Introduction. (May be in the wrong place)

[Actionman Keith]

Firstly, wow...so easy to join BYC, thanks so much for months of information and knowledge gained !

Hi, I'm Keith,

I decided to scour the interweb for as much information as possible on ducks for my garden, and came across this site many times. So many in fact that I had to be a member !

I finally decided to take the plunge and source some adult ducks locally (which wasn't easy) but ended up being really lucky. I got to work immediately, making a larger second pond for my ducks that could easily be fenced off in order to keep them safe at night. During the day, they will have full roam of the garden and access to both ponds. My first pond is (soon to be was) a wildlife pond, home to many newts and jersey crapaud toads.

I have managed to obtain two female runners (one white, one apricot) and a drake (chocolate i think) from the same breeder who is no longer wanted/required. As luck would have it, he happens to be two times island show champion but has been superseded by a younger drake. This duck I am yet to meet, but already feel he would have a better home here where he can be loved and pampered. I'll try and upload their new home if I can figure it out.

The 'adoption' takes place on Wednesday evening, and my daughter is very excited indeed.

I thank you all in advance for help with my stupid questions in the near future.

Best wishes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Firstly, wow...so easy to join BYC, thanks so much for months of information and knowledge gained !

Hi, I'm Keith,

I decided to scour the interweb for as much information as possible on ducks for my garden, and came across this site many times. So many in fact that I had to be a member !

I finally decided to take the plunge and source some adult ducks locally (which wasn't easy) but ended up being really lucky. I got to work immediately, making a larger second pond for my ducks that could easily be fenced off in order to keep them safe at night. During the day, they will have full roam of the garden and access to both ponds. My first pond is (soon to be was) a wildlife pond, home to many newts and jersey crapaud toads.

I have managed to obtain two female runners (one white, one apricot) and a drake (chocolate i think) from the same breeder who is no longer wanted/required. As luck would have it, he happens to be two times island show champion but has been superseded by a younger drake. This duck I am yet to meet, but already feel he would have a better home here where he can be loved and pampered. I'll try and upload their new home if I can figure it out.

The 'adoption' takes place on Wednesday evening, and my daughter is very excited indeed.

I thank you all in advance for help with my stupid questions in the near future.

Best wishes.

Your in the right places and

sounds like you have prepared well and Runners are such neat lil ducks. Just keep in mind ducks are tasty food to alot of preds and a fence and a pond will not keep them out if they want a duck dinner. and then you have the flying preds to worry about, I will suggest that you might want to build,buy or some how put up an enclosure that they can be locked up in at night. There is alot of info if you go up to the search and type in duck houses. Looking forward to seeing pics.

 

[Actionman Keith]

We don't really have predators over here TBH, no foxes - racoons - snakes etc. about as bad as it gets is the seagulls eating the ducklings and cats. I might be wrong but owls shouldn't be a bother.

All these ducks have come from a free range environment without being locked away. My biggest concern is the cats to be honest, but I'm hoping the drake can find his balls on that one...

 

[dean26]

Lucky you dont have foxes! over here on the mainland UK, we cant really keep free range poultry in our area due to foxes, I was thinking only today how easy it would be too have ducks and hens again if I lived on one of the UK islands that dont have foxes/mink/etc! Runners are certainly neat ducks who dont make as much mess as other breeds and have such personalities. Best wishes for keeping them. Dean-buckinghamshire

 

[ChicagoDucks]

Welcome to the forum! No predators, huh? Ducks can roam freely without worry? Is anyone hiring over there, Kieth?!?

I like your coop and pond set up. Your ducks are going to be happy there. Some ducks have trouble walking up steep ramps, if yours have trouble, you may want to attach something to allow them to get traction on the ramp. Enjoy your new ducks!, they sound pretty cool.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Firstly, wow...so easy to join BYC, thanks so much for months of information and knowledge gained !

Hi, I'm Keith,

I decided to scour the interweb for as much information as possible on ducks for my garden, and came across this site many times. So many in fact that I had to be a member !

I finally decided to take the plunge and source some adult ducks locally (which wasn't easy) but ended up being really lucky. I got to work immediately, making a larger second pond for my ducks that could easily be fenced off in order to keep them safe at night. During the day, they will have full roam of the garden and access to both ponds. My first pond is (soon to be was) a wildlife pond, home to many newts and jersey crapaud toads.

I have managed to obtain two female runners (one white, one apricot) and a drake (chocolate i think) from the same breeder who is no longer wanted/required. As luck would have it, he happens to be two times island show champion but has been superseded by a younger drake. This duck I am yet to meet, but already feel he would have a better home here where he can be loved and pampered. I'll try and upload their new home if I can figure it out.

The 'adoption' takes place on Wednesday evening, and my daughter is very excited indeed.

I thank you all in advance for help with my stupid questions in the near future.

Best wishes.

Where did this pic come from, when I read your post it was not there. good grief. Nice house, but I think rungs across from one side to other will help your runners be able to get up that ramp. it looks steep. actually I'm not sure even with rungs across they would be able to climb that ramp, and where aere the Jersey Channel Islands?

 

[zeberman]

Also do you have a way to empty and refill the pond? Only that the ducks are VERY messy and soon that lovely little pond will become a stinky bacteria farm. When they eat they drop tons of their food in the water as well as pooping in it constantly. having some kind of pumping system would be good! I am also in agreeance that the ramp is too steep. even my muscovies who have sharp claws slip and slide around on their ramp which has rungs and is at a much shallower angle. keep in mind the ramp will be wet and slimy from their messy feet. You have a beautiful setup going though congrats!

 

[Actionman Keith]

@ Chicagoducks, not sure, it depends what you do. Seems to be plenty of office work and finance sector.

@ zeberman, jersey is a very small island within a group of islands just off the UK. We're actuall only 17 miles from France, and measure approx 9x5 miles.

@ miss Lydia, I'll see how they go, I think the photo makes it look steeper than it is, but if they struggle then I'll cut the legs off (the house, not the ducks) lolol

Thanks all. I don't have a drainage system, but I will pump it out over my back wall if it gets too bad. I'm hoping I don't have to do this more than once a year...but we will see I guess.

 

[Diamond88]

@ miss Lydia, I'll see how they go, I think the photo makes it look steeper than it is, but if they struggle then I'll cut the legs off (the house, not the ducks) lolol

I actually laughed out loud.

One thing I've learned from reading BYC is that you may think you have no predators, but all of a sudden you'll wake up to find your ducks have been attacked. Always try to be safe rather than sorry, because you'll find out that predators you never expected exist in your area and find their way into the duck pen.

Good luck! Share some pictures once you get the ducks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Whew thank goodness it wasn't the duck legs.