Anybody Keep Wood Ducks Here?

[JJMR794]

Hello All! Been At This A While, Have Extensive Background With Gamebirds, Chickens, And Standard Domestic Waterfowl. I Will Be Acquiring Wood Ducks In The Very Near Future. Just Wanted To See If Anyone Else Out There Has An Experience With Keeping These? I Will Be Recieving 3 Young Pairs (09 Hatch, But Already Sporting Adult Plumage)



Thanx!

 

[Wifezilla]

I don't keep any ducks that I have to worry about flying away. I like mine fat and slow

There are quite a few mandarin duck owners here...and I think a few also have wood ducks.

 

[chickenlittle32]

I have a pair of wood ducks...they are pretty skittish but over all a fun experience..and forgot to mention...they are BEAUTIFUL! Mine were pinioned before I got them...so no worries about them flying away.

 

[cawooduck]

I have 5 pairs of wood ducks (and other species as well!) and have been raising them for 3 years now, they are a great duck to look at, but dont get your hopes up in taming them down, they are wild. They breed quite readily in captivity, but to increase the odds of nesting success provide 2-3 nest boxes per pair, this will also help in preventing "dump nesting" where more than one hen lays her eggs in one nest box.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask away, i will do my best to answer them!!..............Jason

 

[JJMR794]

Yes These Are Pinioned As Well---- Even If Johnny Law Didnt Require It I Would Do It Myself To Protect The Investment--- I Do All My Quail.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
THANX JASON. I BELEIVE YOU HAD SOME LISTED A WHILE BACK ON HERE--- DROVE ME NUTZ AS I WASNT IN THE FINANCIAL POSSITION TO GET THEM THEN...

SOME BASIC QUESTIONS---

1. HOW ARE THEY AT BROODING THEIR OWN EGGS?

2. ROUGHLY HOW MANY EGGS WILL EACH HEN PRODUCE?

3. AS A BASIC RULE HOW MUCH SPACE PER PAIR?

4. CAN THEY BE KEPT COMMUNALLY OR AS SEPERATE PAIRS?

5. MONOGAMOUS OR HAREM?

SKITTISH DOESNT BOTHER ME I AM USED TO QUAIL. NEST BOXES---- DIMENSIONS? TOTAL NUMBER YOU'D RECOMMEND FOR 3 PR OF BREEDERS. ALSO SINCE THEY ARE PINIONED MOUNT UP ON POLE? IF SO HOW HIGH?


THANX GUYS!

 

[chickenlittle32]

I am happy to read that because not many ppl do it or disagree with it...I also pinioned my guineas to make sure they stay in the run....We never pinioned the mallards and they have never flown out...thank God LOL maybe they just don't realize they could fly....

 

[1lpoock]

I raise mandarins, wood ducks, ringed teals, grey call ducks, and chickens. Here is my website www.sprucecreekwaterfowl.webs.com ....I'm sure the wood duck section will answer many of your questions.

Quote:
Well they are excellent mothers and they are able to raise there young by themselves...the only thing you have to do is provide a nestbox and provide food and water that is easily accessible by the babies.

Quote:
Usually she will lay a clutch of about 12 eggs and raise the babies herself...once the babies are grown, she might lay another clutch. If you take away her first clutch, she will most likely lay a second...but this isn't as healthy for her.

Quote:
I'd say the smallest place a wood duck pair in is an aviary that is maybe 8'x8'x8'...they really like to fly and exercise. I have three pairs of wild waterfowl in a 12'x30' aviary...you can see pics on my website.

Quote:
They can be kept communally but they will breed with each other, this is okay unless you are trying to keep track of the genetics of the ducks (i.e. silver, white, apricot, etc.)

Quote:
Most will mate in pairs, but that doesn't mean that they won't form breeding trios either.

Quote:
I can't remember what mine are right now, but I will get the dimensions tomorrow.

Quote:
We have three pairs of wild waterfowl in one aviary and we have six nestboxes...a general rule of thumb is two boxes for every pair.

Quote:
They can be on a pole or on a small stand near the ground...either way they will need a ramp leading to the entrance hole.

Quote:
If they are on a pole I wouldn't mount them any higher than 4'...you don't want the ramp to become to steep....

Hope I answered your questions...contact me if you have others!

 

[JJMR794]

If They Were'nt Pinioned Fish And Game Would String Me Up On A Cross On The Courthouse Front Lawn! We Can't Even Have Mallards Unless You Are Licenced Game Bird Farm Here In Fla. Same As The Woodies Or Any Other "wild" Waterfowl Breed. They've Always Been Bad Here, But After Last Years "great Snake Round Up" Its Gotten Worse If Thats Possible...

Even As A Gamebird Licenced Farm I Am Under Great Scrutiny (actually I Think I Made A Mistake By Giving The Local Warden Some Cafe' Con Leche During An Inspection Visit 2 Months Ago--- Now I Can't Seem To Get Rid Of Him- Lol) All Pens Must Be Approved, The Birds Must Be Cataloged And Identified, And Accurate Records Kept Religiously. I Even Have To Have A Coppy Of The Providers Licence On File For The Original Source Birds. They Had A Heck Of A Time Understanding That These Are "captive Bred/ Domestic Birds For Farming Purposes"

 

[JJMR794]

Thank You 1lpook! Very Helpful Indeed. The Current Aviary Is 12x20.---- As Time Goes By I Keep Adding Additional Aviaries So I Should Be Able To Keep Up With Them.