duck variety

[domenica]

I could never imagine pekins are that cute. I feel like hugging them every time I watch them from my window. Well I wonder why they are so different from my other two ducks, a couple consisted of a Rouen drake and a Black Swedish hen. I mean these last two seem to belong to the medium sized ducks but they are so little! Almost bantam, if they were a bit smaller they would be called call ducks...I ask myself, is this how they are in Europe? Should I worry? My two pekins are medium to large and heavy so I think they are typical ducks while my other two, especially my hen, are too thin. God I feed them with worms snails, seeds, fruits, grass, everything I can to make them be more than healthy and strong! By the way the little hen lays an egg every day and she is very happy when I am around. When I am absent she stops laying believe it or not, my children can confirm it! Of course ducks don't lay eggs all year long... So what do you think about my "weird" couple? Please let me know. Thanks!

 

[Amiga]

I wonder if they may have parasites?

Perhaps you can give them some cooked sweet potatoes (can you get those where you are?) I use a purchased layer feed from the store - it has corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, and added vitamins and minerals. They also get what they can forage - worms, slugs, bugs, fresh leafy greens. And I offer them sprouted wheat, and flax seed meal, and even some good quality cat kibble especially in winter when there are no worms or slugs to be had.

Here, we can get a poultry vitamin mix that can be added to their drinking water.

 

[domenica]

Thanks a lot! Luckily I can find vitamins and many other products here to strengthen their immune system and buy sweet potatoes to cook for them. They forage a lot, eating slugs and worms and they look healthy but I still worry cause you never know what to expect from these cute gluttonous creatures... I will try all these and I hope I'll see some changes!