I have a roofed pen, and some mesh-topped add-on areas with some 3-sided shelters inside. I do not have an actual coop or building. If it's going to really pile up feet of snow, I can hook up a tarp to block the drift, but my major concerns are a dry bedding, fresh water, and ample food. My pen...
Keep him separated, yeah. At least for a couple weeks, then maybe a trial run of one day to see how he does. I had the same thing happen with my young drake a couple years ago - everyone told me it'd be a chronic problem. Nah he was just an overeager young guy in his first season, and recovered...
You really can't argue when a duck picks you out!
Your farmer is right about the tail feathers. But!! Mine are in the middle of molting right now, and only one guy is starting to grow his tail curls back. Double-check the voice - boys are raspy, whispery, and quieter (though they talk just as...
They definitely need duck buddies, the companionship and social interaction seems to really enrich them, and the presence of other ducks seems to calm and relax them. Are you sure she's a girl? Another girl or two would be great for her. And the eggs are delicious.
They are woo-girls. They are!
I wonder if the crackling noise was the gizzard grinding? If I have to handle one for a prolonged period and do uncomfortable stuff like cleaning a wound or something, as often as not I hear the gravel grinding in the gizzard. I take it as nerves and discomfort...
Oh Hi girls! Now you behave!
Captain is getting along just great over here. No one's giving him any trouble and he's running with everyone to the pond and back. Quite the life of the party, him!
I'd fence the boys off from her when you think she's close to hatching. Use hardware cloth or something similar that ducklings can't run through. I'm glad they're not chasing her off the nest to mate, actually. Chances are she'll raise her babies up just fine. If you provide starter crumble and...
All you need is a roof, a windbreak, and clean, dry bedding. Then they can get out of the weather if they want to. I'm 'norther' than you and everyone here does just fine in winter. I actually have a night pen with a roofed section, and a couple 3-sided shelters in the non-roofed section. Ducks...
Yeah last year I had one that I think was a blue fawn, it was very blue/muted mallard and had faint eye stripes. This one does look a lot like KC color, the lighter end of them.
My friend's broody hen delivered me a nice quartet of 4 blacks and what I hope is a silver - see faint leg markings...
Thanks, do you think so? I compared it to pics of fawn/white runner babies, they all looked much lighter. Now (still not feathered yet) it looks quite a bit like my chocolates, but legs are more 'airbrushed' color shading than the solid brown of the chocolates.
I haven't had any turn silver or lilac unless I already saw shading on them (warm grey, blue-grey.) But it can be easier to see right out of the egg when they're still spiky. Anything on the bill or feet?
Solid white is a recessive gene, and birds can carry the trait invisibly and produce...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salpingitis
"Salpingitis is an infection and inflammation in the fallopian tubes."
Looks like any number of bacteria can be involved. I don't know how you could have noticed, prevented, or treated it. I'm sorry you lost Ellen but it doesn't seem to have been...
Hey guys, figured I'd share some pics of my flock. It's been a while!
Some new kids...
The one on the far right, a bit darker yellow, is a funny story. A friend has a determinedly broody Welsummer, so I asked if she'd park some of my eggs under her. 5 days later, my own duck hen...
your middle top looks like blue. The ones on the right might be lavender, lilac, or silver. The blues look almost kinda greenish when they're babies, cos the yellow fuzz. Where are your eggs from? Looks like you had a fun hatch!
The gray one might be blue, or lavender. I would have sworn on blue in the first pics, but the more recent ones he looks like the color has warmed up some.
The 'milk chocolate' one might be the 'lighter chocolate' Holderread describes in Storey's Guide. I don't know the genetics of it, or how...
The APA SOP - having to buy it - this is such a culture shock for me. My basis for comparison is the dog fancy, and dogs being shown for conformation etc. Any dog breed club website will have their breed's standard on it. Most comprehensive informational articles about any breed will share it or...