2019 Spring Ducklings are here!

[Texag87]

We were trying to find flock raiser pellets but none of the TSC in driving distance carries them.

 

[Raenh]

We were trying to find flock raiser pellets but none of the TSC in driving distance carries them.

@Magnolia Ducks got the bag for me, I know my tsc doesnt have it either. Maybe hers does...

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Nope. I buy all my feed at Steinhousers. A little cheaper than TSC but carry a greater variety of waterfowl and other feed supplies and they will special order anything I want. Plus they load my car for me.
AND... In other exciting news, one external pip, two internal pips, so lockdown one day early. Fourth egg appears dead. No movement, air cell too small. Now comes the hard part waiting.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

@SailorNoMore - I love your ducklings! They have the pattern i was expecting to see at my Magpie ducks. And their weight gain is very good, you take good care of them.
As sad as it is to move them out of your office (i still miss my peepers while typing this!) you will enjoy the much better "air quality" in your room.
Do they get some play-time outside? - No idea how the temperatures in your are are…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I'm going to be switching to pellets - @Magnolia Ducks said that they last longer then the crumbles because you dont end up with most of it in the water or having to throw it away because it goes sour.

I'm feeding pellets to my ducks since March and they work great. My ducks think they are another kind of worms.
Then last week i decided it is time to get rid of the last bag of meatbird crumbles before it spoils and poured it into the »less waste feeder« - oh boy! I wasn't prepared for that! They made such a mess!
I had cleaned the entire duck-house last week, all the bedding went to the compost pile, the floor in the living/eating area was hosed down, scrubbed squeaky clean…
With the crumbles the feeder became a concrete mixer! The ducks must have dragged out the crumbles in search for their beloved pellet-worms, distributed it all over the floor, pooped on it and mixed it up with water. The result was a rock hard mass, sticking to the floor boards like concrete, i had to use a spade to scratch it off! Three hours of hard work for something i usually do in 30 minutes!
No crumbles for my ducks again! EVER!!!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

We were trying to find flock raiser pellets but none of the TSC in driving distance carries them.

@Magnolia Ducks got the bag for me, I know my tsc doesnt have it either. Maybe hers does...

Nope. I buy all my feed at Steinhousers. A little cheaper than TSC but carry a greater variety of waterfowl and other feed supplies and they will special order anything I want. Plus they load my car for me.
AND... In other exciting news, one external pip, two internal pips, so lockdown one day early. Fourth egg appears dead. No movement, air cell too small. Now comes the hard part waiting.

Try to find a local feed-mill! - They were selling the pellets at my local lumber store and while loading my car i found an orange plastic tag, that was ripped off one of the bags - i always wondered why those bags had some orange plastic tatters in the seam. Guess what, on that tag there was the full address and phone number of the source of the pellets!
I pay the same price per bag now (minus taxes as i don't need a receipt…) but all of my money will go to the feed-mill people - a nice hillbilly family, making their living by producing good quality poultry feed.
Met nice people to chat with, save some money, don't fill the pockets of greedy politicians and support a local business: Priceless!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Nope. I buy all my feed at Steinhousers. A little cheaper than TSC but carry a greater variety of waterfowl and other feed supplies and they will special order anything I want. Plus they load my car for me.
AND... In other exciting news, one external pip, two internal pips, so lockdown one day early. Fourth egg appears dead. No movement, air cell too small. Now comes the hard part waiting.

That is so exciting! I can't wait to see the pictures!!!
How is Mini doing? And the rest of your flock?

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I am sad to say that Mini was finally eaten. Something, I think a family of raccoons figured out how to get in the coop and ate everyone. I have reinforced the coop and no problems since but I only have one duck. That's why I am so excited over my threes pips. I really miss Mini, she was with me for so long. So right now two geese one duck. No hens.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Oh and three external pips now, no zipping yet

 

[SailorNoMore]

WannaBeHillBilly - Yes, I miss their peeping and appreciate the cleaner smell to my office. I have not started giving them outside time yet. Not having a small confined area is the problem. We are about forty miles inland from the Pacific so we have a moderate climate. At noon time it is 67. Our proverbial rain has moved to the east for awhile and we are actually in a drought.