Feeling a little overwhelmed

[chasing ducks]

I realized today that I am going to be mommy to a total of 27 ducklings over the next 2 weeks. When I originally started this venture I ordered 15 ducklings and was content with that. Then I picked up some runner eggs and figured I'd try my hand at hatching. Well through an accident I lost all the eggs due to over heating. My husband felt so bad he went online and ordered me 10 more runners (10 was the minimum he could buy). Now thats 25, plus my children each brought home a pekin duckling last night that their grandma had gotten for them, making the total 27. Pile this on top of the 2 barred rock rooster chicks I inherited from my mother (They were too aggressive for her batams but she didn't want to get rid of them totally) that are now 3 weeks old and the 5 guinea keets that my mother is supposed to be picking up this week for me and I am going, oh my goodness what the heck have I gotten myself into? Now the roosters are going back to my mother when her laying hens are big enough to go outside, and the guinea keets will free range with my older guinea once they are big enough, and my husband is working on fencing off about half an acre or so for my ducks complete with house and kiddie pool. So within about 8 weeks hopefully all will be out of my room (Did I mention I have cats and my room is the only safe place for these little darlings?) There is no real point to this post, just hoping that there are others out there who have been in a similiar situation and felt overwhelmed and survived, lol.

 

[ranchhand]

Just keep your sense of humor and it will all be fine.

 

[darkstarr nite]

yep some mornings I wake up and go wow I got all that to take care of ...

and my husband took awhile to get my chicken coop cleaned out so I had a ton of chicks in the basement...

well I almost just sold a ton of chicks but my husband got his butt in gear .. and it is all better ..

but I have wwwwaaayyyyy more than you ...
1 turkey
2 guineas
4 gooslings
4 ducks
21 chickens in one coop
60 plus chicks in another...

so it is easy to get overwhelmed some mornings..

but I just take a deep breath and realize how much I love those fluffy butts...

pull myself together and be thankful for what I have and remember how I missed it before I got it this year..

So you will make it through I ... an I always sell the extra so that helps....


Good luck ...

 

[Amiga]

With just eleven runners I have moments when I feel that I entirely overestimated my abilities.

We had no infrastructure for these critters before I ordered them. But for months before they arrived, I prepared plans and began developing that infrastructure.

It is the days I realize that I haven't finished the duck laundry and they will soon need a change of bedding (usually because they decided to get creative with their water more than usual). Or, perhaps I have another commitment and I don't see how I am going to get everyone fed, changed, inside, outside, watered, etc. . . and still get other things done.

My neighbor built the duck house - I already had most of the materials, and detailed plans. Now I just need to get the hardware cloth on it. But, I am in no hurry because nighttime temperatures here will be colder than is good for seven week old ducklings, so they will continue to live in a brooder in the guest room. We have cats, too.

 

[TK Poultry]

its overwhelming but enjoy it while they are babies next thing you know your babies will have babies!!! They grow up too fast

 

[LittleSquidgenHome]

You can do it! Just keep a positive spirit! And ducks are just the cutest so they make it easy to adore them.

I've been rather busy too. I considered going to visit my mother this weekend, my husband is working crazy hours and hasn't been home for about two weeks, I am newly pregnant and we have a 5 and 2 year old, I thought I would enjoy the help and some sleep. We were all packed then I realized we couldn't go. The 16 ducklings in the brooder would be without water about 7 hours after we left

and that does not give me the weekend. The 3 adult Muscovy and 9 adult Ancona would be fine, but the 16 little 4 week old fuzzy butts would be s.o.l.

So instead, I ordered 11 goslings this morning.

I figure if I am going to be overwhelmed, I should be overwhelmed with things that I adore... I thought about but I did NOT order the turkey poults and meat chicks, that would have just been crazy... plus I have a Scovy hen sitting on a clutch of 22 right now that are due in 13 days...No turkey poults of meat chicks, for a while at least...probably.

 

[tia]

I can imagine how you are feeling and I only have 6 runners, two dogs, and 1 cat - oh yes and a son who is home for the summer. One of the runners is recovering from bumblefoot, so it is 3 to 4 baths a day for her. The thing that keeps me going is that I love them all!!!!

 

[chickboss]

I'm glad I'm not the only one!! Here is my list:

3 adult hens and 1 rooster
27 Australorp pullets, 4 EE pullets, and 1 polish crested (who just graduated to the outdoor nursery about a week ago!)
4 Kahki ducklings, who also just graduated to the outdoor nursery last week as well.

At one point, I had 36 avian babies in my 1300 sqft house with 3 large dogs, 4 cats, and 2 crazy kids!

That's not all,

Currently there are 4 batam chicks and my new Muscovy babies, 10 of them, all inside.

I will be picking up 4 Peacocks on Tuesday, luckily, they are a year old and can live outdoors happily.

Our order of 10 Kahkis, 5 Pekins, 11 Partridge Rocks, and 5 Polish Crested are due to be shipped May 3rd.

We are also expecting our new incubator and with any luck will be hatching out some Call Babies by mid June.

That is something like 83 birds! Luckily we have more than enough room for everyone and both my husband and I can swing a hammer!


This is how I really look at it though:

1 flock adult chickens
1 flock of pullets (EEs, Australorps, and Polish)
1 Kahki flock
1 Muscovy flock
1 Bantam flock

Comming:
1 mixed duckling flock with over half joining the Kahki flock once older
1 mixed chick flock ( Partridge and Polish)
1 peafowl flock
1 call duck flock (we hope)

That is 9. Much easier to handle than 83. And, even with giving each individual bird a basic health check 1-2x's per week, I'd say each 2 flocks is the equivelent, to me anyway, of taking care of 1 horse if stalled. I LOVE taking care of them, and it can seem overwhelming given that I have a small number of other livestock as well, but it makes me feel good to see them all happy, healthy, and thriving, not to mention the gifts they will bring to my family. Can't wait for the first pullet to lay, I already have buyers lined up! LOL, maybe I can break even.......

Sooo, sorry about the long post, but just wanted to let you know that you can do it, and the hard part passes realitivly quickly, and then you will have beautiful adult flocks to enjoy!

 

[La Roux]

And I thought 17 chickens and two pygmy goats was alot hahahahaha!

 

[bock]

10 ducklings
2 goslings
5 chicks
8 adult ducks
1 adult goose
5 adult chickens
25 adult pigeons
Fun fun!!