Recent content by littlefrog

Lansing, MI. One of these two need to go, the drake is abusing the heck out of the duck. I have 16 other females, but she takes all of the abuse. I can't put them anywhere near each other. She will run off by herself if they are ranging, but they can't spend the night in the same pen...

My ducks won't touch my own pond, but I can't get them out of the neighbor's. Is there a clear line of sight to the pond? Mowed grass, sand or gravel 'beach', etc? If the grass is high around the pond, mine won't touch it. You could always pick them up and toss them into the pond... That...

I've only ordered ducklings, but they were of high quality. They have a reputation for having very good stock.

I ordered mine from Holderread... Not sure if they have any this time of year but you could check.

My mixed flock (Swedish, Rouens, Buffs, a Welsh Harlequin, and a Cayuga) all did just fine through our rather harsh Michigan winter last year... I'd recommend any of those. Perhaps not the Rouens for optimal egg production (mine lay an egg virtually every day, but not all would be that...

Some Swedish, some half swedish... I'll send you a PM and we'll take this 'off line'.

Where are you in Michigan? I have several ducks that could be friends in Lansing... A friend of mine decided to incubate the eggs I gave her rather than eat them, and now I'm getting six hand raised ducks (about three months old) back... yours if you can pick them up!

Are the feeders off the ground? You can elevate them several inches, put them up on a cinder block or some bricks. If the feeders sit on the ground, I could see how the feed would get wet even if you had a roof over them.

Depends on if they are going to be in the pen 24/7 or just at night... Just at night, 3-4sq feet per duck, could probably get away with less if you commit to cleaning out more often. If they are always going to be in there... well, bigger. I have 1400 sq feet of pen for 40 ducks, but they go...

You probably couldn't tell the difference after 3 or 4 days of incubation, actually...

Sounds just like a cayuga... Should be quacking/not quacking by this age. If it doesn't make a heck of a racket when you pick it up, probably a boy.

I agree on the welsh harlequin. Does the black duck have a white patch on its front, or is it all (mostly) black? Black with a big patch, Swedish. No patch, probaby Cayuga.

I'd stay away from rhubarb. The leaves contain high concentrations of oxalic acid, which is bad. A little won't hurt, but I wouldn't take a chance. The stems are safer, and obviously edible if cooked (and delicious). Cooked rhubarb might be ok. Wouldn't give them a lot, for sure. Never...

I received 3 runners in a Holderread order this spring. Runners aren't really my thing, but they are nice ones. So, rather than sending them to freezer camp in a couple weeks, I'd like to try to sell them. Two black runners - I'm pretty sure a pair based on 'quack' sexing. Good upright...

Never thought of the benedryl thing. They go pretty quickly if you hold the trap underwater with a stick, but it is never pleasant to put down any animal... I learned the hard way about predators... Lost at least 20 in less than an hour last spring, and four a few weeks after my coop burned...