Recent content by ChrisWNY
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Encouraging young chickens to head into the roost at night
The light method still hasn't motivated them to go in on their own. It may be because the light simply isn't bright enough (I used a LED candle which is on a 4 hour timer, comes on at dusk every night). However, over the past couple of days, I do see the chickens on the ramp much more often...- ChrisWNY
- Post #15
- Forum: Managing Your Flock
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Encouraging young chickens to head into the roost at night
Thanks for all of the suggestions! I will try placing a battery powered light inside the roost area to encourage the young hens to go up the ramp and in on their own at dusk. I checked on them just a few minutes ago after dark...sure enough they were huddled on the ground again near the ramp...- ChrisWNY
- Post #7
- Forum: Managing Your Flock
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Encouraging young chickens to head into the roost at night
Raised a new flock of 8 hens (mixed variety) and recently took them out of their brooder and moved them into the coop full time now that the low temps in Western NY are 50F or above most nights (fully feathered, about 9 weeks old). The coop is fully enclosed with a ramp and a "roost" area...- ChrisWNY
- Thread
- Replies: 22
- Forum: Managing Your Flock
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Training dogs to leave ducklings alone
Since we had the first sunny day over 50F in what seems like a month (or longer), I was able to get my pair of Pekin ducks out in the yard with the dogs, under close supervision. Long story short, good thing for remote controlled shock collars. At first, the pitbull was staring them down, ready... -
Duckling broader setups
I use a 55 gallon rubbermaid bin - I cut large square holes in the lid then fixed wire mesh to the lid so I can simply set the heat lamp right on the metal wire mesh. I use 100W red-colored flood light bulbs to heat the brooder. The 200-250W heat lamp bulbs are overkill in my opinion - they use... -
Training dogs to leave ducklings alone
The beagle is old, ~14 yrs. The pitbull mix is somewhere between 4-5 yrs old. I do have an Invisible Fence installed around a portion of my 2-acre property, and have a chicken coop well outside the confines of the fence. The dogs don't dare cross the fence line as they are extremely fearful of... -
Ok to live outside?
I'd provide shelter for them outside so they have a spot for protection from the winds in case they get cold. Where I live in upstate NY it's still a little on the chilly side but I've seen ducklings in the wild (Mallards primarily) swimming around in ponds and streams without issue. Ducks are... -
Training dogs to leave ducklings alone
Any tips/pointers for training 2 dogs to leave ducklings alone? I have a pitbull and beagle mix, they're both females and the pitbull especially has a prey drive but for the most part has not tried to attack or bite/eat the ducklings. Since my 2 ducklings (both Pekins) are nearly full size and... -
Duckling waterer - keep your brooder dry and clean
Just a simple tip for those of you raising ducklings dealing with water getting splashed from standard chicken waterers. Take a 1 gallon plastic milk jug or juice container and cut a hole through the side, as large of a diameter as you can as high up the side of the container as you can. Fill... -
Rouen Duck thread
From my limited experience, the males seem to have yellowish bills, the females have dark gray/black bills, as well as darker feet. I'm guessing it can vary though. Very difficult to tell ducklings apart and until the adult feathers come in, it's a guessing game. Hatcheries have a way of... -
Duck With Fleas!!!!
Get some chickens to peck the fleas off your ducks ;) -
Feeding ducks chicken food
I've found that most feed available at TSC (especially chick starter/grower/finisher) is labeled as suitable for all poultry, chickens and ducks included. The Dumor brand carried at TSC has a chart on the back with recommendations of which types of feed to give to your ducks based on their age... -
At what age can ducklings intermingle with an adult duck?
Maybe I'll get him a stuffed animal female mallard duck so he can go to town on that while the 2 female Rouens are sprouting. I have searched some other threads and found posts about roosters and drakes attempting to mate goats and other livestock, that's just so bizarre. I would've never... -
At what age can ducklings intermingle with an adult duck?
I don't keep them in the same living quarters at night...the Drake sleeps in an igloo-shaped dog house inside my garage at night, the hens are in a coop outdoors in the garden. They're only together outside during the daytime and forage for food together. I'll have to set up some trail cams... -
At what age can ducklings intermingle with an adult duck?
Thanks for the replies...oddly enough a similar thread popped up just after I posted this one, so I've been reading there too. Seems that the females will need to be quacking before I let them loose with the Drake. Until then, any interactions will be done very cautiously with close supervision...