Duck waste will break down quickly. My ducks are currently on dirt/mud and there is no build up. Pea gravel has been recommended by a few duck breeders of note. So I beleive it would be good. It is on my to-do list. I have not implmented it yet. But you could add a drain away underneath the...
Yes. More drakes will get along. When a female enters the picture, the drakes lose their minds. They get competitive. If you are just looking for pets, all drakes is a great way to go.
...webbed feet. It will increase the possibility of getting bumblefoot (not assured - but increase it). If you dig out an area and add a drain pipe underneath it will be even bettter.
*I am close to stopping giving them water in the duck house at night. But so far I do and it makes it pretty messy.
I put niacin from vitamins (crushed) into water in a coffee can seperate from the other water so they can self regulate. It seems to work. FWIW. Yes, they waste some but the bottle has lasted for years. :)
As far as the drakes behavior to each other, They are establishing pecking order. They will work things out and settle down. And every once in a while they will go at it again.
If they go after you. Grab them and sit on them for 2, better yet 3 or 4 minutes (use a timer, 30 seconds wont work)...
Snappers eat ducks. But my understanding is that they usually come up from underneath and eat the young ones on ponds. But if one developed a taste - they might pursue them. They are diggers and can get big and strong.
Easily could be a wild female sneaking in for a safe place to nest. The males may have attracted her. Leave the eggs, you might wind up with a free replacement female. If you keep picking them up, she will decide that this not a good place to nest and find another spot.
Racoons are WAY WAY stronger than you might realize. They are like miniature bears. Also, when you said a hole was dug and rocks moved I immediately thought snapping turtle. Don't know your environment or if any of those might be around.
No. It will wash off when they swim after a bit but hopefully by then the meds will have done something. They don't lick things. They don't have sticky-outy tongues. :) Oh, and I'm telling you what a vet told me to do in a slightly different, but similar situation.
I use people stuff frequently. It is often good for ducks as well. If you have any silvadine, thats what Id start with. Else neosporin or iodine or iodide. Stuff like those.
It looks irritated. Id put some antiseptic of some sort over it daily until the redness went away. No idea what it actually is. Do you see it from the bottom?
A clean, protected, nesting area should help. If they have a spot they feel safer in, they may favor that. But I leave my eggs dirty until it is time to use them. Then I wash with a scrubby spong and soap. The stains do not go away, but Im confident the germs (if there are any) do. If these are...