Funny story (:

[Dwen]

Yes, I realize that now. But we didn't know much about ducks then. Basically, someone gave us an Easter duckling since we had 40 acres and a pond, and it grew from that. Cracked corn was all that was offered as duck feed at the local tsc, and we tried building them a floating shelter, but they didn' t use it. From the duck books I've read since then though, it seems that most ducks prefer to sleep outside, and shelters are more for protection from predators and extremely harsh weather than anything else. I know that corn alone isn't healthy, but supplemented as it was with their free range diet of bugs, frogs, garden veggies, and stolen dog food, I don't think they were ever unhealthy. I still wish we hadn't had to leave them though.

 

[TheRookie]

I am hoping to give them a home (as long as mother will let me

). They seem pretty healthy (but i dont know much about ducks) but they have a group of geese sharing their pond so I think they have plenty of food and shelter over there. They come when i call "duck duck duck". I fed them some chick feed today but the male still isn't sure about it. The female will eat from my hand and tried to eat directly from the cup lol. I'll try to get better pics up for an ID later.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am hoping to give them a home (as long as mother will let me

). They seem pretty healthy (but i dont know much about ducks) but they have a group of geese sharing their pond so I think they have plenty of food and shelter over there. They come when i call "duck duck duck". I fed them some chick feed today but the male still isn't sure about it. The female will eat from my hand and tried to eat directly from the cup lol. I'll try to get better pics up for an ID later.

Are the geese wild or domestic? good for you to at least feed them. what you don't seem to understand as they are not able to fly away if a predator comes after them. or run for that matter, I let my ducks free range but they would be gone in a night if i didn't lock them up inside their house. They have no defense. I hope mother will let you keep them. if not let us know when can help you find people who will rescue them and give them a good home.

 

[TheRookie]

I do understand that. But they have several sheds near the pond where they can hide. The geese are wild Canadian Geese but they have been hanging around for quite a while.

 

[TheRookie]

Also... Can you give me some tips as to how to get them to like my yard better than the neighbors pond? I can get a few large tubs for them to swim in but unless I lock them up for a while, won't they just go back to the pond?
One more thing... can they share a coop with m chickens? Otherwise they wont have anywhere sheltered to stay.

**edited to add more pics**

 

[IsbelAcresTN]

We have had ducks share the coop with chickens, the only issue I found was that ducks are extremely messy with their water. They bathe, drink and shake the water everywhere.

I now have small individual duck houses for the different breeds with an enclosed pen and a kiddie pool. The houses were easy and inexpensive to make with salvaged materials, the run is made of fencing covered with bird netting and the kiddie pools are really cheap at walmart.

This protects the ducks from preadators, gives them a cozy place to live and a nice clean pool to swim in. They seem happy with this set-up.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The only problem with ducks sharing a pen with chickens is one as the other poster mentioned, they are messy and will make the pen and run wet with their water antics, just their nature, and male ducks can try to mate with female chickens and can cause serious injury or even death, so they would be better off having their own lilttle house, doesn't have to be fancy just safe. which will mean not only 4 walls but a floor so nothing can dig under to get them. . as far as the pond, they know where it is so you'll probably not be able to stop them from going over there, is there a problem with the neighbor not wanting them in their pond? You would have to put up somekind of fenceing to keep them in your yard and like you said give them tubs of somekind to play in. but if your serious about keeping them then get their shelter ready and only feed them at it so you can teach them to come home to eat and stay in their house. don't be tempted to feed them anywhere else but right at their shelter, even treats so you are programming them to know where the food is. All the best and they sure are pretty, thank goodness you want to take them in and give them a home. Keep us updated on all of it please..

Also... Can you give me some tips as to how to get them to like my yard better than the neighbors pond? I can get a few large tubs for them to swim in but unless I lock them up for a while, won't they just go back to the pond?
One more thing... can they share a coop with m chickens? Otherwise they wont have anywhere sheltered to stay.

**edited to add more pics**

 

[TheRookie]

The only problem with ducks sharing a pen with chickens is one as the other poster mentioned, they are messy and will make the pen and run wet with their water antics, just their nature, and male ducks can try to mate with female chickens and can cause serious injury or even death, so they would be better off having their own lilttle house, doesn't have to be fancy just safe. which will mean not only 4 walls but a floor so nothing can dig under to get them. . as far as the pond, they know where it is so you'll probably not be able to stop them from going over there, is there a problem with the neighbor not wanting them in their pond? You would have to put up somekind of fenceing to keep them in your yard and like you said give them tubs of somekind to play in. but if your serious about keeping them then get their shelter ready and only feed them at it so you can teach them to come home to eat and stay in their house. don't be tempted to feed them anywhere else but right at their shelter, even treats so you are programming them to know where the food is. All the best and they sure are pretty, thank goodness you want to take them in and give them a home. Keep us updated on all of it please..

Okay thank you. I'm going to pitch the idea of a seperate fence to my mom soon. How much room will two ducks need? Oh btw, does anyone know why the male has one blue and one brown eye? Thanks so much. I'll be sure to keep you all posted.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Most likely just a fluke of mixed breed, I have solid white Muscovies with blue eyes and those that aren't white have amber colored. since he has white on his feathers he probably inherited a blue eye from one of his parents.. He is very pretty I sure hope you get to keep them.. As for room let me see if i can find you some info...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/search.php?search=Duck+housing lots of info to keep you busy for a while..

Okay thank you. I'm going to pitch the idea of a seperate fence to my mom soon. How much room will two ducks need? Oh btw, does anyone know why the male has one blue and one brown eye? Thanks so much. I'll be sure to keep you all posted.

One thing to remember is you can make it as elaborate as you want or as basic, main thing is that it is safe.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/381283/how-much-room-does-two-ducks-need

 

[TheRookie]

Thank you for those links. The sad part is, my mom is pretty set against having them. She didnt understand at first why we couldnt just leave them but I finally convinced her to at least let me look for someone to take them.