Maine

[kinsey228]

Skowhegan TSC is breathing down my neck about starting up some swaps. Would anyone go out to Skowhegan if I set up some dates?

 

[buckabucka]

Ducklucky, my chicks are 4 weeks old, which is why this continuing narcolepsy seems weird.

I just went out to check on the chicks (first day in the coop) and they were all huddled in the corner. I put the Ecoglow in there, but I really think they don't need it anymore. Food and water are in big black dishes, but I guess between the unfamiliar place and strange dishes, they couldn't figure it out, because when I brought their standard glass quart chick water with the red base out there, they started drinking like crazy. Some have discovered the food dish, so the others should catch on.

Kinsey, I live really close to Skowhegan, but I don't have much to sell. I wouldn't mind giving away some of these roosters when they reach 8 weeks, but that is a month away.

Back to work. I'm avoiding cleaning the brooder.....

 

[ashandvine]

http://cloverrunmicrofarm.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html Here is how I do it - I have great results and no drowning chicks! :-( I researched a lot and spoke to experienced breeders and they all told me the same thing and it works!

This link isn't working. Says the page is unavailable.

Thank you all for complimenting the geese. Honestly, if you see them in person they are even prettier. That tangerine bill resolves at the tip into rose. Their eyes are blue.

I have to be honest: I am thinking about letting go of a lot of chickens and just working with geese like I meant to from the beginning. Now that they are here I remember it all over again. Birds are easy to get caught up in so its no wonder I have all these interesting birds. At some point, for me at least, there has to be a plan. I am reevaluating that after a grafting class this weekend with so many people in various stages of their plans and a new Spring at my door. (Crocuses are out!) I still like that I have four breeds here that are critical on the ALBC site, and some that aren't even on there... but, plans are good.

Ragnar is the male goose. And she is either Kalliope or Cleome. I have to spend a little more time with her to get the 'vibe.'

 

[lazy gardener]

those geese are beautiful!

DITTO.

 

[lazy gardener]

Hey guys, been a while, things have just been insane around the ole homestead. With Hub sick forever now, everything has fallen on my arthritic shoulders, and lugging firewood doesn't help. Oh well, keeps the old joints oiled anyway.

Nice geese Ash! How exciting, hope you don't have too many problems with varmints, but geese are pretty good alarms.. If I were a little weasel or fox, I wouldn't want to mess with them. Good luck with them, do you intend to breed them?

Well, everyone, I am going to be a gran-duckmother! I was holding off posting this to see how things went, because I've had a Pekin in the past go broody, only to give up. But now Mrs. Lucky has decided to really do it. Going into weeks 3-4 now, and just starting to candle to see progress, I've been leaving her alone because I couldn't believe my eyes. She is setting on about 15, and from what I have candled over the past few days, all are alive and kicking, and at different stages. Some will flutter around a bit with the flashlight, some stare back at me and a few are pretty full but still moving just a bit and are pretty close to hatching. Mrs. has been diligent, very, very diligent. The only time I can get near her nest is when I let them out on the grass for their hour each afternoon, but I have to be sneaky, if she sees me she comes a runnin'. Her nest is perfectly woven, like someone knitted it, and immaculate. Not a speck of poop in there, and the eggs are extremely clean and nice and warm.
She is a demon, tho, I swear she grows horns and spits fire if I go anywhere near her nest. She'll come flying out of that nest all poofed up with her head in the downward charging position, and she has flown at my head a couple of times when I was tending to the others. She can make noises that I've never heard any duck make before, screeching almost. She is constantly knitting her nest and moving the eggs around. She'll be a good mom, I hope.

Have a couple of questions for any of you who can maybe answer, as this is my first experience with being a duck-gran. Chickens were a piece of cake, and didn't know if I should handle her the same way, separating her form the others when I start to hear the pipping. Right now they all leave her be, but they are a little protective of her. It's almost like a maternity waiting room out there! I have plenty of space to bring her into the sunroom, and it's nice and warm out there with the wood stove. That's where I brought them all up anyway last year til they feathered a bit. Never even needed a heat lamp.

From what I can see they are at different stages and will hatch probably over the course of several days. Will she continue to set on the rest til they're all hatched? Will her sisters and Dad bother the babies? I've come this far (and so has she!), and would hate to lose any now. I don't want to interrupt her routine by disturbing her and bringing her in, but will if y'all think she would be okay with it. Probably at night would be the best time to move her and her nest??? I just pray she won't get ****** off and abandon the whole thing. So rare to have a Pekin do this naturally, don't want to ruin it. And they are a REAL tight bunch, Mr. Lucky, her and the other four wives. If I do bring her in for the birth, when do you think it will be safe to put her and the young ones back out with the rest? Should I let her continue to go out everyday with the rest of them if I move her in, or just keep her separated? I am so excited I can't think straight, but know the logical thing is to bring her in, didn't know if anyone has gone thru this and will be overjoyed to get any input and advice. Wish I could read her mind and know what the right thing to do is.

