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

[Conan]

In all seriousness, there is a small lake/large pond on this property that would be perfect for ducks. The thing is, I don’t know how I would protect them from predators, and they would have to be my parent’s responsibility as it’s nowhere near our house.

My mom might actually want some, they’ve had call duck boxes out for a while now. I just don’t know about housing and whatnot.

The idea of being pregnant has been a huge fear/source of anxiety for me since I was a little girl.. for real.
I’m really not a baby person either, I don’t mind them but I have no maternal instinct lol. Thankfully the Ginger wants a maximum of two chill’uns.

Ducks are pretty hardy critters. Much more so than chickens. My ducks won't even go in a coop so we made a hoop house run and they stay in there at night. It's reinforced and we've never had an issue with predators getting at them. We put a dogloo in there for them to lay their eggs in. Only one or two use it. The rest of them lay in the straw bedding and bury them. It's a fun little egg hunt every morning! I seriously have weird birds. I have one, one chicken, that lays in the freaking nesting box. I have eight laying hens!
Everyone told me that I would want babies as I got older. NOPE. Never kicked in. 36 now and happier than ever with my choice. Most folks I know that said they didn't did change their minds though. To each their own!

 

[Glitterchicks]

Stupid question about quail.
Do you keep them or let them run free? And if so, do they come back?
I ask because we have TONS of quail here that run wild. I couldn't imagine keeping them penned up!

 

[Conan]

My husband said he wanted 2 when we got married. Now we have 3 and he wants 5 more. Trust nothing they say!
Maternal instinct will come with the baby! Trust this!

*SHUDDER*

 

[Conan]

Hello Kiki meal.

No S.

Hello Kiki Fresh meal

 

[WVduckchick]

Kiki's mission for today:
Figure out how to safely house duck's on that lake.


You know there are hundreds of ducks that live on our neighborhood pond with no housing.
I wonder how they aren't all dead.

My farm ducks don’t have a house. They sleep on the pond. They have a couple brush piles we created in coves they can hide in, and get into from the water side. I’ve had as many as 8 drakes there. I’m down to the last 2. I think the last 2 that I lost were killed by a dog. But one of the final 2 has been there for 3 years. The other is a nephew of his, has been there about 2 years.

 

[jwyles]

View attachment 1468874
Just hatched! 6lbs 15oz

Congratulations! What a cutie! Is that a huge flower on her hat?

 

[Conan]

I’m hungry



There’s Kiki’s next challenge - CALL DUCKS!

I will have call duck eggs next season!

 

[WVduckchick]

I will have call duck eggs next season!

I expect my broody mommas to resume laying any day now.

 

[Conan]

Stupid question about quail.
Do you keep them or let them run free? And if so, do they come back?
I ask because we have TONS of quail here that run wild. I couldn't imagine keeping them penned up!

Not a stupid question at all. I also wonder this as I was considering hatching some out next year. I know a dude who does have some in pens, and from what I understand, there are a couple breeds that do really well with confinement though not all will. That's neat that you have a bunch of wild ones running around! Do you know what kind?

 

[Conan]

I expect my broody mommas to resume laying any day now.

Oooooh! What kinds of calls do you have? I just have some grey calls, but I love the look of the snowy varieties and the whites are just ridiculously cute.