Hello from Kansas!

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SilverRayne

SilverRayne

Chirping
5 Years
May 22, 2017
10
7
74
Kansas
Hi there. We just started our flock a couple months ago. My daughter has been wanting some laying hens and just joined the poultry project for our local 4-H club. We picked up some new chicks a couple months ago and have mostly Ameraucanas with a couple Production Reds, New Hampshire Reds, and *had* a couple ducklings mixed in. The largest production red, who we call Big Red, seems to want to be the head chick in charge, she might be our lady with an attitude. We recently added four laying hens to our flock to bring our total up to 18 birds and they all get along great. Our newest hens are a bit bigger but they seem to get along and aren't abusing the smaller birds. But along with the good comes the bad, we have been off to a rocky start unfortunately. We lost one ameraucana pretty early on, it was quick whatever took her. We recently relocated the chickens (and ducks) to our outdoor coop when they were 8 weeks old and our ducks didnt make it. Some creature ate their heads off - literally. Which is unfortunate but we were planning on moving them to our pond so I think they would have been just as vulnerable out there. Then Big Red tried escaping the run and I found her in our neighbor dogs mouth, luckily the neighbor dog is pretty submissive with us and she dropped her instantly and ran off and Big Red is doing just fine. And as of yesterday we have another sick bird... possibly impacted or sour crop and she seems to be going downhill pretty fast as well. So this "little project" my daughter wanted to start - along with my husband - has now turned into mom taking care of all the birds the majority of the time :D I love them all though. They are great birds!


This one here is Pearl, she's my favorite :)
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KikisGirls said:
:welcome
You may want to pop in to your state's thread here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/consolidated-kansas.248925/

Predators are a pain in the you know what.
Make sure your coop is secure..what ever got your ducks will be back.

What are you feeding your chicks?
Do they have access to chick grit?
Click to expand...



We had kept our ducks separate, they stayed out in the run while the chickens went to bed in the coop. We had part of a swing set we tore down and used the house on it as their shelter so they would be safe from the elements. We were working on building their house to put down by the pond but they were taken before we finished. Our coop is secure, nothing has tried getting in there that I know of.

As for feed, they are eating chick starter still until it runs out and they have access to grass, dirt, and rocks while they are out during the day. No treats or anything yet. I haven't bought any grit but it is actually on my list of things to get today at the store. Should I be feeding them anything else at 9 weeks old?
 
It would be best to post about ducks on the "duck thread,". Ducklings often have a niacin deficiency which may have been aggravated by eating chick feed :confused:.
Though obviously predators don't care.

If you are free ranging ducks, chicks, anything you have to expect some amount off predation. Otherwise they need a safe secure run with a cover to protect them when you aren't around . You could put a small sandbox filled with water or kids pool within the run so they could splash around safely.
 

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