Recent content by LT71689

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    Fancy quail coop ideas

    To prevent drowning, you could probably build sort of a grate out of hardware cloth and a frame that you sat just a few inches into the pond, so if they wound up in the water they could safely stand on top of it. If you’re doing some sort of water plants they’d easily grow through it, and you...
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    Pound/pool building - deep or wide?

    Thanks! I do kind of have the (theoretical) ability to build it however I want. I REALLY loved the clear-sided kiddie pool I had because I got to watch them swim and dive and could see them really clearly and that was a lot of fun to watch, whereas a typical black-lined pond I wouldn't, it kind...
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    Pound/pool building - deep or wide?

    I have the opportunity to build completely from scratch in a few years (just purchasing a property) and I'm thinking about the design I'd want for a swimming water source. I fostered a pair of ducks a few years back that really enjoyed doing big sweeping underwater circles around their swimming...
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    Comment by 'LT71689' in article 'Keeping A Mixed Flock!'

    Some additions : Ducks - even without a pool - are just wet birds, all the time. They're living humidifiers. Their poop is wet (and constant), their breath is wet - they will increase humidity and stank in a shared coop so cleaning and ventilation modifications may need to be made if you only...
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    • Article comment
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    ISO Female Sapphire Gems DelMarVa area

    Located in northern MD, willing to go ~50mi any direction to pick up. Looking for a couple of adult female Sapphire Gems to start a small backyard flock.
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    Lonely male duck please help.

    Yes, a duck trying to mate a chicken can kill it, they do not have compatible anatomy. Even if you got female ducks I'd still be worried that your existing male might try it one day, even if he's left them alone up to this point. If you have any male ducks they should be kept separate from...
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    Turned in foot

    Sometimes they're just....awkward 😅 You could try a more direct supplement to ensure she's definitely getting a sufficient dose (hand-feeding liquid), but 10 weeks on might be a bit late. Doesnt hurt to try, just might be a lot of work for little to no payoff
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    Lonely male duck please help.

    3-4 females per male is a *minimum* suggestion - sometimes they require even more, and if he picks a favorite girl theres not a lot you can do to change the situation and he can still overmate/harm her. Not saying you cant do it, just something to be aware and prepared for if you choose to get...
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    New Pekin momma

    so many things wrong here. Ducks shouldnt be kept as solitary animals. So you need a second duck, which means you need more room to keep them in. There's no reason to take a duck into public. They're not dogs, they're prey animals at their core and are very easily spooked by literally...
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    Lonely male duck please help.

    In the short term, spend as much time with him as you can. You can try adding a stuffed toy to his pen, a mirror, bird toys to keep him engaged
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    Safe to walk my ducks and let them roam around the park?

    adding a "no" vote to the list for the reasons stated, plus you have FIVE of them? One or two ducks on a leash is one thing....five ducks is something else, especially in an emergency like if someones dog gets loose and tries to attack. It doesnt sound safe or feasible to me.
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    Is This Duckling (The Right) Okay?

    They definitely go through a little bit of an ugly stage - is this duck wet from bathing/playing in water? Does it have access to water? is there anything else that seems off besides its appearance?
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    12 ducklings help

    Its best to check the niacin content in whichever brand youre using, but yes its likely that a supplement would be ideal. Check out Isaac's threads on it at the top of the duck forum - https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/ and...
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    12 ducklings help

    As noted its definitely not enough space so its good that youre getting something bigger ASAP. Ducks make so much heat and humidity of their own in their bodies. In addition to that, they don't have an appropriate waterer. Ducks need to be able to dunk their whole heads under water to rinse...
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    Outdoor pens for ducks- best builds/bought

    Anything carnivorous that can dig or fly is a risk - dogs/coyotes/dingos/etc, cats, large birds, foxes, mink/weasels of any sort. Even if you don't normally see them, they're there. How you build really depends on how invested you are in not losing them. Most people would go for hardware cloth...
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