Days are getting shorter

[BelovedBirds]

Oh, and on the note of food? Im hesitant to leave any out overnight, even though the coop is rat proof, I do worry it'll attract them.
Would they be okay 13+ hours without food though?

 

[fatty and friends]

Oh, and on the note of food? Im hesitant to leave any out overnight, even though the coop is rat proof, I do worry it'll attract them.
Would they be okay 13+ hours without food though?

they should be fine! my smaller ducks get food 24/7 but my jumbo pekin get fed twice a day and are completely fine

 

[BelovedBirds]

they should be fine! my smaller ducks get food 24/7 but my jumbo pekin get fed twice a day and are completely fine

I usually free feed my girls, since they've never even been close to being overweight, and Dougie has always been on the thin side. So they get food all day, but I guess any food they lack overnight, they should start making up for by eating more during the day? Not sure if they'll adapt to that, but, could try.
I make sure they go to bed with a full crop, but perhaps Ill start putting them to bed with a treat too, like a handful of peas, that way they have a snack to keep them full a bit longer, but wont end up sitting out all night? Might work.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I usually free feed my girls, since they've never even been close to being overweight, and Dougie has always been on the thin side. So they get food all day, but I guess any food they lack overnight, they should start making up for by eating more during the day? Not sure if they'll adapt to that, but, could try.
I make sure they go to bed with a full crop, but perhaps Ill start putting them to bed with a treat too, like a handful of peas, that way they have a snack to keep them full a bit longer, but wont end up sitting out all night? Might work.

Two things:

My ducks figured out nipple waterers on their own. My chickens have always used them. Maybe they learned from the chickens?

I pick up my food. They've been fine for 12 hrs without their feeders. They don't sleep all that much overnight, but they do root around in the run for things (bugs, spilled pellets, etc).

My Call ducks have access 24/7, but their run is rat proof.

 

[CoriM]

I know, nights seem so long in the winter, but my ducks have done just fine without water or food overnight. I get out there as soon as it's light enough to see and let them out.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Well, nights are getting short again! Dark at 8pm if it's a clear sky. So I'm trying bedtime with no food and no water now. It's been a loooong winter. This will be the first time they've gone overnight without water, but yeah the mess was always ridiculous and I feel I'm wasting too much bedding with it- so fingers crossed they do fine. I made sure they both had full crops, and I even got them both to have a sip of water before they went in for bed.
I feel like a paranoid first time mother LOL.
They'll be fine I'm sure

 

[Miss Lydia]

They will be, just hope you will be too!

 

[BelovedBirds]

They will be, just hope you will be too!

I always worry too much lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

I do too.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Well they're happy this morning! I let them out and they went for the food as usual, then washed it down with just a sip of water- so clearly they weren't even that thirsty!
Basically just like an ordinary morning- except their house is clean and dry! Oh what a great change