It is HOT here. Fruit for ducks...to beat the heat.

[Maddog_photog]

Pardon.....are they shopping for goldfish?

OMG! Mine MIGHT get minnows......maybe. NOT gonna show them that ducks can go shopping......mine would insist on internet, Amazon and touch screens.

Yup! I got some minnows for their Big Brother and Big Sister. Unfortunately it took too long for me to open the take-out bag (meals are take out b/c COVID) so they mucked up the water and couldn’t find the fish swimming around. The next morning the minnows were all dead anyway so I hand fed them to my duckies.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I used to trap minnows in my Parent’s stock pond and give them to the ducks but I read somewhere on here that they may have parasites.

Good to know.....I wonder if the ones from the bait shop would have similar issues making them unsafe

Maybe I need to fire up an aquarium and keep guppies......like salad shrimp for ducks.

 

[Texag87]

Good to know.....I wonder if the ones from the bait shop would have similar issues making them unsafe

Maybe I need to fire up an aquarium and keep guppies......like salad shrimp for ducks.

I heard that bait shop and aquarium minnow might have been exposed to chemicals. Maybe I am a little paranoid when it comes to my ducks. Besides, there are plenty other things to spoil them with.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Update.....

Mine adamantly refused the watermelon.

Freezer repairman is scheduled for this morning. IF it is fixed and stays working I will be sure to keep extra peas in it.

 

[DuckyDonna]

We are in the hot dry part of summer here. Humidity in the single digits and highs over 100°.

I know watermelon is ok for them.....
Strawberries? Cantaloupe?
Other nummy stuff to help them through?

Do I cut them up small and put it in a dish of water?

My chickens can peck things apart easily.....just wanting the ducks to have treats served how they can eat them.

yes all that is good for them and they'll love it. Do cut it up so they can eat it easily. I shred up squash which is abundant this time of the year and tomatoes are a favorite. Cucumbers too. They aren't very excited about green beans I've found.

If it's really hot here I'll put all the goodies in a bowl, add water and freeze it. Pop it out, put it in a basin and give it to them with added water. Makes a nice popsicle treat that lasts longer and is cool for them.

 

[DuckyDonna]

So with the "tougher" fruits like grapes, berries, and cantaloupe.....

Cut all those?

How big is to big for welsh harlequin to eat?

Or should I buy a blender and make them smoothies?

they all have different tastes. My ducks aren't crazy about peas which everyone elses ducks seem to love. They eat most stuff though. Just try different things and see what's left in the basin when they are done.

 

[21hens-incharge]

yes all that is good for them and they'll love it. Do cut it up so they can eat it easily. I shred up squash which is abundant this time of the year and tomatoes are a favorite. Cucumbers too. They aren't very excited about green beans I've found.

If it's really hot here I'll put all the goodies in a bowl, add water and freeze it. Pop it out, put it in a basin and give it to them with added water. Makes a nice popsicle treat that lasts longer and is cool for them.

I will make them a goodie popsicle and give that a try.

I do have a lot of yellow squash in the garden too.

Right now.....they are doing their best to try and foul or empty the freshly changed pool.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Update.....

Mine adamantly refused the watermelon.

Freezer repairman is scheduled for this morning. IF it is fixed and stays working I will be sure to keep extra peas in it.

I take one of those big watermelons and cut it in 1/2 the long way and set it in the run. In a couple of hours I'll go out and all that is left would be the dark green shell of the rind. They look like a bunch of piranhas on it! Watermelon flying everywhere.

Actually now that I think of it when I first gave it to them they were scared of it and wouldn't touch it. I ended up breaking it up with my hand and giving it to them. Soon they realized it was not an evil death trap and started eating like crazy.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I take one of those big watermelons and cut it in 1/2 the long way and set it in the run. In a couple of hours I'll go out and all that is left would be the dark green shell of the rind. They look like a bunch of piranhas on it! Watermelon flying everywhere.

Actually now that I think of it when I first gave it to them they were scared of it and wouldn't touch it. I ended up breaking it up with my hand and giving it to them. Soon they realized it was not an evil death trap and started eating like crazy.

I had cut the watermelon into 1" or smaller bite sized pieces. I gave that dish to the chickens this morning as the ducks had not touched it.

Next watermelon try will be one cut in half and "baited" with a meal worm sprinkle.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I will make them a goodie popsicle and give that a try.

I do have a lot of yellow squash in the garden too.

Right now.....they are doing their best to try and foul or empty the freshly changed pool.

Mine 10 older ones got a big new pool yesterday and they did a number on it. I was hoping since it's so big that I'd get a few days before having to drain and fill it but looks like if I'm lucky it will only be a couple. Its all poo in it, no mud or food. I keep the food bucket at the other end of the run.