The Quack Shack

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Who knew dux would enjoy a little wood pile so much. View attachment 3827827

My Dux climb on everything that i pile up:

• Wood-Chips
• Cut tree branches - where they get stuck and must be rescued
• Compost - which is no longer piled after they're done
• Grass-Cuttings - turns white ducks into green ducks
• Upside-down wheelbarrow

Being on the high-ground is important for dux!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Frank were they able to fly at all? I know the Mallards could as my boys that I have sold people have flown away never to be seen again. Runner ducks are not supposed to be able to fly yet the guy I bought my two babies from last year said his flock flew very well. My huge Mule duck can fly as high as my house with one wing clipped! I could not believe she would be able to do that.

All of my dux are able to become airborne! - Even the heavy Black Swedish Drake named Mr. Boots is able to get off the ground enough to fly over the fence to get into the cabbage-patch.
They won't be able to fly away, like the mallards do.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Thank you everybody for info about the cooling time.

Our two little ducklings are now 2 weeks old and we can see the start of what will be feathers appearing.

They don't seem to particularly care for the heat plate anymore.

Over the day it's mostly around 20 C (68 F) outside, more in the sun, and overnight they have around 18 C (64 F) in the garage with the heat plate running. But whenever we come and have a look they are not under the plate.

Are these conditions good enough to just switch the plate off and pack it up for the next batch of ducklings?

I wouldn't! - They will love to sit on it and be prepared to jump out the moment you lift up the lid. It doesn't hurt them and if you don't need it elsewhere… - It was surprisingly cold here last night night and a very close call for all my squash plants. They all looked wilt this morning but have since recovered.
You don't want wilt looking ducklings after a surprise cold night?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I gave it another shot yesterday, loade my car with plants and went to the parking-lot flee-market:

Surprisingly i had a lot of competition. The other's had larger tomato-plants but my prices were lower, i can let go a tomato six-pack for $3 when the other's ask $6 for tall plants. Hint: The larger the plant the more likely it won't survive the transplant into your garden…
And nobody else had the idea to sell to sell cucumbers, zucchini and other squashes.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Thank you everybody for info about the cooling time.

Our two little ducklings are now 2 weeks old and we can see the start of what will be feathers appearing.

They don't seem to particularly care for the heat plate anymore.

Over the day it's mostly around 20 C (68 F) outside, more in the sun, and overnight they have around 18 C (64 F) in the garage with the heat plate running. But whenever we come and have a look they are not under the plate.

Are these conditions good enough to just switch the plate off and pack it up for the next batch of ducklings?

One mine start sleeping on TOP of the plate, I move them to a different pen. That's usually around 2 weeks old. And they've done fine with this!

 

[Supercow]

Oh no! - Now your incubator is broken!
Just kidding. I had momma ducks leaving their nests for half a day or longer and still the eggs hatched. The further into the incubation process the less vulnerable are the eggs.

Dude, we had two beautiful healthy ducklings and nine dead ones.. Was it me, was it the incubator, at this point I'll believe anything, I just want to do better.

 

[Jenbirdee]

@Jenbirdee did you go to TSC?

well, I called them first and they said they only had mallards. So I found a local guy with two recently hatched Pekin ducklings….. I took my 83 year-old mother with me today to pick them up and she was thrilled to hold the box all the way home and talk to them lol (happy Mother’s Day.!)

 

[Luv Ducks]

Eggse!ent idea

All of my dux are able to become airborne! - Even the heavy Black Swedish Drake named Mr. Boots is able to get off the ground enough to fly over the fence to get into the cabbage-patch.
They won't be able to fly away, like the mallards do.

So sorry that even with flight skills they were not able to get away from the predator. Do they others seem to be alright now? I pray that they are.

 

[Miss Lydia]

well, I called them first and they said they only had mallards. So I found a local guy with two recently hatched Pekin ducklings….. I took my 83 year-old mother with me today to pick them up and she was thrilled to hold the box all the way home and talk to them lol (happy Mother’s Day.!)

That is so sweet. I hope Frankie will end up liking them.

 

[Jenbirdee]

That is so sweet. I hope Frankie will end up liking them.

he does they are already doing that thing where if you take one of them out of the brooder the other two scream and scream
The little bites he doing I think they’re just his normal gosling nibbles like love bites. However, my only concern is if they get squished or suffocated because he is three times size, and wearing a little boot. I had to make new waters with smaller holes and use that bubble one temporarily their heads are tiny. I think they’re only a couple days old because they’re pretty sleepy. I thought he told me they were one week but I don’t think so.