Ducks shunning former Toulouse Goose leader

[Miss Lydia]

I have read the best news of the day, So happy to hear how everything has worked out. Sorry about RB having to be let go but sounds like he has gone to a wonderful home. It is always so nice when things settle down especially when winter is ahead of us and it's nice they can have nothing to add to that stress. as far as heating in the coop none needed all are wearing a nice covering of down under those feathers all they need is to be able to keep dry and out of heavy wind rain or snow, but they may choose to be out in it just give them a choice. I keep all my doors open to their house daily and they can go inside anytime they want. As far as keeping water open and not frozen you may want to look at TSC or your feed store for heated water buckets. They are very safe. made to use for livestock. and work on thermostat so they only run if it gets below 35. I have a 5 gal for my geese and 2.5 gallons for my ducks/chickens. Just don't sit them inside something where water will gather RURU had one of her geese electrocuted because the heated bucket was sat inside something and water accumulated around the bucket. Maybe she will explain it better. But I really like using them I have had a couple of them going on 4 yrs .

 

[RURU]

I will explain what happened to my goose. She was an awful chewer and for some reason she went into the pen where she did not stay. My husband put a pan under the bucket because they kept getting water and digging holes in the pen. Well for some reason it got too much water in it and got to the heating element and went through the cord and she so happened to be in there and grabbed the cord and it electrocuted her. So if you do use heated water buckets DO NOT PUT A PAN under to catch the water! I still use the heated buckets but make sure the wires are put up onto the wire pen so they do not hit too much of the ground and NO PANS under them...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I will explain what happened to my goose. She was an awful chewer and for some reason she went into the pen where she did not stay. My husband put a pan under the bucket because they kept getting water and digging holes in the pen. Well for some reason it got too much water in it and got to the heating element and went through the cord and she so happened to be in there and grabbed the cord and it electrocuted her. So if you do use heated water buckets DO NOT PUT A PAN under to catch the water! I still use the heated buckets but make sure the wires are put up onto the wire pen so they do not hit too much of the ground and NO PANS under them...

Thanks RURU

very hard lesson to learn.

 

[RURU]

Thanks RURU

very hard lesson to learn.

Yes, it was a very hard lesson to learn and you are welcome..

 

[newduckmama]

Thank you both -- and yes, it is good news, isn't it? Things are calm again around and we are just so delighted not to have to play jailer or referee between RB and the geese.

Thank you for the info on the heated water buckets and not to put any pans under them -- good advice though sadly learned for sure. So sorry, RuRu. Take some comfort that your experience is helping others.

My partner, Andrew, is concerned about using heating elements in water for this very reason ever since he talked to someone who raises horses and they told him they had a similar setup for their horses' water trough but that every time they drank from it they got a small electric shock. I don't know what was going on there but I suspect something was not right with his wiring or perhaps the horses had inadvertently chewed a small hole in one of the wires (??) that he was unaware of (??). Anyway that was the one story that got Andrew worried but when we visited the feed store to ask about options they told us if set up properly heated water buckets get the job done and are considered very safe with a no risk of electrocution so I think that's what we'll go with.

We are not inclined to put any heating in the duck coop because we believe when they are huddled together in their pens they will be warm enough given that their coop is solidly built and can withstand the raging winter winds we get out here. If we have a particularly harsh winter we may reconsider the lightbulb for heating though...I can't bear to think of them feeling cold through their feathers and down. What about laying down wood shavings and sweetgrass hay for their pens - should we double the layers? Use more wood shavings than hay? Use more hay than shavings - or something else entirely? And though I know this is the norm (ha ha) our birds are pooping up a storm in their overnight pens. I imagine the poop will only increase in the duck house and in the pens over the next few months as they will probably be spending a lot more time indoors so I'm wondering what you would recommend for bedding to help keep them cozy but is also convenient to keep clean? Many thanks again for any and all information as we head into the meanest season of all.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you both -- and yes, it is good news, isn't it? Things are calm again around and we are just so delighted not to have to play jailer or referee between RB and the geese.

Thank you for the info on the heated water buckets and not to put any pans under them -- good advice though sadly learned for sure. So sorry, RuRu. Take some comfort that your experience is helping others.

