Bad news...

[cskotek]

On saturday I had gone to work for 8am when i came home after 5pm I had come home to horrible news. Two of my 24 baby runners had died. From what my dad said is that when he let them out the all piled into the container we had out for them to drink out of and that the 2 that had passed away where being trampled on under the water... So I had lost a black and a silver baby.... I was pretty upset but nothing that I could have done. I had gone to a pet grooming ( Intergroom) show thingy and when i had come home once again around 5pm ANOTHER baby duck had died! Here to find out that when my dad went down to check on the babies because they where crying obnixously lound there was a black baby laying on the floor, he had ran over to it and it was too late... I had examined it and there are teeth marks around its wing and back area. Around the time that they started to cry my dads VERY mean chuaha was comming up the stairs as he was going down. I come to the conclusion that the dog had gotten ahold of the poor thing. She already had tried to go after the babies when the first few where born and I had to smack the crap out of her. I dont know what her dang problem is but im very P*sed. I have since all of this got a smaller container for them to play in outside and i have completely block caded the babies cage with plywood. And just to add to my great weekend my neighbours (my aunt, uncle and cousins) when I had gone out to eat after work on staurday they called threating saying that those ducks keep comming in our yard thats it. Pretty much insinuating that they will shoot them, They barely ever go over there and they have the nerve to do this? And we help them all the time. You would think that they wouldnt mind harmless ducks to sit at their yards edge, and if im not mistaken that where they always go is techonically our yard (where going to look into it and possibly only put up a fence in that area...) So my mornings have offically got messed up over this and my heart got broken... I hope others weekends went alot better then this!!

 

[zooweemama]

I'm sorry you lost some babies. <3

 

[Amiga]

I had some similar issues when I had some Pekins and mallards long years ago, with family members who were simply not equipped to understand either the importance of caring for animals or the awful ill will created by their lack of concern.

I remembered it clearly when I got the runners. It cost me time and money, but I have been able (so far, I am sure with the Lord's help) to keep them safe. But it's no guarantee.

Try to regroup, assume that no one else will change, and your management needs to change, to protect the flock. It is not your fault, and at the same time, it is within your power to help the ducks.

 

[Oregon Blues]

My sympathy for the loss of your pets. My suggestion (and not meant to be mean) is that if you want to keep ducks, you need to upgrade your housing.

Ducks are lovely creatures to have around and it is well worth it to provide them with housing that will keep them safe. Your father's chihuahua is not the only animal in your area that will eat ducklings.

I suspect that your ducklings had been too long without water. They don't trample each other at the waterer unless they are parched. As they get bigger, they need more space at the waterer and feeder so there is room for everyone. They grow fast, so you must be careful that it doesn't get away from you. Watch the available "counter space" and get larger feeders and waterers as soon as needed.

 

[cskotek]

My sympathy for the loss of your pets. My suggestion (and not meant to be mean) is that if you want to keep ducks, you need to upgrade your housing.

Ducks are lovely creatures to have around and it is well worth it to provide them with housing that will keep them safe. Your father's chihuahua is not the only animal in your area that will eat ducklings.

I suspect that your ducklings had been too long without water. They don't trample each other at the waterer unless they are parched. As they get bigger, they need more space at the waterer and feeder so there is room for everyone. They grow fast, so you must be careful that it doesn't get away from you. Watch the available "counter space" and get larger feeders and waterers as soon as needed.

Well, they have a great set up for their age and they are kept in the house they arent outside and when they are someone is normally always around them. And it was out of the blue, and i couldnt even figure how that dog managed over the side of their cage but now they are absolutly isolated they have a wired top over them now that I found in my dads things. I was watching them and the pekins where reaching over and pecking them... I didnt think that the pekins would do that but as i find that pekins just do that so they are also seperated from the babies... And ive been getting larger sized bowls like when the parents of these babies where babies and i would place a 1 1/2 inch square mesh like thing over it so they cant go into it and drown...I just hope that they all get their homes soon, the people that want them need to get their butts in gear!
And we do have a nice size cage outside currently being built for the adults whwich is going to have multipal layers of diffrent sized fencing with heavy steal square cageing for the most outside layer. I cant wait to have it done!


And thanks everyone for your condolences!