- May 9, 2016
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I have 5 female ducks (1 Blk Swd, 2 WH, 2 Cayugas) that are all between 1 and 1 1/2 years old. This time last year, we were getting 4-5+ eggs every day, but there have been some changes. We had 2 male ducks, but had to keep them penned up all the time because they were hurting the girls. The girls got to roam around the whole backyard until time to go in the house, which they always went in willingly.
We moved in September a few miles from our old house, but I had to extend the existing fence at the new place before I could go through the task of moving them over. In the meantime, we got rid of the males at a local swap meet. I don't have the dates down exactly, but after we moved (they were still at the old house) we were getting 2-3 eggs a day. This dwindled down to nothing.
When we moved, their routine changed from me feeding them every morning and evening to my wife doing it on the way to and from work for a little over a month. Usually one of us or a friend that lives near the old house would put them up for the night.
Fast forward to early-mid October and I've finished the fence at the new house and deconstructed the duck house one day after work, but ran out of daylight. They were without a house (still had shelter under our shed and deck) for 3 nights before I got the house reconstructed and the pen set up for them to finally come to the new place. They're just now getting used to me again. They went from following me to the shed where I'd grab their food (I had to work not to step on them) to staying 10-15 feet away from me until I leave the pen before cautiously approaching the bowl. I've been emptying cans of peas and corn around my feet and waiting for them to eat every bit of it before I move to let them know I'm still not a threat.
They've been through their molts and I fed them feather fixer. Now they're back on the layer pellets that have always worked. Two in particular have become much more vocal, which is a concern because our new neighborhood is a good step or two up from our old one and I worry about complaints to the HOA. I also put 3 ceramic nesting eggs in their house a few days ago, and they really haven't moved them around much.
Any other tricks? I've started keeping the pen open during the day so they can roam around the yard and hopefully get more sun. A lot of changes for them in the past few months, and the two Cayugas seem to have filled out a little bit. If they don't have food they don't stop that big loud quack.
I hate having to buy eggs at the store again! Any help is much appreciated!
EDIT: Just to add more detail, they haven't had a "pool party" in probably two months. This could be relevant.
We moved in September a few miles from our old house, but I had to extend the existing fence at the new place before I could go through the task of moving them over. In the meantime, we got rid of the males at a local swap meet. I don't have the dates down exactly, but after we moved (they were still at the old house) we were getting 2-3 eggs a day. This dwindled down to nothing.
When we moved, their routine changed from me feeding them every morning and evening to my wife doing it on the way to and from work for a little over a month. Usually one of us or a friend that lives near the old house would put them up for the night.
Fast forward to early-mid October and I've finished the fence at the new house and deconstructed the duck house one day after work, but ran out of daylight. They were without a house (still had shelter under our shed and deck) for 3 nights before I got the house reconstructed and the pen set up for them to finally come to the new place. They're just now getting used to me again. They went from following me to the shed where I'd grab their food (I had to work not to step on them) to staying 10-15 feet away from me until I leave the pen before cautiously approaching the bowl. I've been emptying cans of peas and corn around my feet and waiting for them to eat every bit of it before I move to let them know I'm still not a threat.
They've been through their molts and I fed them feather fixer. Now they're back on the layer pellets that have always worked. Two in particular have become much more vocal, which is a concern because our new neighborhood is a good step or two up from our old one and I worry about complaints to the HOA. I also put 3 ceramic nesting eggs in their house a few days ago, and they really haven't moved them around much.
Any other tricks? I've started keeping the pen open during the day so they can roam around the yard and hopefully get more sun. A lot of changes for them in the past few months, and the two Cayugas seem to have filled out a little bit. If they don't have food they don't stop that big loud quack.
I hate having to buy eggs at the store again! Any help is much appreciated!
EDIT: Just to add more detail, they haven't had a "pool party" in probably two months. This could be relevant.
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