My partner, Andrew, is concerned about using heating elements in water for this very reason ever since he talked to someone who raises horses and they told him they had a similar setup for their horses' water trough but that every time they drank from it they got a small electric shock. I don't know what was going on there but I suspect something was not right with his wiring or perhaps the horses had inadvertently chewed a small hole in one of the wires (??) that he was unaware of (??). Anyway that was the one story that got Andrew worried but when we visited the feed store to ask about options they told us if set up properly heated water buckets get the job done and are considered very safe with a no risk of electrocution so I think that's what we'll go with.

We are not inclined to put any heating in the duck coop because we believe when they are huddled together in their pens they will be warm enough given that their coop is solidly built and can withstand the raging winter winds we get out here. If we have a particularly harsh winter we may reconsider the lightbulb for heating though...I can't bear to think of them feeling cold through their feathers and down. What about laying down wood shavings and sweetgrass hay for their pens - should we double the layers? Use more wood shavings than hay? Use more hay than shavings - or something else entirely? And though I know this is the norm (ha ha) our birds are pooping up a storm in their overnight pens. I imagine the poop will only increase in the duck house and in the pens over the next few months as they will probably be spending a lot more time indoors so I'm wondering what you would recommend for bedding to help keep them cozy but is also convenient to keep clean? Many thanks again for any and all information as we head into the meanest season of all.

I like to use pine shavings the flake not fine, I put down a thick layer about 8-10 inches in my ducks/geese/chicken[chickens have about 12"] house, then daily I go in with a shovel and scoop off the poop and fluff up the bedding turning it over takes minimal time and then about every 2 weeks I add more, I have 38 in my flock counting my chickens and using deep litter to me is way easier than using hay or straw because there is no absorbency with either, I don't know what sweet grass is. I think you'll like the heated buckets I sure do.

 

[newduckmama]

I like to use pine shavings the flake not fine, I put down a thick layer about 8-10 inches in my ducks/geese/chicken[chickens have about 12"] house, then daily I go in with a shovel and scoop off the poop and fluff up the bedding turning it over takes minimal time and then about every 2 weeks I add more, I have 38 in my flock counting my chickens and using deep litter to me is way easier than using hay or straw because there is no absorbency with either, I don't know what sweet grass is. I think you'll like the heated buckets I sure do.

Thank you for that Miss Lydia. I love the idea of being able to scoop out the poop, fluff, and change it out every two weeks or so. I thought we had prolific poopers before but with the addition of Fritz and Olga we really need an easier method than having to rake out the sweetgrass hay every day --- especially now that the winter winds and snows have arrived on our doorstep. The geese and ducks are staying closer to their house and around their run these days but when the winds die down they venture out more for the exercise than anything else though if they find a speck of green or brown through the snow they will peck and grab at it in case it turns out to be something tasty. I'm not at home for the next week and I find I am missing their quacks and honks and daily interactions between each other and thinking of them often. Fritz and Olga have settled in nicely with Goosy splitting her time between palling around with the two of them, palling around with Olga and palling around with her drake buddy, Buff, leading the ducks on foraging missions. She has transformed from the most shunned to the most popular and I couldn't be more thrilled! Olga shrieks looking for Goosy when Goosy is off with the ducks and Buff looks for opportunities when she can be close to Goosy without Olga taking offence and nipping at him out of jealousy. They are so delightful to watch and never fail to make me grin from ear to ear at their antics and it is super clear to us now that we made the right decision in letting RB go. Gosh, I hope he's behaving himself better where he's at!

Our biggest worry right now is keeping them away from hungry predators. They are always on guard for hawks skyward but I don't think they have any knowledge that coyotes are in the area. Our neighbours have told us that once the coyotes discover you have a flock (or a herd), they'll come by regularly to try their luck at catching something to eat - and they don't always wait until dusk to show up! Those who have lost pets to these predators tell us to prepare ourselves to lose some of our ducks, especially if they are free range foraging during the days...this thought makes me want to confine them in their yard with the door closed on a daily basis but I'm sure that would upset them as it wouldn't be their choice to come and go as they please. Any thoughts on predator proofing them while still allowing them freedom to roam?

 

[Miss Lydia]

About all you can do is extend their foraging area with fencing, good fencing to keep the preds out. We had to do this this past spring, I had saved for 3 yrs before we put up no climb horse fence with a strand of barb wire on top of that. ours were bears tearing down the welded wire, but we have all the other preds too. What your hearing is very true preds this time of year when natural prey is not as plentiful get bolder and bolder, and they will take what ever than can grab and run with or drag off,. either keep them penned or only let them out when you can be with them which is probably not going to be very feasible this time of year or bite the bullet and put up more fencing. About the only way to keep them safe and locked up tight at night. always! So happy to hear how well it has worked out and everyone is getting along and happy.

