Duck Eats Everything!

[Emelyn]

He does have a secure run with a house that he stays In when we aren’t around. He is a lone duck because he was the only one left and I was told he’d be fine with our chickens. Since he’s a lone duck we give him as much as our attention as we can which is why he’ll be let out of the run to run around the yard with us or in the house. Thank you for the advice and info though!

Get it a duckling friend(s) so it won't be lonely. It's quite cruel to keep a duckling by itself.

 

[Mutchi]

Haha same! I’m also terrified about the males penis getting stuck or them seriously injuring or even killing my chickens by trying to mate! We don’t know for sure If he’s a drake or not but he hasn’t started quacking yet which makes my husband to lean more towards a male then a female and this makes the fear of that more. Is that common? Since you have ducks have you experienced this? We do have a separate house and run for him because of this. I do put him in the run with the chickens but never leave him in there unsupervised because of this or any aggression that may happen.

I don't have ducks anymore because we moved and we don't want to have a pool full of water we prefer a river or something for th to swim in and in our last home we had a creek and we let our ducks swim in it sadly we had to move so we let them go up the river and be wild ducks... but I haven't experienced that happen yet but I've always wondered what a duck-chicken would look like. So I want to breed ducks and chickens but it's a pretty high risk...

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

I don't have ducks anymore because we moved and we don't want to have a pool full of water we prefer a river or something for th to swim in and in our last home we had a creek and we let our ducks swim in it sadly we had to move so we let them go up the river and be wild ducks... but I haven't experienced that happen yet but I've always wondered what a duck-chicken would look like. So I want to breed ducks and chickens but it's a pretty high risk...

Awe! Hopefully one day you’ll be able to have some! Well thank you for your knowledge and kindness!

 

[KaleIAm]

Makes sense to me! Thank you so much! So glad I do have a separate place for him then. Also will be looking for a friend for him, but keeping him in a separate area from a new duck will be a little difficult considering I only have 2 runs and houses. If I can come across another duck sooner than later I can keep them in separate brooders indoors till my Cayuga gets to be outside permanently. I do have a dog cage I can keep the other duck in inside the run for them to get used to each other in the same outdoor area? I just like to make sure everything will work and be okay before I just go get another duck and have a disaster! Thank you!

If he is a male within a few weeks you should start seeing a distinct line on the neck separating where the head gets greener. My girl still had the green shimmery head, but the line was less distinct than the males. I hope that makes sense.

It sounds to me like you have a wonderful plan for getting a friend. Do you know about duck male/female ratios? If you do end up with a drake you will probably either want to get him a drake friend - or 5 female friends to prevent overmating.

 

[Emelyn]

I don't have ducks anymore because we moved and we don't want to have a pool full of water we prefer a river or something for th to swim in and in our last home we had a creek and we let our ducks swim in it sadly we had to move so we let them go up the river and be wild ducks... but I haven't experienced that happen yet but I've always wondered what a duck-chicken would look like. So I want to breed ducks and chickens but it's a pretty high risk...

Over here in NY if I got caught with releasing ducks into the wild I could be arrested or fined to $500-1000

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

If he is a male within a few weeks you should start seeing a distinct line on the neck separating where the head gets greener. My girl still had the green shimmery head, but the line was less distinct than the males. I hope that makes sense.

It sounds to me like you have a wonderful plan for getting a friend. Do you know about duck male/female ratios? If you do end up with a drake you will probably either want to get him a drake friend - or 5 female friends to prevent overmating.

Right I have heard that. Don’t really know what to do since we are unsure about him but really don’t want 2 drakes that are going to fight all the time but also don’t know if I can house 6 ducks.

 

[KaleIAm]

Right I have heard that. Don’t really know what to do since we are unsure about him but really don’t want 2 drakes that are going to fight all the time but also don’t know if I can house 6 ducks.

I understand. Having had a girl who was overmated you also definitely don't want that. When I adopted her she was severely injured, and needed multiple surgeries. We even get reports of drakes killing their girls accidentally.

Some drakes do get along with another drake, and when they don't it is usually only in the spring and summer so you could separate them then by putting a see through barrier down your duck run and coop.

 

[Texasclucker]

You really shouldn't release domestic ducks that have always been raised by you into the wild they don't stand a chance against predators at all

 

[KaleIAm]

You really shouldn't release domestic ducks that have always been raised by you into the wild they don't stand a chance against predators at all

x2

 

[SolarDuck]

I don't have ducks anymore because we moved and we don't want to have a pool full of water we prefer a river or something for th to swim in and in our last home we had a creek and we let our ducks swim in it sadly we had to move so we let them go up the river and be wild ducks... but I haven't experienced that happen yet but I've always wondered what a duck-chicken would look like. So I want to breed ducks and chickens but it's a pretty high risk...

It is very bad to just release your domestic ducks in the wild, they will not become wild ducks they will just die. No you do not want to breed ducks with chickens that is a horrible idea they are not compatible. Ducks have a penis, chickens don't.