Duck eggs

[Katiesduckies]

Yeah I love my ducks I had even pairs and an extra female but something got my extra female (Charlie) She was my favorite duck too

and she left two eggs behind and something ate them!! Found out a few days later when our chicken eggs were disappearing that we had a BIG FAT COON stealing our Eggs and breaking them and then the chickens would eat the shells in the morning so it's as if they literally Disappeared!!

 

[Amiga]

Raccoons have been causing all kinds of havoc and heartbreak among forum members and others I know.

Maybe it's just because I am in touch with so many duck people, but this year seems particularly difficult. It does seem that often, our special ducks get killed or injured. We just need to keep learning, and trying to keep them safe and healthy.

 

[Katiesduckies]

Yeah I started to let my ducks out of the backyard during the day and Charlie would literally break out of the backyard and finally after she "diappeared" we found her eggs that day

she was getting out every night to get to her nest...I miss her she was the smallest female we had kind of like the odd ball hehe

 

[Amiga]

Sad to lose her. It's the tough part of caring for animals. Have you read C.S. Lewis' writing about this?

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

I need to turn in. Take care, hope to hear more from you soon!

 

[Katiesduckies]

No actually I haven't I really like that!!
Good Night!!
It Was nice chatting with you!! next time you're on tell me about your "farm" lol how many chickens, ducks, etc do you have? any names for them?
Don't worry you're not the only one I'll be getting off work in an hour and heading straight home and bed to turn around in 8 hours and come back and work some more!!

 

[Katiesduckies]

I Just checked into that book and read what It is about and I like C.S. Lewis but I REALLY want to read that book!! I'll have to see if they library has it or if I can get it for my birthday or something

 

[Amiga]

Lewis has given me much encouragement and much to think about over the years. The Narnia series may be his most famous, but I love many of his other, smaller books.

I am a gardener, not a farmer, but one of my friends calls me a fardener. We have almost an acre, over half wooded. The rest is gardens. There is no more lawn

We have nine runners, two buffs, a few cats, and a jumble of perennial and annual plants, many edible, medicinal or both. I would like to add more fragrant plants like chamomile, though we have loads of apple mint and some bee balm.

I have fun trying out methods I discover through reading and taking classes in permaculture, biodynamics, and resilient gardening. It is a rush when I find out something works very well and easily!

Speaking of fragrant plants, I must go harvest garlic scapes. Right now this minute. No more procrastinating on this one.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Different breeds of ducks have different laying schedules. many of the breeds of duck are seasonal layers, so you will get eggs in late winter and early spring and nothing the rest of the year.

My Appleyards are still laying an egg a day. But they are a breed developed for good egg laying. My Swedish have slowed down to very few eggs, although the crows are getting their eggs so I don't really know how many they are laying.

My duck breeds are separated and I keep no more than 2 drakes with the ducks. I would only keep one drake, but I always worry that something will happen to him, so I keep 2 drakes so I have a spare.

 

[Katiesduckies]

Different breeds of ducks have different laying schedules. many of the breeds of duck are seasonal layers, so you will get eggs in late winter and early spring and nothing the rest of the year.

My Appleyards are still laying an egg a day. But they are a breed developed for good egg laying. My Swedish have slowed down to very few eggs, although the crows are getting their eggs so I don't really know how many they are laying.

My duck breeds are separated and I keep no more than 2 drakes with the ducks. I would only keep one drake, but I always worry that something will happen to him, so I keep 2 drakes so I have a spare.

Yeah that's my problem WAAAY too many males and not enough girls lol So I'm raising more and getting females soon!!

 

[Katiesduckies]

Lewis has given me much encouragement and much to think about over the years. The Narnia series may be his most famous, but I love many of his other, smaller books.

I am a gardener, not a farmer, but one of my friends calls me a fardener. We have almost an acre, over half wooded. The rest is gardens. There is no more lawn

We have nine runners, two buffs, a few cats, and a jumble of perennial and annual plants, many edible, medicinal or both. I would like to add more fragrant plants like chamomile, though we have loads of apple mint and some bee balm.

I have fun trying out methods I discover through reading and taking classes in permaculture, biodynamics, and resilient gardening. It is a rush when I find out something works very well and easily!

Speaking of fragrant plants, I must go harvest garlic scapes. Right now this minute. No more procrastinating on this one.

Well that's cool I don't really do a whole lot just a stay at home mom most of the time and take care of my ducks and chickens and things around the house wow I didnt realize how boring my life is until I basically just typed it all! That's sad...ANYWAYS do you let your chickens free range?