Ducks 101

[BabyGotQuack]

So I have 4 Call ducks. I lost my original babies I got. I got mine from a lady near by. Which I’m happy about cause finding Calls has been extremely hard without going to a hatchery. And all the hatchery’s I have seen only sell adult Calls. Which is what I ended up with anyway since my first babies were killed. But I wanted babies so I could bond. However I will have a chance in the spring for more. The next ones I want is Black East Indies. Those I really think I have to get as Adults. Finding those are hard. I have seen that Cackle is selling Calls soon, but just can’t find anything for Black East Indies.

So my husband and I made a duck pond. We use a pump to pump out the water when it’s time to change it and use a water tank to fill it back up. I don’t have to change it as often as I would a pool. But it does take a little more time for the clean up and refilling. I’m currently looking into plants to help or a “sucker” fish to help. I don’t know though if my ducks would eat the sucker fish but maybe if it’s big enough they won’t..

As for food, I use All flock and then add the brewers yeast and oats to help with their diet. However today I came across some duck food at a TSC but that is like a 45 min drive. But it would be worth it, might only get a bag when I go that way and just stay with All flock until then. For the babies I just used chick feed but the unmedicated one.

I know you got some great advice from others! I wasn’t able to read all of it so sorry if I repeated anyone.

I want calls soooooo bad! I just worry about their noise. We live in a rural area and it’s very normal for roosters and such to be crowing. There are no “animal rules” but I don’t want to make me neighbors mad I have a couple loud ducks (my pekin & Saxonys) and I’ve been told by others call ducks are much louder? Is that true? Also do call ducks fly?

I’ve seen duck food at my TSC but they rarely have it so it’s not something I can always count on having. Just an fyi for those looking into duck food.

 

[Tookie]

Adding pictures. I am going to be adding more fabric to the ramp but ran out of material at the time. Now I have it and it’s just too cold the last couple days as you can see in the pictures…

It is about 450 gallons.

So you built a frame and used a pond liner?

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Adding pictures. I am going to be adding more fabric to the ramp but ran out of material at the time. Now I have it and it’s just too cold the last couple days as you can see in the pictures…

Love your set up and they are gorgeous!!

 

[Tookie]

I’ve seen duck food at my TSC but they rarely have it so it’s not something I can always count on having. Just an fyi for those looking into duck food.

I've read you can use chicken layer feed for adult ducks, is this true?

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I've read you can use chicken layer feed for adult ducks, is this true?

That is what I use. Others may be using something else.

 

[Tookie]

That is what I use. Others may be using something else.

Any down side to feeding chicken feed to them?

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I want calls soooooo bad! I just worry about their noise. We live in a rural area and it’s very normal for roosters and such to be crowing. There are no “animal rules” but I don’t want to make me neighbors mad I have a couple loud ducks (my pekin & Saxonys) and I’ve been told by others call ducks are much louder? Is that true? Also do call ducks fly?

I’ve seen duck food at my TSC but they rarely have it so it’s not something I can always count on having. Just an fyi for those looking into duck food.

Actually I have heard that. The only time I hear them is if a female is separated from the others. When they are together I don’t hear them. I hear my chickens WAY more than I do them. Granted that can change when babies get involved but as of right now I don’t hear them.

I haven’t relied on TSC for feed. I actually anticipated them not having any when I went in. But the farm store in the town closest to me (15min away) doesn’t carry duck food either. So it was more or less a shot in the dark. I know I can order it online but I would rather go grab it than have it shipped. That is just my preference anyway. But I agree not to rely on TSC to have it. Their stock when I went in was 3 large bags, only 40lbs when I normally get 50 on bags of chicken feed. And there was several small bags but not really worth it. Duck math is real and that wouldn’t even cover babies for long.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Any down side to feeding chicken feed to them?

Not that I know of, like others have said you can add brewers yeast/nutritional yeast. You can also add oyster shell (I just dry out their own egg shells crush em up and use that).

 

[FBMcrazy8]

So you built a frame and used a pond liner?

Yup. I got the pool liner from Amazon and 2x6x8’ boards. Used braces to keep them together. I’m going to be staining the wood in the spring. But I bought pressure treated lumber so it will be ok even if I don’t. But the trim wood will go bad if I don’t.

 

[Tookie]

Not that I know of, like others have said you can add brewers yeast/nutritional yeast. You can also add oyster shell (I just dry out their own egg shells crush em up and use that).

What type of feeder do you use? I was thinking of using pvc pipe.