Ducky DO'S & DON'TS

[Soon2BChixMom]

They have sold muscovies in the local farm stores here, but I am not in a state where they are considered a nuisance bird. However, most of the hatcheries do not keep muscovies, so the farm stores don't get them in either. I have a byc breeder to turn to.
Also, my neighbors have some. I just might go introduce myself.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love my Muscovy's they are like puppies.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I got a couple pix of special order ducks that Rural King will order if you present your permit from the State of Florida.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Which ones are you thinking of getting?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Which ones are you thinking of getting?

We are going to start with no permit required duckies.
In about 9 days roughly. I'll know then. I am so excited!

 

[GracieJ]

Pics for the duckie lubbers...
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Wow what a beautiful bunch of ducks you have!!

 

[GracieJ]

They rarely get it. My only encounter with it was when Chrissy had her foot exposed all night (thigh injured, couldn't pull her web under her) in -21c weather.


I'd suggest starting with threeish ducks, to get to know what you need to do for your climate etc. For me, the issue was handling winter water. Once I figured that out I ramped up my dux count by a lot, lol. Of course, you could always just start big and figure out issues on a mass scale.

I really haven't run into much so I don't have much to say on that part. I have only kept ducks "officially" for about a year and a half... have had several before then but I treated them same as chooks. I didn't know much about them.

How did you figure out the winter water? I live in Wales and it's an exceptionally, unusually cold winter and the water is frozen even in the day! I've tried the 'bottle in the water' thing but it freezes around it ha!

 

[BantyChooks]

How did you figure out the winter water? I live in Wales and it's an exceptionally, unusually cold winter and the water is frozen even in the day! I've tried the 'bottle in the water' thing but it freezes around it ha!

The bottle in the water thing only works if your weather is nice and warm, LOL. When even the rivers are frozen solid enough to walk over, the slight surface movement caused by the bottle doesn't do anything.

I put it under cover and lugged water 3--5x a day. I noted that it was quite a bit slower in freezing beyond the point the chooks could keep open if I put it in the coop. Unfortunately, that opens up a whole nother can of worms---wet bedding. Some run heat but I'm scared of that and all I could find was rated down to 20°F... yeah, nice try guys, the only time I want a heater is when the day time highs are below 0F. All other temps are manageable without heat.

I'll be building a feed/water station with a roof and wind break next year.

 

[onaharley]

Pros and cons of ducklings imprinting on you? I will be getting two on Wednesday and they will stay with me inside until they can go outside with my other 2 ducks. I'm just wondering when they do go outside, would it be a hard transition if they do imprint on me too much?

 

[CayugaJana]

Pros and cons of ducklings imprinting on you? I will be getting two on Wednesday and they will stay with me inside until they can go outside with my other 2 ducks. I'm just wondering when they do go outside, would it be a hard transition if they do imprint on me too much?

I don’t think so @onaharley. At least it wasn’t with mine. They followed me around everywhere and chirped loudly when I went away. But once they went out with the other ducks, they realized the ducks were a lot more interesting than me. Made me sad a little! I hope yours transition well too. And I’m so excited for you!!!