exceptions to everything, except the water rule.

 

[caesargirl]

Many people use kiddie pools, plus the the nasty water is great for gardens.

 

[nchvac]

Shouldn't be too hard to keep them out of the garden with some 2 foot netting I would suppose.

I have a woman locally that has hatched some eggs. She got hers fom Tractor Supply last year and wound up with a dark hen and light hen and a drake.

With chickens I have always been told that if you get them from hatcheries it is unlikely that they are brother/sister because of the quantity that they produce, but I don't know if this is the same for ducks. Will I be ok as far as inbreeding goes with buying these ducks and breeding them brother to sister as far as the quality of the offspring goes?

Do the hatchery strains tend to produce more eggs like with chickens? And do you all give the ducks supplemental lighting in the winter to keep the egg numbers up or is that necessary with ducks?

 

[caesargirl]

Inbreeding into a couple of generations hasn't given me any problems, but I did cull all my males this winter and brought in new males. I'm not taking any chances. My hatchery vs farm hatched aren't any different in their laying. Winter is the time ducks tend to cut back on their eggs. It's a rest for their bodies. However, with supplemental lighting they will keep up their laying. I did do that, but have stopped.

 

[cawtlc]

HI All.
Last spring was my first year for ducks. I purchased 2 ducklings at Tractor Supply. Khaki Campbells. I called them Mocha and Chino Mocha died at about a month old. I purchased 2 more ducklings, Khaki's. From Runnings (all come from McMurray Hatchery, I believe).
At 3 months, Chino died.
Howard & Hannah, the newest ducklings were doing really well. One drake, one hen.
Hannah has been to the vets repeatedly for stopping eating, losing weight and being anemic. Howard, he's doing wonderfully.
Hannah is in my house right now, I've been tending to her for a few weeks off & on. Last 2 weeks in my house w/ Tylan and probiotics but she's given up. She is weak and I'm quite sure when I get home from work today, she'll be dead. I'm heartbroken. I've had chickens for ever and LOVE my ducks. Howard will be so sad without her.
What on earth did I do that 3 out of 4 weren't well? Chickens are all well, in a brand new giant big coop w/ the duck(s) and Howard seems robust (please dn't let him ever get sick).
I feel like a Duck Momma failure. Has anyone had these issues??? I love having ducks but now I"m afraid to get more.

 

[Amiga]

HI All.
Last spring was my first year for ducks. I purchased 2 ducklings at Tractor Supply. Khaki Campbells. I called them Mocha and Chino Mocha died at about a month old. I purchased 2 more ducklings, Khaki's. From Runnings (all come from McMurray Hatchery, I believe).
At 3 months, Chino died.
Howard & Hannah, the newest ducklings were doing really well. One drake, one hen.
Hannah has been to the vets repeatedly for stopping eating, losing weight and being anemic. Howard, he's doing wonderfully.
Hannah is in my house right now, I've been tending to her for a few weeks off & on. Last 2 weeks in my house w/ Tylan and probiotics but she's given up. She is weak and I'm quite sure when I get home from work today, she'll be dead. I'm heartbroken. I've had chickens for ever and LOVE my ducks. Howard will be so sad without her.
What on earth did I do that 3 out of 4 weren't well? Chickens are all well, in a brand new giant big coop w/ the duck(s) and Howard seems robust (please dn't let him ever get sick).
I feel like a Duck Momma failure. Has anyone had these issues??? I love having ducks but now I"m afraid to get more.

Perhaps we can use the Raising Ducklings sticky to review. Have you seen that?

I would seriously consider a necropsy for Hannah.

There are many questions I could ask - so I'll go ahead. These are not an inquisition. They are to help sort things out.

Type of feed
feed regimen
source of water
water regimen
other animals
was the pen located near an old garage or where batteries or cars were kept (thinking lead poisoning)
were X-rays taken, or blood tests, to test for metal toxicity
type of bedding
did you ever smell ammonia in the bedding
temperatures in their shelter during extreme weather
availability of water to swim and wash in
free ranging time
toxic plants in the area?

 

[cawtlc]

I'm happy to answer what I can! Thank you. I'd like to fix the issue. If Hannah does die, and I HOPE she doesn't..... but if she does, I"m going to ask my vet if he will do a necropsy. I'll attach some photos of the coop we use now (moved everyone in late summer/early fall in 2015). Pics of the new coop next to the old coop, and some of the inside.


Type of feed - Nutrena NatureWise All Flock (closest to Duck food I could find) Pellets. Plus, they LOVE frozen peas, romaine, kale and corn. They didn't seem to like fruit. Love meal worms as a treat, too. Chickens eat a crumble layer feed by Nutrena as well w/ sunflower seeds. Ducks did have access to that bowl, but never seemed to eat it. Hannah never seemed to really like pellets or crumbles. She often just liked veggies and meal worms. So they'd get a Liquid Drench for vitamins in the water, electrolytes and probiotics a few times a week but didn't want to over do it. I'd add Nutritional Yeast to the peas as I couldn't get them to eat it otherwise.

feed regimen - Fresh food 2x a day. Fresh water 2-3X a day. Rubbermaid dishes used. Just purchased a heated water bowl for the ducks during our cold spell.

source of water - Same water as the people, dogs, cats, horses, chickens - from our drilled artesian. And always a bowl deep enough for them to wash their bills/nostrils out.

water regimen - fresh water 2-3x a day. Warm water when it was cold out.

other animals - housed with 9 bantam chickens and 3 sexlink hens. 2 bantams are roosters. The banties stay away from the ducks, a little weirded out by them. The sexlinks I got at the same time as the ducks.

was the pen located near an old garage or where batteries or cars were kept (thinking lead poisoning) - No. And, we put 2 feet of bluestone where the new pen is. Chickens and ducks are locked in the coop/pen when I'm not around or during inclement/cold weather. Or if we're doing things that aren't duck/chicken friendly. Ducks would get in to EVERYTHING!

were X-rays taken, or blood tests, to test for metal toxicity - xrays, yes - nothing in Hannah during the first appt. Then just kept getting sick. First time we thought it was algae bloom from a flooded old manure spot from the horses.....

type of bedding - pine shavings and some of my horses second cut hay when it was cold for Hannah to pull in to her bed. Plywood floor covered in a rubber mat with the shavings on top.

did you ever smell ammonia in the bedding - no

temperatures in their shelter during extreme weather - We had some below zero nights. Cold enough to freeze the water. A heat lamp in the coop. Her first illness was in July. Then early Sept. Then December, and again recently.

availability of water to swim and wash in - yes, except on those super cold days, but I'd supply something at least once a week for warm water baths. Otherwise, fresh water in their tub every day.

free ranging time - only when I"m home. Lots of predators. Coyotes in the field, owls, hawks, fox, bobcat..... And again, the ducks would get in to everything! lol

toxic plants in the area? - nothing alive right now in NH (cold). But, possibly. I'll have to research plant toxicity to ducks.

I haven't seen the raising ducklings sticky? I'd appreciate any help at all. Everyone told me "ducks are hardy" and having had chickens forever, I thought I'd try......

 

[cawtlc]

PS - When I clean the coop, I sprinkle Food Grade DE in the bedding while everyone is out of the coop.

 

[Amiga]

Beautiful place!

I was told ducks are hardy, and about half of mine are, but the rest start to suffer when it remains below 35F. So, their night pen/winter shelter is in our unheated walkout basement. Convenient for me, no shoveling to get to them, and it's pretty secure.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

 

[caesargirl]

@amiga off the current topic: did I read somewhere you had a white mallard?!?!? Where did you get him/her?