If you had to start ALL OVER raising ducks, WHAT would you get, do over...????

[KaleIAm]

Great question. I wish I had asked it before I got ducks 5.5 years ago!

1. I would have got hardier ducks. I don't know for sure how to accomplish this. From a better breeder? Ducks that aren't so inbred, like muscovy?

2. I would have kept a closed flock. First I got ducklings. They grew up, then I rescued abandoned ducks who introduced illnesses into my flock. I should have done one or the other.

3. I didn't learn that my aviary needed to be made out of hardware cloth until after we made it out of dog kennel type material. I'm just lucky we didn't have predator attacks. It would have been a lot easier to make their aviary correctly to begin with.

4. We had a lot of bumblefoot issues at first. I wish I had known how to prevent it by keeping them on soft surfaces. I could have saved my ducks pain, myself vet bills, and the effort of redesigning their living space.

5. Definitely seriously consider sexed ducklings. Repeatedly we see members with 6 unsexed ducklings end up with 4-5 drakes. I highly recommend choosing one gender. My rescue ducks were overmated before coming to me and they still have health problems because of it 5 years later. It can be dangerous or deadly.

 

[RobertaD1]

Great question. I wish I had asked it before I got ducks 5.5 years ago!

1. I would have got hardier ducks. I don't know for sure how to accomplish this. From a better breeder? Ducks that aren't so inbred, like muscovy?

2. I would have kept a closed flock. First I got ducklings. They grew up, then I rescued abandoned ducks who introduced illnesses into my flock. I should have done one or the other.

3. I didn't learn that my aviary needed to be made out of hardware cloth until after we made it out of dog kennel type material. I'm just lucky we didn't have predator attacks. It would have been a lot easier to make their aviary correctly to begin with.

4. We had a lot of bumblefoot issues at first. I wish I had known how to prevent it by keeping them on soft surfaces. I could have saved my ducks pain, myself vet bills, and the effort of redesigning their living space.

5. Definitely seriously consider sexed ducklings. Repeatedly we see members with 6 unsexed ducklings end up with 4-5 drakes. I highly recommend choosing one gender. My rescue ducks were overmated before coming to me and they still have health problems because of it 5 years later. It can be dangerous or deadly.

THANK YOU!!!! I am definitely wanting them sexed.... either all males or all females...... I hope I can find someone who knows what they're doing!
What do you consider the "best run"? I was thinking a hoop coop type enclosure covered in hardware cloth. What are your thoughts?

 

[RobertaD1]

This is so I can move them around the farm!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

THANK YOU!!!! I am definitely wanting them sexed.... either all males or all females...... I hope I can find someone who knows what they're doing!
What do you consider the "best run"? I was thinking a hoop coop type enclosure covered in hardware cloth. What are your thoughts?

if you get rescue ducklings that are a bit older (probably a few weeks after easter many rescues will have them, because of impulse buyers) and you can be completely sure of the sex. most hatcheries get some wrong since girls can’t be 100% until they get their quack

 

[KaleIAm]

THANK YOU!!!! I am definitely wanting them sexed.... either all males or all females...... I hope I can find someone who knows what they're doing!
What do you consider the "best run"? I was thinking a hoop coop type enclosure covered in hardware cloth. What are your thoughts?

I'm not sure what the, "best run," is. I'm sure it depends on where you live, how many birds you have, and if they are pets or livestock. We've changed our aviary 4 times in pursuit of the best set up for our birds!

My vet recommended that I have 2 aviaries for my birds so that one can rest while they use the other. So we have a huge space divided in 2, their front and back yards. The purpose is that the resting yard will grow back the grass, which I reseed, and the parasite load will reduce. A movable tractor would work for those purposes even better.

My fear with a moveable structure is digging predators. Dogs, coyotes, weasels? I'm not that knowledgeable about predators. I have made mistakes in this area and it is really just luck that my ducks haven't been hurt. I didn't even know we had weasels in Washington until recently. If you can predator proof a movable structure and keep the bottom grass that sounds ideal.

 

[Weeg]

I would hang out with my ducks more. They are all skittish of me now

Agreed!

 

[Weeg]

THANK YOU!!!! I am definitely wanting them sexed.... either all males or all females...... I hope I can find someone who knows what they're doing!
What do you consider the "best run"? I was thinking a hoop coop type enclosure covered in hardware cloth. What are your thoughts?

I down know if you have a Coastal farm and ranch around, or if there are any in Ohio, but I love i for fencing! I would get a bunch of mobil horse fence panels, and se them up, they are SUPER easy to set up, and then srap the base 3/4 pf the way up, id chicken wire, hardware cloth, or some kind of wire, because it for horses so the panels are easy for a duck to squeeze through. Then, it is REALLY sturdy, because it for horses, and Really easy to move, so you can easily make a roof, or cover it in netting. The panel can be kind pricey, but if you buy a bunch you get a discount, and they are SO worth ti! I really wish I had them for my run!

 

[Weeg]

You hav got call Coastal and talk to them about it. You might even be able to find corral panels used for cheeper, of course, you could probably find other panels for cheeper anyway, but these are SO easy to set up, move, and are really sturdy!

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

I would have got all same gender (I ordered straight run and got 50% m/f).

I wouldn't keep them in the chicken coop. They disturb the chickens throughout the night with their noise. They won't go into it at night unless it is lighted inside (we set up a a solar light to shine in until we close the door). They make a total mess compared to the chickens. And because they lay eggs on the floor, the chickens follow suit and all eggs end up poopy.

As with a previous post, I would spend more time with them so they aren't afraid of me.

 

[RobertaD1]

I'm not sure what the, "best run," is. I'm sure it depends on where you live, how many birds you have, and if they are pets or livestock. We've changed our aviary 4 times in pursuit of the best set up for our birds!

My vet recommended that I have 2 aviaries for my birds so that one can rest while they use the other. So we have a huge space divided in 2, their front and back yards. The purpose is that the resting yard will grow back the grass, which I reseed, and the parasite load will reduce. A movable tractor would work for those purposes even better.

My fear with a moveable structure is digging predators. Dogs, coyotes, weasels? I'm not that knowledgeable about predators. I have made mistakes in this area and it is really just luck that my ducks haven't been hurt. I didn't even know we had weasels in Washington until recently. If you can predator proof a movable structure and keep the bottom grass that sounds ideal.

I dont fear digging predators too much because I plan on installing an apron around the outside perimeter of the structure, one that can be pulled up when it needs to move. Well, as of now. It will be his choice as to if it is movable or not. If not, then we will dig and bury a foot or so for just that reason.