I went to a different feedstore today to see if they had duck feed for my week-and-a-half Magpie ducklings, and was met with a terrible sight.
Out on the baking pavement (were in a serious heatwave in the CA bay area) was a tiny pen crammed with Pekin ducks! They were nearly cheek-to-jowl in there with only a piece of cardboard for shade (and at the time I went the angle of the sun made it useless). They were obviously little ducklings only a few weeks ago -maybe 2 or 3?- and I guess there's been no interest for them (all the chicks were sold). Their feathers were so gross and filthy I thought at first they might be Buffs!
Of course, I realize that these are meat birds primarily, but still! It broke my heart to see them like that.
So I've been thinking. I already have a pen for my Magpie trio, but it can't hold any more ducks -plus I'd like to keep them separate for breeding. My plan was to pen them at night or when I'm gone and let them free-range during the day. We're on about 3 acres but it's not fenced entirely. Keeping the Magpies near the house won't be a problem, but these Pekins...
Is there any way I could keep them? Would they get along with my Magpies when everyone is fully grown? Could they get by with a "duckhouse" (not a pen)? Our area is very dry in Summer (actually, from whenever the rain stops) and judging by how my ducklings (to say nothing of my 9 pullets!) go through water, we'd need some kind of pond, right?
Oh, and there's my hubby to deal with.
He wondered why I got ducks in the first place so soon after getting chickens -I guess he doesn't know how the addiction works!
So do you have any thoughts or suggestions? Am I suffering from "champagne taste on a beer budget?" or some variation of a big heart and no brain?
Out on the baking pavement (were in a serious heatwave in the CA bay area) was a tiny pen crammed with Pekin ducks! They were nearly cheek-to-jowl in there with only a piece of cardboard for shade (and at the time I went the angle of the sun made it useless). They were obviously little ducklings only a few weeks ago -maybe 2 or 3?- and I guess there's been no interest for them (all the chicks were sold). Their feathers were so gross and filthy I thought at first they might be Buffs!
Of course, I realize that these are meat birds primarily, but still! It broke my heart to see them like that.
So I've been thinking. I already have a pen for my Magpie trio, but it can't hold any more ducks -plus I'd like to keep them separate for breeding. My plan was to pen them at night or when I'm gone and let them free-range during the day. We're on about 3 acres but it's not fenced entirely. Keeping the Magpies near the house won't be a problem, but these Pekins...
Is there any way I could keep them? Would they get along with my Magpies when everyone is fully grown? Could they get by with a "duckhouse" (not a pen)? Our area is very dry in Summer (actually, from whenever the rain stops) and judging by how my ducklings (to say nothing of my 9 pullets!) go through water, we'd need some kind of pond, right?
Oh, and there's my hubby to deal with.
So do you have any thoughts or suggestions? Am I suffering from "champagne taste on a beer budget?" or some variation of a big heart and no brain?
But these babies definitely sound like they need a good home.
