Ducks keep screaming!

[Flyinbolts]

Also if you want to hear a bunch of ducks I could suggest a place to go and watch about 18 of them live. It's something I do and people enjoy just listening (including me)

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I don’t really mind if they lay well or not. I one day want wood ducks, but I don’t have the time for a set up for any exotic animals right now. I really want runners because I love their stance, I want them to be show quality so they’re extra tall. I also want them to be smart because I can’t stand animals that run into everything lol, my pekins would literally freak out and run into trees. What’s the cleanest out of the breeds you have? I think I would call ducks one of the messiest birds there are.

Well messy they are! All of them, regardless of breed! - But dirty? On the contrary! Yes, they get dirty during their business of turning my compost over or drilling for oil in the yard during the rain, but they also spend a lot of time in cleaning themselves afterwards. In fact if they have clean water "at bill" and a clean and dry duck house they are the cleanest birds i have seen.
Their behavior totally depends on how they were raised and their experience: My youngest Runners panic on a daily base because they still have not understood the concept of a door or a gate. On several occasions one half of them ends up on one side of the fence and the other half on the other side and then they quack their throats hoarse because they cannot get to each other. I also have observed my older Runner ducks getting up, walking through the fence-gate, picking up the ducknagers and guide them through the gate. I guess the grown-up's just want their piece…
And though they all have calmed down a lot, the big blue cat-food-, the sun-flower- and the pellet-bags are still a duck-eating monsters and they scream and run away as fast as they can. Sometimes i'm not sure if that is just a play.
But ducks are prey animals and their instincts tell them to be afraid of unknown things, especially if those come from above. I remember the ducknagers all came running to me in their first week outside on the meadow when a plane flew over, we're close to the airport, so the planes fly relatively low. That was four weeks ago, now they just look up and have learned that those noisy big birds are not interested in duck for dinner and ignore them. So they are able to learn and adjust their behavior.

Wood ducks? - Yes, those are beautiful birds, but really, really difficult to care for. First they really need a lot of space, a clean pond close to the woods and second they are migratory birds who wouldn't stay through the winter time. Sure, you can keep them in an aviary, but - too much effort for my taste.

 

[Floof]

Your ducks are 3 weeks older than mine, they're 11 weeks old but have already started to lay eggs and seduce the drakes. - Indian Runners and White Layers.
If your Pekin starts to avoid walking around and sits down most of the day she is very likely obese. I made good experiences with a mixed flock, consisting of Runners and other ducks, the active Runners motivate the other ducks to be way more active than usually. It is hilarious to see the large White Layers running together with the Runner ducks, the look like big white slippers on short legs…

Wow 11 weeks and laying??? Where did you get them from?

 

[JadeFarms]

Well messy they are! All of them, regardless of breed! - But dirty? On the contrary! Yes, they get dirty during their business of turning my compost over or drilling for oil in the yard during the rain, but they also spend a lot of time in cleaning themselves afterwards. In fact if they have clean water "at bill" and a clean and dry duck house they are the cleanest birds i have seen.
Their behavior totally depends on how they were raised and their experience: My youngest Runners panic on a daily base because they still have not understood the concept of a door or a gate. On several occasions one half of them ends up on one side of the fence and the other half on the other side and then they quack their throats hoarse because they cannot get to each other. I also have observed my older Runner ducks getting up, walking through the fence-gate, picking up the ducknagers and guide them through the gate. I guess the grown-up's just want their piece…
And though they all have calmed down a lot, the big blue cat-food-, the sun-flower- and the pellet-bags are still a duck-eating monsters and they scream and run away as fast as they can. Sometimes i'm not sure if that is just a play.
But ducks are prey animals and their instincts tell them to be afraid of unknown things, especially if those come from above. I remember the ducknagers all came running to me in their first week outside on the meadow when a plane flew over, we're close to the airport, so the planes fly relatively low. That was four weeks ago, now they just look up and have learned that those noisy big birds are not interested in duck for dinner and ignore them. So they are able to learn and adjust their behavior.

Wood ducks? - Yes, those are beautiful birds, but really, really difficult to care for. First they really need a lot of space, a clean pond close to the woods and second they are migratory birds who wouldn't through the winter time. Sure, you can keep them in an aviary, but - too much effort for my taste.

I am willing to put the work into them. We I’ve in Florida so we don’t have a winter, it gets overly hot though. We live near a bunch of woods but I would keep them in a large aviary.

 

[Enten4life]

So after reading this thread all the way through (and others) I think I need to amend my previous reply regarding how often my ducks are proclaiming their existence. My precious Runner Jessica quacks after dark if she hears us or, frankly, even if she doesn't. It gets dark at 5:00pm here and she's still singing at like 9:00pm............. Then my Swedish will join in on the chorus. Meanwhile, my "loud" Pekin is trying to sleep, ROFL. That no longer seems normal.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Wow 11 weeks and laying??? Where did you get them from?

Actually they are 10 weeks and four days old today, they hatched on 9/8. I have ordered them at Meyer Hatchery in Ohio because they are the closest hatchery to WV. Little did i know that they would actually be sent from Metzer Farms in CA. And yes, some of them are laying and they all make the drakes crazy…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I am willing to put the work into them. We I’ve in Florida so we don’t have a winter, it gets overly hot though. We live near a bunch of woods but I would keep them in a large aviary.

So actually you would be at the other end of the route: The Woodys spend their summers in the north (like here in WV) and fly south (like FL) for the winter. There were some Wood Ducks here around on my property, i assume around the other pond/swamp behind my mountain. I heart them calling, but never saw one.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

So after reading this thread all the way through (and others) I think I need to amend my previous reply regarding how often my ducks are proclaiming their existence. My precious Runner Jessica quacks after dark if she hears us or, frankly, even if she doesn't. It gets dark at 5:00pm here and she's still singing at like 9:00pm............. Then my Swedish will join in on the chorus. Meanwhile, my "loud" Pekin is trying to sleep, ROFL. That no longer seems normal.

How do you keep them overnight? - My ducks freak out if their house gets too dark during the night, ducks have a very bad vision in darkness. If your duck-house is too dark, a little night-light may help them to feel safer.

 

[Enten4life]

That's interesting. They tend to quack MORE when the patio light is on. There is still another patio light on the other side of the yard, but they do NOT like it when we don't turn it off (or so it seams).

They are in a closed run with access to underneath the chicken coop, but fully enclosed. They prefer to just sleep out in the run though, and never go underneath.

 

[claudiaosk]

Hi all,

I have 3 pekin ducks, they are fine except that sometimes they start quacking really loud (it sounds like ah-ah-ah-ah). They are around 2 and a half months old, have fresh water, a paddling pool and food. They do this sound randomely but sometimes when they see us or when we pick them up. The issue is that im afraid they are being too loud for the neighbours. I dont want to part with them. Is there a way i can make them more quiet and what could be possible reasons for this behaviour as its not normal. Thank you.

My ducks do that when they are hungry, but also when I dare give them "only" the dry stuff, they want green beans and if they dont get them they go quak-quak-quaaaaak! so the whole neighbourhood knows what going on. Its because they are spoilt rotten and I have to do something about it. ... Once they got their expensive beans they are quiet (for a while) ... Lol