Duck run/coop tips/suggestions/criticism

[Miss Lydia]

How old are they? My Runner ducklings are now 6.5. Weeks and I haven’t seen them eat a rock although they have picked up many. Best thing to do is sit an watch to see how they are doing with the rocks.

 

[Tor7039]

How old are they? My Runner ducklings are now 6.5. Weeks and I haven’t seen them eat a rock although they have picked up many. Best thing to do is sit an watch to see how they are doing with the rocks.

Sounds good! Mine are also 6.5 weeks. We’re outside right now and I’m watching super closely and it does seem like they’re just billing them and spitting them out. My fiancé said he thought he saw one of the ducks eat a rock yesterday so I was a little worried!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They will eat very small rocks grit size. Do you keep chick grit out for them?

 

[Isaac 0]

They'll usually just fiddle with it in their mouth, I doubt they'll actually eat it, but it wouldn't hurt to pay closer attention to make sure they don't.

 

[3bird]

@Miss Lydia , @Isaac 0 , @416bigbore , @3bird 1 more question that I bet someone knows the answer to! So, we’ve been bringing the ducks outside during the day and supervising them because the run is not 100% complete but I noticed they’re really digging up rocks. I know it’s totally normal for them to forage/drill into the ground and I’m seeing *most* of the ducks just bill the rocks and spit them out but I’m worried about them swallowing a rock that might be too big. I read a horror story about a duck who ate a jagged rock. I have gone through the pen and kicked out any rocks that I think could harm them but now they’re just digging them all up from the under the dirt...so I don’t know how I would stop them at that point. Do ducks generally know to spit them out? These rocks aren’t pebbles, they’re not huge either, maybe size of a quarter? I figure so many ducks free range and there’s little rocks under the ground everywhere and those ducks are fine. I’m just worried they won’t spit out the rocks!

To be honest, I don't remember our ducklings doing that, but I know that there is one place on the property where there is particular mineral deposit in the soil that several of the girls (adults) love. My sense is that they often know best what they need, but this is certainly not always the case (e.g., hardware disease). Sorry I don't have a better answer.

 

[Tor7039]

@Miss Lydia @Isaac 0 @3bird Yep, I leave out a bowl of chick grit for them! I was out there with them for a good 4 hours yesterday to observe and like you all said, I do think they just fiddled with them. I did not notice any duckies swallowing rocks too big for them. Think I am just being a worrier!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very natural I am too! ❤