Finally I can add my Dutch Hookbill pics (and my Rouen)

[Baybrio]

These little dirty smudges are about two weeks old. I ordered 10 and received 11 healthy dutch hookbills. You can't beat Holderreads - I have exactly 5 bibbed, 5 dusky and one white. Unfortunately I missed the sun for these pics but their cuteness still shines through. (Honestly the water didn't look that dirty before I started taking pics)

These crested Rouen are from Ideal, they hatched at the end of February:

This young drake is just getting his adult feathers and would have preferred I waited until he was out of this ugly duckling stage!

 

[jjrabbit2]

So cute love the crested Rouen's

 

[chickboss]

Do you know what they were originally bred for? I have never seen them before. Very cute! That crested Rouen is beautiful!

 

[Sweetfolly]

chickboss - I have a page on Dutch Hookbills on my website, if you'd like to go learn about them!

Baybrio - They're precious!

I ended up with 6 Hookbills (I ordered 5) from Holderreads this year, and I got exactly the gender ratio I was hoping for! They're 6 weeks old now, and I have two boys (one dusky, one bibbed) and four girls (one dusky, three bibbed).

No white ones

, but I did get some of the most gorgeous Stanbridge White ducks, so I'm very happy!

Here are some of mine - they're 6 weeks old now!

Congrats on the babies!

 

[chickboss]

Annarie~ Thanks! I did check out your site, great info! They look like a fun duck to own. I also checked out your pens. I love how neat and clean you keep everything, I know, because I do mine daily as well, how much work that can be. Silly ducks, always making messes...LOL. How tall are the houses? I need to build a couple here soon, and am debating on the hieght.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
The roofs slope, so the walls are 3' on the back and 4' on the front - the sides are cut to match the slope of the roof. I could have done them shorter, but since I was using 4'x8' plywood, shorter would have meant more cutting!

I have to get exterior pictures up - I'm just finishing painting everything!

Oh, and Baybrio - I remember when you had some of those Crested Rouens posted for sale (I'm on BYC way too much!

). Did you end up finding good homes for all your extras? And what ever happened to the one that was having coordination problems? I hope he/she is okay!

Those Crested Rouens are very pretty - nice, full crests!

 

[chickboss]

If you remember, let me know when they are posted. I would love to see the outsides.

 

[Baybrio]

Everyone, thanks for the nice comments about my ducklings.


Annarie,

One of your white ducklingslooks like it might have a bit of roman nose, are you sure they didn't sneak a white hookbill in with your order? My white is one of the biggest. When several of my ducklings are trying not to be picked up they flatten themselves against the ground with their necks stretched out. Do your Hookbills do this? My Rouen ducklings never did and I was wondering if it was a unique Hookbill characteristic.


I found great homes for six of the crested Rouen. Four are living on a nice pond with several other ducks. Unfortunately one of the other two I sold also has some balance issues. She is probably coming home as soon as her gosling and duckling palls go outside. After I heard about the second wobbly duckling I stopped trying to sell them. I didn't want people to end up with wobbly ducks! Other than the one I still have who cannot walk the six I still have seem just perfect. Three ducks and three drakes. They are very friendly, although they are not fond of being picked up they are very fond of untying shoelaces and grabbing clothing and hair.

Little Daffy, the one duckling who never could walk is doing really well. He lives inside in a modified guinea pig cage. While he still can't walk he swims like a champ and for some strange reason he can run! So almost everyday he goes out for a swim in the kiddie pool with the other ducks, then I put on his ferret harness (with elastic lead) and he runs after the other ducks for a few minutes. His is just now able to walk a few steps and is learning to use his wings to right himself after he falls. Of course I now have his ducky harness/diaper from Nettie so its easier to have Daffy on my lap when I'm working on the computer or reading. Other than his balance problems he seems to be a normal duck. He has a hard time preening without being supported so he still gets waterlogged when he swims, but before he gets soaked he looks almost as big as the others. I feel he is thin, even though he has duck pellets 24/7. I think it is a combination of lack of muscle use and that he really doesn't eat much when he is alone. He prefers company when dining - he also prefers whatever I'm eating!

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
No, none of the white ones are Hookbills, the body shape is different (the Stanbridge Whites have a more upright carriage), you can really see the difference in their heads/faces when you look them head-on (the bills are wider and more flat). The Hookbills are going to be half the size of the Stanbridge Whites once they're all mature, and they're maturing at different rates; the Hookbills are faster to mature and are feathering in faster and their voices changed sooner. But that's okay, the Stanbridge Whites are even bolder and friendlier than the Hookbills, and I'm very taken with them.

If Holderreads breeds their Hookbills in mixed-color pens (I know Sandhill Preservation Center does), there's always a chance that a few of my ducks are carrying the white gene and I'll hatch out a white on next year - I know someone else here on BYC hatched out a white Hookbill from her flock of Bibbed and Duskies from Holderreads. I have to admit now though, after seeing the Bibbed variety in person, I think I prefer Bibbed Hookbills to the solid colored ones!

Quote:
I have one Hookbill duckling that will flatten herself to the ground, stick her neck straight out, and go running away from me when I try to pick her up - but one I catch her, she's the calmest little thing and doesn't complain at all. The rest of them don't mind me handling them unless I take them too far away from the rest of the ducklings - then, they throw a fit!

I'm sorry to hear that some of the Rouens are still wobbly - I was hoping they'd grow out of it.

But, it sounds like you're taking great care of little Daffy!

 

[Farmgirl72]

I'am interested in raising some hookbill ducks... I live in Illinois and i was wondering if I need any type of a permit to own them??? thank you for your time!!!