ducks and moving waterways

[backboneacres]

Hi folks! I've raised chickens and am now looking at adding some ducks to the backyard flock. We have a canal at the back of our property that flows pretty well, especially in the winter and spring (we can float down it but it's not like a river and no rapids). Just wondering if anyone has any experience with having their ducks in moving waterways. I'm afraid they will jump in and float downstream and I will loose my babes!! I am planning to get 5 rouens and 5 campbells.
Thanks for the help!

 

[Amiga]

Welcome!

I believe you have a legitimate concern. I have read stories here of people with streams on their property being unable to find their ducks after seeing them in the stream.

It is a risk, I think.

 

[backboneacres]

Thanks for the reply Amiga... I wasn't sure if it was a legitimate concern or not! I haven't had much luck finding information on it though!!

Thanks!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the reply Amiga... I wasn't sure if it was a legitimate concern or not! I haven't had much luck finding information on it though!!

Thanks!!

If there is water the ducks will find it, I have a mountain river down below our home and it's runs pretty fast. I don't let my ducks go down there at all, and thankfully there is a patch of woods between us and the river so they can't see it very well. Good fencing is the best way to keep them from going in and possibly losing them.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[yarnchick]

We lost several ducks a number of years ago to the creek behind our house after a big rain. My runners love the ditch when it rains but until we get the down stream fencing in they can't go unsupervised. We have a fence that stops them on one side . Where there is water they noodle their way to end. They do get all manner of goodies there. Last year that is where one of my f/w lost a piece of her bottom beak to a turtle. If you can't supervise put up fencing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We lost several ducks a number of years ago to the creek behind our house after a big rain. My runners love the ditch when it rains but until we get the down stream fencing in they can't go unsupervised. We have a fence that stops them on one side . Where there is water they noodle their way to end. They do get all manner of goodies there. Last year that is where one of my f/w lost a piece of her bottom beak to a turtle. If you can't supervise put up fencing.

Hows your Runner doing with that? seems that would make it hard to eat losing part of bottom bill.

 

[yarnchick]

That is the duck that I brought in the house for 3 days last summer. Fed her thinned oatmeal. Her bottom beak is still cold sensitive I think because she tucks it in feathers when it is real cold. She has learn to use the side of her beak to snap off grass now. Only that she used the side tip of beak is the only thing I have noticed. But I will be paranoid when turtle crossing season starts. Yesterday was a very cold day here. My ducks done a lot of setting. I was afraid the water was going to freeze on them. But I guess they know how to that care of themselves.

Couldn't remember what topic I was to show a pic of my runner eggs. This was todays. The four left eggs are the blue mountain and the 2 right ones belong to the fawn and whites. One of these blue mountain eggs comes from the little gal that jumped from my hand into the bedding at 1 wk. of age. She couldn't walk very well. I started her out right away in water to aquasize. I can't tell her from the other now. She made a great recovery.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is the duck that I brought in the house for 3 days last summer. Fed her thinned oatmeal. Her bottom beak is still cold sensitive I think because she tucks it in feathers when it is real cold. She has learn to use the side of her beak to snap off grass now. Only that she used the side tip of beak is the only thing I have noticed. But I will be paranoid when turtle crossing season starts. Yesterday was a very cold day here. My ducks done a lot of setting. I was afraid the water was going to freeze on them. But I guess they know how to that care of themselves.

Couldn't remember what topic I was to show a pic of my runner eggs. This was todays. The four left eggs are the blue mountain and the 2 right ones belong to the fawn and whites. One of these blue mountain eggs comes from the little gal that jumped from my hand into the bedding at 1 wk. of age. She couldn't walk very well. I started her out right away in water to aquasize. I can't tell her from the other now. She made a great recovery.

You could put them here since we just restarted this thread for 2015. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/951206/daily-duck-egg-report-for-2015
Beautiful eggs and so happy to hear she is doing so well all of them, and about turtles I'd keep them out of the water if you know when turtle crossing is because I have seen and heard some gruesome things about what snappers do to water fowl. Maybe a kiddy pol during that time.