Duck Dilemma - time sensitive

[NatJ]

If anyone else had any thoughts they'd like to share (especially about keeping duck water thawed in winter!) I'd love to hear it

Have two water containers, and alternate which is in the coop freezing and which is in the house thawing. (I've done this with chicken waterers and rabbit water bowls, so I assume it would work equally well for any similar containers. I have no personal experience with ducks, just with water + cold.)

Or maybe dump it after dark, and refill in the morning. (Works with chickens that sleep all night, not with rabbits that are awake and active all night. How well it works for ducks would depend on whether they want water in the night.)

 

[Miss Lydia]

Problem with water fowl is they will wet their bedding playing in their water and if you have temps below freezing you’ll have frozen bedding and when it thaws will be stinky. Once ducks are 6 weeks they can go with out food an water over night. My chickens don’t have food an water over night either.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Gonna put my 2 cents in.

My ducks were fun, but shy and messy. We had between 1-3 drakes and 2-5 ducks depending on when you're curious.

We gave them a small bowl to dip their beaks in and that was it. No pond, no rivers or kiddy pool and they were just fine. They lived with our chickens (we did not know until after they were gone that drakes could hurt hens, but didn't have problems that we're aware of.

I enjoyed them. But it does take work to keep their area clean. Even with the small bowl, they were always making mud

 

[Fluffy_Butt]

Gonna put my 2 cents in.

My ducks were fun, but shy and messy. We had between 1-3 drakes and 2-5 ducks depending on when you're curious.

We gave them a small bowl to dip their beaks in and that was it. No pond, no rivers or kiddy pool and they were just fine. They lived with our chickens (we did not know until after they were gone that drakes could hurt hens, but didn't have problems that we're aware of.

I enjoyed them. But it does take work to keep their area clean. Even with the small bowl, they were always making mud

Your 2 cents is very much appreciated!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Also they love to free range if you can make that happen, but give them steps to get up into their home if there is a height difference. Larger ones have a hard time getting over obstacles like door frames

Your 2 cents is very much appreciated!

 

[Fluffy_Butt]

If I take them, they'll be in large pole building (nothing raised) that I'm going to try to make more cozy and bird-friendly. I'll end up keeping them in the coop in a while until they learn where home is, but then I hope to gradually let them free range. Currently my birds are in a roughly .3 acre fenced space, so they may have to spend time there first.

 

[Fluffy_Butt]

Thank you everyone for your fast replies and varied input! After speaking with my husband, we've decided to take just the ducks. I feel terrible about the drakes, but I can't risk my flock, especially since I'm so inexperienced. Luckily, my friend will hold them until after we move and get set up as best we can at the next place. Thank again everyone!

 

[Beaglegal]

That's what I had thought I'd read. If I could whip up a separate area for them or something, I'd feel better about it, but currently I'm leaning toward letting him do what he decided to do. I have to protect the birds I took responsibility for, but it sucks. I know I won't be able to save everything/one that crosses my path, but I wish I could

You could just take the females, they could be kept together

 

[Beaglegal]

Thank you everyone for your fast replies and varied input! After speaking with my husband, we've decided to take just the ducks. I feel terrible about the drakes, but I can't risk my flock, especially since I'm so inexperienced. Luckily, my friend will hold them until after we move and get set up as best we can at the next place. Thank again everyone!

I think you will be happy with your choice. It’s okay not to take the drakes, I like mine sometimes but they can also be a lot of trouble

 

[KaleIAm]

Thank you everyone for your fast replies and varied input! After speaking with my husband, we've decided to take just the ducks. I feel terrible about the drakes, but I can't risk my flock, especially since I'm so inexperienced. Luckily, my friend will hold them until after we move and get set up as best we can at the next place. Thank again everyone!

I would probably make that choice, too. Like you said, you can't save them all and your priority has to be for the animals already in your care.

If you want any tips for socializing them I think I'm pretty good at helping shy adult ducks become friendly. It does take a lot of time and patience. I adopted 3 adult female ducks who were terrified of me, and within months they were eating from my hand, following me around, coming when I called, and one would even hop into my lap!