how long?

[cluck-darth-peep]

Grandma told me to put a low watt light, over food and water, to give them 16 hours of light. She also said do not overfeed with other foods. She told me some bread and lettuce as a morning treat, cracked corn an hour before they perch. I get an egg a day from each of my girls.
Hope this helps.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
no..Im sorry its 4 sq feet..what books and how old are they?...The books said you can mix ducks and birds together in a small area? are the ducks full size? or bantam ducks? I would not get anymore birds in that spacing. The ducks can be protective of their living quarters and not allow the chickens down ( off the perches often) to eat and drink as much as they need-hence no eggs as they are not getting enough to produce eggs and keep warm. Im not out to sound harsh Im just telling you the way it is-

For lice and mites...Pick the bird up and hold it backwards...head facing out towards the back of you..Lift up tail--move feathers out of the way and check on vent and all around vent-if you see anything crawling or tiny tiny white circular blobs all hooked together at feather shafts..you have it and they need to be treated as they are blood suckers and feed off of your birds blood-making them weak and can eventually die from n overload.

 

[Stoney22]

i checked for lice and mites and i couldnt find any visual signs of it. the books i got my info from said two to three sq ft per bird and they are from 2010. if you google it some information web pages also say 2-3, but some say for 4 sq ft. the ducks and chickens were all raised together and get along, not being allowed to the food isnt an issue bc the hickens have feed and water up on top of the nest boxes were the ducks cant get it. sometimes the chickens now and then will sleep on the ground with the ducks and play with them like stand on their backs when the ducks go into the pool. i didnt know abot the lighting i will change that to extend ducks a few hours

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
good enough then...I just know that my 6 ducks-3 and 3 were all raised with my chickens and as they aged-( they started when they were about 1 yrs old) became very territorial...tearing feathers out of all the hens and roosters..SO they now have their own seperate living quarters and everyone is happy and laying nicely..Im glad to hear you have no crawlies!

 

[Stoney22]

Yes im actually thinking of converting the old hay shed into the duck house but I will probably have to wait til spring to do it bc it has a flat roof and flat roofs and snow don't go to well outside in nh. And btw I got an egg today first ever from my favorite hen!