➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[CrazyCrttr75]

They've arrived! Edie (black and tan doeling), Vera (fawn doeling), and John Zoidberg (brown and white wether). These babies were NOT bottle fed so they are fairly skittish, Edie being the friendliest.
John and Vera are siblings, and Edie is out of my favorite doe. I'm so excited --- (three, Banty, three) I've waited five years for this. View attachment 1688916 View attachment 1688917 View attachment 1688919 View attachment 1688920 View attachment 1688921

I am so behind but Congrats on your new additions! They are absolutely adorable! I am sure you will have them won over in no time.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

These were found at a TSC in a bin marked Americana chickens.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

I'll be even more excited when they have their own babies next year and I start getting milk!

Do you have someone that has a stud to breed them to? I've thought about doing that when we finally get goats. I have my neighbor here with all of the goats but I don't know that I really want to use her goats. Idk. I have plenty of time to decide what route I want to go in.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

Do y'all like my new hairdo?
View attachment 1690490

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

So I’m updating their brooder! The ducks will now have a very large storage tote!

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

Don’t get them. I promise you, the mess they make isn’t worth it. Plus the cuteness wears off quickly after they start getting bigger. Same goes for geese.

Noah begs to differ. He thinks he is handsome

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

Dude. You look like Carrot Top!

That's so true!

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

I bet Roomy will confirm that ducks poop everywhere.
I don't understand how someone could have a house duck.
I can't imagine how many times they have to clean up poop each hour.

I don't care how much I love my ducks. I don't care how much I love my chickens. I would NEVER EVER have either as a house pet. Diapers or not. I don't know how anyone can do so.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

So I’m updating their brooder! The ducks will now have a very large storage tote!

That's what I have. A 50gal clear storage tote. We have the top cut out and replaced with hardware cloth. It's what we made for our chicks. We just used it with our ducklings as well just, of course, not at the same time. The biggest issue we had was figuring out a way to keep them from getting water everywhere. We ended up doing this.

A baking dish with a baking rack over top of it. It was lined with a pee pad but we only used what we had left over. And we cut out a couple holes, 1 on each side, of a gal jug for them to dip their heads in but not their bodies. They still splash quite a bit of water but it kept it from going into the rest of the brooder. The bottom pic is how we kept the jug in place. It is just a small bungee cord strap thing. We learned the hard way that they can, and will, move the jug of water and knock it over. As for food, you can see in the back ground that we have a feeder that we have hanging from the top that worked just fine for them until they got bigger. Minimized spillage. They grow so fast!

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

That's what I have. A 50gal clear storage tote. We have the top cut out and replaced with hardware cloth. It's what we made for our chicks. We just used it with our ducklings as well just, of course, not at the same time. The biggest issue we had was figuring out a way to keep them from getting water everywhere. We ended up doing this.
View attachment 1691726
A baking dish with a baking rack over top of it. It was lined with a pee pad but we only used what we had left over. And we cut out a couple holes, 1 on each side, of a gal jug for them to dip their heads in but not their bodies. They still splash quite a bit of water but it kept it from going into the rest of the brooder. The bottom pic is how we kept the jug in place. It is just a small bungee cord strap thing. We learned the hard way that they can, and will, move the jug of water and knock it over. As for food, you can see in the back ground that we have a feeder that we have hanging from the top that worked just fine for them until they got bigger. Minimized spillage. They grow so fast!
View attachment 1691728

I wish we could come up with some better options. We just used what we had. When we do ducks again I will definitely be looking at what some others do/have done to see if I can get some better ideas. Or come up with some ways to tweak and make better what we already have. I will say, the smell can get pretty rank tho. But I cleaned it daily.