An internet oops and the ducks have arrived...

[EggsForIHOP]

So, like a month ago, I started contemplating and planning on ducks...I was ONLY PLAYING AROUND on the computer and walked away with the website for Ideal pulled up and an order on there - I was looking at prices, getting the math ('cause you know they charge funny for this and that at Ideal)...when i got back on the computer the next day, it was forgotten, not there, never thought twice...

Yesterday - I get a phone call after 9am...it's the post office...they wanted to know if I had checked my messages, they had called already and my "chicks" were here...Really? What chicks? Some verification later...I was on my way...I didn't know what chicks they were talking about, but our name and address was on the box!

APPARENTLY...bless his heart...my husband got on the computer after I had wandered off that day, and saw the "mock order" I was playing with and finalized for me thinking I had meant to myself

THANKFULLY, I had deleted some of the other stuff I had on there, because I was playing to see what ordering some more chickens AND ducks at one time would make the bill out to be! At least when i called him with the news, he fessed up right away! The crazy part was i NEVER got any emails about it...i have always gotten like 10 confirmation emails in the past, email overload from them...this time...NOTHING! Or I would have called and canceled it...but whatever...it's done and I'm not really mad, those I was in shock for a while

I did however get a bunch of BR chicks as packing peanuts...19 of them! and only 6 out of 10 ducks...I called Ideal, and got a refund because the charge went through and I never even noticed it, but this is now the second time since we have lived here to get a poultry order at our new post office - last time I was MISSING 4 CHICKS...this time...MISSING 4 DUCKS...2 different hatcheries, same post office...ironic? Just a tad...me thinks there be a fox at the post office supplementing their own farm outta my box!

So a warning to all who walk away with windows open on their computer with unfinished business...watch what others click on! A warning to anyone in Trinity, TX...ask for extra tape on your boxes of chicks! AND...I've got the ducks all set up apart from the packing peanuts...they seem to be doing well...

Tell me this...I have them on 18% starter crumbles, gave them sav-a-chick vitamins in the water...and they really seem fine...should I worry now about adding any niacin to their diet so soon? Or will the vitamins be okay for a while from the sav-a-chick pack I mixed into a gallon of water for now?

 

[ambrosia]

That is too cute! I wish DH had done that for me... no, he says I have to wait til February for my little fuzzy butts...

Congrats on your new addition, and I hope all goes well for you!

 

[EggsForIHOP]

LOL...I was just so happy it wasn't a box FULL of random chickens..I really was just playing around and had stopped at ducks to go start dinner that day! DH is gonna be sorry when he gets home and has to help start building a duck house PRONTO though!

 

[JulieNKC]

Vitamins should be fine for a few days. What kind of ducks did you get?

 

[EggsForIHOP]

They are just Pekin ducks - nothing fancy. I read through the entire Storey's guide to raising ducks, twice I think already and parts of it a few times more! I found it completely intriguing...but there is still a lot I am not sure of, and it seems as always there are multiple ways to do things and to tweak them to better fit for us...so I am still learning

But yup, baby pekins...I have used someone else's coolwhip water dish trick I learned on here...cut holes in the lid JUST big enough for them to get their little faces wet, but not big enough to fall in...and I have already caught them dangling their feets in the holes! I know...no swimming yet...but it was so funny to watch that part!

 

[JulieNKC]

Quote:
I had a pair of pekins. They were friendly, and I liked them. They were just too loud for me, and that many ducks and chickens was too much at the time. Now that my ducks have gotten older I don't mind the mess so much, and wish I had more ducks, lol.

 

[Oregon Blues]

That's a very funny story. Enjoy your ducks.

 

[EggsForIHOP]

Quote:
It's funny today almost!

I was livid mad for a minute as he explained to me "But I thought you WANTED ducks?!?! That's why I finished it for you!"

They are doing pretty well though - we lost one of the packing peanuts today, I turned my back on my 2 year old nephew to use the restroom and he dropped he train on one...I was happy it wasn't a duck and he was in trouble for all of long enough to remember the ducks, then he wanted to say sorry to them!

I'm starting to wonder if 2 of them are not maybe crested - at this age what does that look like? Because they just have little funny poofs that kinda barely stick up off of their heads in the back - if I hadn't sat with that kid and stared at the box of ducks all day today (he won't touch them, one bit him and he learned his lesson quick) I wouldn't have noticed it I don't think...does anyone have anymore info on that or pics to point me towards?

They really are funny little things - the 6 ducklings eat almost as much in one day as the now 18 BR looking chicks! Well, maybe not, but still, they are getting chubby I think rather quickly...

 

[JulieNKC]

I swear they eat as much from the time they are 2 weeks old as they do when they are 6 months old. They can put away some food. And make a huge mess too. They are so much more fun once they are outside and old enough they settle down some. Mine have gotten friendlier the older they get. The mess isn't so bad in a big area. They lay more eggs than my chickens. They are so fun to watch. They also forage a lot better and I don't have to give them as much food as my chickens in decent weather. I love my ducks.

None of mine have crests, so not sure on that. Too bad about the chick. I forgot to latch the door when my quail were teeny. I found my 2 year old on top if the aquarium they were in. Luckily for me she was still petting them and she's pretty good about petting them soft. If she'd tried to pick one up I'd have a few less quail. I'm also glad she didn't touch the heat lamp. 2 year olds are pains, lol.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Awww that's too cute! It sounds like maybe you did get some crested ones- get us some pics!!!!!

Did Ideal tell you the packing peanuts were barred rocks? Sometimes you'll get a whole order of sex-link roosters