 

[newduckmama]

Hi again, Miss Lydia!

Hubby was thinking of extending and enclosing their present yard area with a fence back towards the swampgrass they like to visit regularly (they look soo cute with their heads bobbing up out of the tall grass when I call them to get out of there) but that was a few weeks ago and as it's a fairly time intensive project, with the weather as cold as it is now I don't think that's something we can tackle before the spring but we may just try to do it if we get a few warm days when he's off. We've always closed them up in their hardware cloth pens in their duckhouse at night, every night, but now that I'm not there and he's off to work early and arriving home late he's keeping them in their fenced in yard with their house door open all day if they want to retreat in there from the winds. He stocks them up with food and water before he leaves for work but I imagine they are getting antsy to forage outside their yard during the milder hours of the day. I feel badly being away from them and knowing they are cooped up but it is the only way to keep them safe now that winter has arrived and predators are getting desperate for an easy meal. When I go back I'll make sure to let them out to forage a few times over the afternoon but I'm planning to keep them away from the swampgrass as that's the first place where I'd hide if I was a hungry coyote. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for predators of all kinds as I let them wander.

Hubby reports that they are doing well but he's seen a tiny circular sort of "bald spot" just below one of Buff's eyes. He said he couldn't get a good look because she wouldn't cooperate by turning her head towards him but the best way he could describe it was looking as if there was a very small round indentation in his fur just below his eye as if the hair was a bit shorter there. He also said he thought he heard a bit of a cough from Little Cay. I'm a wee bit freaked out not being there to see for myself but I have confidence in him to take care of them. He said he gave them all some fresh water with a few drops of oil of oregano in it to wash and disinfect whatever might be happening there so I'm anxiously awaiting tonight's report...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi again, Miss Lydia!

Hubby was thinking of extending and enclosing their present yard area with a fence back towards the swampgrass they like to visit regularly (they look soo cute with their heads bobbing up out of the tall grass when I call them to get out of there) but that was a few weeks ago and as it's a fairly time intensive project, with the weather as cold as it is now I don't think that's something we can tackle before the spring but we may just try to do it if we get a few warm days when he's off. We've always closed them up in their hardware cloth pens in their duckhouse at night, every night, but now that I'm not there and he's off to work early and arriving home late he's keeping them in their fenced in yard with their house door open all day if they want to retreat in there from the winds. He stocks them up with food and water before he leaves for work but I imagine they are getting antsy to forage outside their yard during the milder hours of the day. I feel badly being away from them and knowing they are cooped up but it is the only way to keep them safe now that winter has arrived and predators are getting desperate for an easy meal. When I go back I'll make sure to let them out to forage a few times over the afternoon but I'm planning to keep them away from the swampgrass as that's the first place where I'd hide if I was a hungry coyote. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for predators of all kinds as I let them wander.

Hubby reports that they are doing well but he's seen a tiny circular sort of "bald spot" just below one of Buff's eyes. He said he couldn't get a good look because she wouldn't cooperate by turning her head towards him but the best way he could describe it was looking as if there was a very small round indentation in his fur just below his eye as if the hair was a bit shorter there. He also said he thought he heard a bit of a cough from Little Cay. I'm a wee bit freaked out not being there to see for myself but I have confidence in him to take care of them. He said he gave them all some fresh water with a few drops of oil of oregano in it to wash and disinfect whatever might be happening there so I'm anxiously awaiting tonight's report...

I hope everyone is okay, you can also use un pasteurized ACV every other night and the oregano oil the opposite nights 1 Tab to 1 gal of water it is a good tonic and kills bacteria. And your right they may not be too happy having to be cooped up so to speak but they haven't a clue what is waiting for the chance to take one of them, feathers missing maybe someone nibbling maybe not but again washing their heads in ACV and also Oregano oil water should help unless someone is being aggressive. It's a mess here with snow and ice everywhere and my flock is very antsy having to pretty much stay in one area, they have a lot of room to roam around in but since theres snow on the ground and they just don't seem to like to walk around in it much. Hoping to see some melt down here over this next week. Keep us updated on how it's going.