Hope those of you who got ducks from me last year had or are having success with them, they are a pretty healthy group, mine continue to lay like crazy, sometimes will get a two fer. I lost one in March, unknown causes. She was find mid afternoon, eating, drinking, hanging out, and when I put them to bed, she was just lying there dead. Nobody else got sick or anything, and she had no visible injuries. They were in their pen i.e., the screened porch that freezing cold day, and it had been cold for a while, maybe it just got to her, and I know nothing hurt her as they hadn't been out in a week or more. Very strange, but I know fowl will just sometimes die for no apparent reason. And only 11 months old.

We were pretty fortunate this winter with the weather, just a few really cold snaps. Once again, it caught us with our pants down, and the ducks stayed on the screened porch all winter, which was fine. We just but plastic up around the outside to protect them from wind and snow, and plenty of dry hay every other day, and they did just fine. Even when a part of the plastic blew off in Feb, they were okay. So answered that question of the year from last fall, ducks can tolerate cold pretty darn well as long as they can get out of the wind and are dry, they're extremely hardy. They did get a little dirty, and they did not like that, but on the milder days just put a big old tupperware tub full of water for them and they would take turns bathing. They truly don't need all that water all the time, they're in, do their thing, get out and groom, like a duck car wash. It was fun having them right off the living room and watching their antics right over my shoulder, and if they needed anything, had one that would jump up on the crate and peck at the window to get my attention. Swore she sometimes sat up there and watched TV.

Thank you all in advance for any help you can give with the upcoming hatch, and anxiously await your advice. Take care all, spring WILL come!

The only experience I've had with ducks was years ago when I had 2 Mallard females visited by the Pekin drake from across the road. They shared a nest, both setting at the same time, and between them, hatched 24 chicks. One took off after the hatch and never glanced back, leaving the other one to do Mother duty for all of them. In the wild, don't you see a flock of ducks hanging together, with young ones being brooded by the mother in the flock? If domestic ducks follow suit, I'd guess that you'd be ok to leave them in the family unit. Without any one to guide me, I'd be tempted to leave well enough alone. But I'm sure there's someone out there with some duck expertise.

 

[hoppy]

with my chicks that hatch under a broody, I leave them until I see a problem and if no problem they stay with mom. if I worry too much, I set up the brooder and it's a non issue.

The only experience I've had with ducks was years ago when I had 2 Mallard females visited by the Pekin drake from across the road. They shared a nest, both setting at the same time, and between them, hatched 24 chicks. One took off after the hatch and never glanced back, leaving the other one to do Mother duty for all of them. In the wild, don't you see a flock of ducks hanging together, with young ones being brooded by the mother in the flock? If domestic ducks follow suit, I'd guess that you'd be ok to leave them in the family unit. Without any one to guide me, I'd be tempted to leave well enough alone. But I'm sure there's someone out there with some duck expertise.

 

[hoppy]

as long as I wasn't scheduled to be somewhere else I'd go.

Skowhegan TSC is breathing down my neck about starting up some swaps. Would anyone go out to Skowhegan if I set up some dates?

 

[justinelee]

If I was off that day I may go... i live right around the corner!

 

[echosrevenge]

Had three live wet chicks and ten pips in the incubator this morning, was out all day at the hunter education class in Rockland, super excited to see what was out when I came home.

The dogs broke the door to the room with the incubators. I came home to ONE chick barely alive,all the rest that had popped dead or dying. Some that hadnt pipped are peeping, but I dont know if they'll make it. Our house is so dry with the woodstove going, and they were so cold. We wrapped each one in a warm, wet towel for a few minutes before we put them back, but I dont know how much good it did.

Really, really want to kill my dogs right now. So badly. So, so badly. Five chicks died in my hands as I was trying to warm them under a light.

 

[lazy gardener]

Had three live wet chicks and ten pips in the incubator this morning, was out all day at the hunter education class in Rockland, super excited to see what was out when I came home.

The dogs broke the door to the room with the incubators. I came home to ONE chick barely alive,all the rest that had popped dead or dying. Some that hadnt pipped are peeping, but I dont know if they'll make it. Our house is so dry with the woodstove going, and they were so cold. We wrapped each one in a warm, wet towel for a few minutes before we put them back, but I dont know how much good it did.

Really, really want to kill my dogs right now. So badly. So, so badly. Five chicks died in my hands as I was trying to warm them under a light.

I am so so so so very sorry. Words can't express.