Help/ Advice with ducks that just randomly showed up

[bbfraz]

Hi Everyone,

I never would have dreamed I would be posting this!

We have a small lake in our back yard which has always been home to wild ducks and geese. About three weeks ago two white ducks which I am assuming are Pekins just waddled up out of nowhere. After sticking around for two days we realized we needed to help them. We have been feeding them appropriately and they have just been free ranging around our lake. They will come up to our yard when its meal time. I'm concerned for their safety. Our property is heavily wooded and full of critters. Any advice on cooping them and caring for them would be appreciated. They seem very happy to free range during the day so I would like to keep them in that routine.

I have zero experience with ducks or chickens and was not planning to ever own any but our whole family loves them and it seems like the right thing to do. They are very sweet. It is a total mystery to me where they came from. I got on google maps and the closest lake is over a mile away through woods.

Thank you for any and all help!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Is the lake and/or your property accessible from a public road?
Somebody dumped their unwanted pets at your place.
Your new ducks need a safe place to sleep, where they are protected from predators and can stay dry and warm during the winter. Food, water and treats are always welcome and will be rewarded with tasty eggs. - If they are female. Do they quack or do they rasp? Only female ducks quack.

 

[Wezdin]

Can you post pictures of the ducks so we can get a positive ID? If they are not wild ducks i see no reason that you cant keep them if you want to.

 

[bbfraz]

Yes our property is off a public road. How sad Well I'm not going to let them down! Right now we have just been feeding them but letting them stay out at night because we are obviously totally unprepared. I'm pretty sure one is a female and one is male. Any advice on how to set up and coop them would be appreciated. I'm clueless

 

[Wezdin]

Yes our property is off a public road. How sad Well I'm not going to let them down! Right now we have just been feeding them but letting them stay out at night because we are obviously totally unprepared. I'm pretty sure one is a female and one is male. Any advice on how to set up and coop them would be appreciated. I'm clueless

You picked the right place to find info! I'm personally not a duck person but hillbilly and LOTS others are! if you are looking to build a coop i would start with the review section, it has a ton of great coop ideas.

 

[bbfraz]

Can you post pictures of the ducks so we can get a positive ID? If they are not wild ducks i see no reason that you cant keep them if you

Can you post pictures of the ducks so we can get a positive ID? If they are not wild ducks i see no reason that you cant keep them if you want to.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Yes our property is off a public road. How sad Well I'm not going to let them down! Right now we have just been feeding them but letting them stay out at night because we are obviously totally unprepared. I'm pretty sure one is a female and one is male. Any advice on how to set up and coop them would be appreciated. I'm clueless

One male one female may be trouble next spring, but if they are indeed Pekins it may not be so wild. Pekins are the most "laid back" ducks if they have something to eat.
As for their house, duck are not picky at all! An old dog-house, even a kennel will do for some time. Just should keep them out of the wind and the rain and give them protection over night from critters like raccoons.
Beware! Keeping ducks is highly addictive and can only be cured with more ducks!
Have a look at the coop section here in the coop articles, it is called »chicken coops«, but there are plenty of duck-houses too, and as said ducks are not picky, just don't tell them its a chicken cube.
Your ducks will be very thankful for adopting them!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Definitely not wild ducks at all! Really cuties!
They could also be White Layer ducks, the left duck's bill looks more fleshy than orange/yellow. White Layers are as goofy as Pekins minus the leg and hip problems! I have four, "Blanca" and "Earthquack" are some characters, see my signature…

 

[bbfraz]

Definitely not wild ducks at all! Really cuties!
They could also be White Layer ducks, the left duck's bill looks more fleshy than orange/yellow. White Layers are as goofy as Pekins minus the leg and hip problems! I have four, "Blanca" and "Earthquack" are some characters, see my signature…

Thank you for All of your help! We have an old dog kennel that we could put them in for now. I didnt know if that would work it has concrete floors, and an open top but I guess we can start there until we have a better plan.

 

[quackiemama]

Definitely not wild ducks at all! Really cuties!
They could also be White Layer ducks, the left duck's bill looks more fleshy than orange/yellow. White Layers are as goofy as Pekins minus the leg and hip problems! I have four, "Blanca" and "Earthquack" are some characters, see my signature…

They are pretty. I didn't know about the leg issues when I ordered pekins and I did have an issue but thankfully I received good advice and healed her right up.