I am a terrible duck parent! I lost two ducks and did not even notice it! 😳🤦‍♂️😳🤦‍♂️😳🤦‍♂️

[WannaBeHillBilly]

So.. you can't separate the drakes ? No basement or garage? Then you have to many drakes and they need to be removed from the flock. Give away, sell, eat. But first I would read through the local adds and see if somebody has extra ducks. Also check with your local animal shelters, people drop off all sorts of animals. Call your local 4H group somebody might take them or trade you for some ducks.

With the current lock-down situation, almost all local poultry (and other) trading has stopped. I have never seen the CL for Charleston so short…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

@WannaBeHillBilly, have you discovered anything about the disappearance of your Maggie ducks?

*hugs* you'll work it out. Just take a deep breath and slowly let it out...

Sorry about your Magpies. This happens and they were gone before you put them away, so not noticing when you put them up, didn't make any difference. Raccoons??

@Mimi13 They're gone without a trace. Neighbors have reported they have lost chickens, even those kept close to their houses and a goat went missing. We all suspect that there are new Coyotes in the area. Today Turkey season has started here, everybody hunting will also be on the lookout for Coyotes and Trash-Pandas…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I am still questioning if i can/should keep a flock of ducks: Sometimes my dang job devours me skin and hair, as we say in Germany and i don't have time to do anything but the three essential duck tasks:

1. Let them out in the morning and feed them some treats (cat-food), watch them for 5 minutes to see if everybody is ok.
2. Collect the eggs during lunch break and do the daily housekeeping, fresh straw, fill up water, food and oyster shells
3. Prepare the supper-bowl, herd them into their house and lock them in for the night.

Yes, it hurts that i won't see my the Maggies again ever, they were the friendliest of the Magpies, always squeaking when i walked by, but the worst part for me is that i was so occupied by my job that i don't even know when they disappeared. They could have been gone for over a week and i didn't noticed. I wasn't there for my flock when they were traumatized and grieving, i did not sensed that something had happened.
Makes me think if it would be better to wait until retirement…
For now i keep them around the house - it breaks my heart every morning when they all run up the hill and then stand loudly quacking in front of the now closed gate and want out. Over the weekend there was a lot to do outside, so i could let them free-range on Saturday and Sunday which they enjoyed so much! I even dug them a little puddle-pond into the mud that is created from the big-ponds overflow:

They loved it! ❤❤❤
And today they could not go there, because i had to sit inside and work!
I was only able to let them out for ~2 hours before sunset…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Here is the last picture of the whole flock of 28. The two black and white ducks at the left are the "Maggies", they both have an entire black bill.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You're not a bad duck parent. You're doing the best you can. I've read some of your threads before and I know you take good care of your babies! These are troublesome times. Please don't be too hard on yourself. We can only do the best we can do. Things will get better!

 

[Mimi13]

You are not a bad duck dad. And the reason you might not have sensed the ducks were missing is because your others were not in a panicked attack mode. I believe it is very possible for your Maggies and your neighbors’ chickens and goat to have been stolen by a human predator. Tell your hunter friends they need to be on the look out for a d@mn thief!

You don’t need to get rid of your ducks. They provide solace for you, asking little in return. Two hours per day grazing is fine, when that’s all you can provide. And on other days when you are working outside, they will enjoy grazing ALL day. Answer me one thing - would you be happy outside working and NOT having your ducks helping you? Mmmm hmmmm!

 

[WVduckchick]

Thank you very much for that!!! - It does help a lot to see her walking almost normal. I bet in the pond she swims like any other duck. It makes me happy that she has a good home and a beautiful, large pond.
Is she laying a lot of eggs?

I asked about her laying, and she isn’t sure! She has so many ducks and geese, she can’t tell. I did see her go into the nest box, so I told her to try to determine if she is laying.

You're not a bad duck parent. You're doing the best you can. I've read some of your threads before and I know you take good care of your babies! These are troublesome times. Please don't be too hard on yourself. We can only do the best we can do. Things will get better!

So true! We all have times when we feel like we neglect them. Sadly we can’t spend 24/7 with them. I like to think that they are happy anyway.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

And here are some really happy, happy ducks:

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

You're not a bad duck parent. You're doing the best you can. I've read some of your threads before and I know you take good care of your babies! These are troublesome times. Please don't be too hard on yourself. We can only do the best we can do. Things will get better!

Thank you very much for your nice words! - But i still feel as if the floor had fallen out under me…

 

[Texag87]

The rest of your ducks are doing great. Concentrate on them. Even the thugs need your love.