Mandarin leaves and ducks

[Enigmius]

I’m thinking about planting my Changsha mandarin tree in my duck’s open air run. I know that they aren’t supposed to eat citrus fruit, but do you think that eating the leaves are going to be a problem? Do you think they will even want to eat the leaves, because the leaves smell like the rinds of real sour lemons.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

You would have to try it with some leaves. Ducks are not supposed to like Rhubarb leaves and yet my ducks pluck my Rhubarb plants bare! They only eat the leaves and leave the stems for me…

 

[Enigmius]

Well I got the Changsha mandarin put into the ground.
I layered rocks around the base to hopefully discourage duck digging. But I did notice some perlite rise to the surface between the rocks. Do you think perlite could injure a duck? Apparently it is a product of volcanoes.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Well, my friend Wikipedia states: »Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass…«
When i hear volcanic glass or volcanic ash alarm signs start to pop up in my mind: I was once hiking through a field of volcanic ash for ~8 km (5 miles) and the abrasion on my shoes (leather and rubber soles) was staggering. Since then i am very careful and avoid to combine something volcanic with animals.
It just depends on how eroded those perlite grains are. If you rub them between your fingers, how does it feel? Like sharp sandpaper, i would keep the ducks away. Like quartz-sands, don't worry.

 

[Enigmius]

Well, my friend Wikipedia states: »Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass…«
When i hear volcanic glass or volcanic ash alarm signs start to pop up in my mind: I was once hiking through a field of volcanic ash for ~8 km (5 miles) and the abrasion on my shoes (leather and rubber soles) was staggering. Since then i am very careful and avoid to combine something volcanic with animals.
It just depends on how eroded those perlite grains are. If you rub them between your fingers, how does it feel? Like sharp sandpaper, i would keep the ducks away. Like quartz-sands, don't worry.

No it doesn’t really feel sharp in my fingers. But it does feel like an irregular piece of stone. Rough and jagged, but not sharp. Hmmm

 

[Texag87]

Enigmius , are any of those Runner drakes you need to re home blue ?

 

[Enigmius]

Enigmius , are any of those Runner drakes you need to re home blue ?

No, they are all black runners.

 

[Texag87]

Thanks, I was just trying to figure out a way to keep these blue Pekin runners that Magnolia Ducks has hatched from our eggs going. That is, without incest.