My ducks are coming home today! Advice welcome.

Pics
Date sort Score sort
I just recently moved with my ducks and was so worried about the stress!! I moved 50 miles away with my two, 9mo. old girls.

I withheld food 6 hours before the move because I read they could get carsick, but they were okay. On the move I made sure they had plenty of bedding to prevent slipping in the car and then I made sure it was dark (towel on top). We stopped for gas about 20 minutes in and I peeked in on them and they were doing great! They would occasionally talk, but it was not their scared or angry noises.

Once home with them I took them outside to stretch- they’re run was not set up yet so my husband and I just supervised while they foraged and we let them have a big 5 gallon bucket to let them drink out of (it wasn’t like the Home Depot bucket, it was short and wide so they could easily drink on their own). They would also use the bucket to clean by taking water and letting it run down their back and then preening, and I think that was satisfying enough.

They stayed inside that night for me, in a large storage bin and once their run was set up we let them in it. They loved being able to forage freely! They checked out their new house (which I tried to make as similar to their old one- out of cinder blocks) and they happily swam in their pond (also a stock tank!). At first I made a different ramp for them to get into their pond but they would not use it! I reconstructed their old ramp out of stones and now they are up and down it all the time. Maybe ask the previous owner what their housing and bathing was like to try and recreate it? My ducks do not like new things... But they will get used to new things overtime! So no worries.

One of my girls payed an egg the next morning but one did not- I assume it was from stress. But in two days they were both laying consistently and seemed back to normal.

Good luck with everything! Take pictures once you get them.
 
@CarleeAnn Thank you for sharing your experience! I think I will cover their cage for the car ride, hadn't thought about that. I have a large wire dog kennel in the back of the car ready to go. There's a blanket back there somewhere too. Perhaps if I cover it I will end up with less duck poop in the back of my SUV too! Though birds are messy, this is probably wishful thinking.
 
PirateGirl said:
@CarleeAnn Thank you for sharing your experience! I think I will cover their cage for the car ride, hadn't thought about that. I have a large wire dog kennel in the back of the car ready to go. There's a blanket back there somewhere too. Perhaps if I cover it I will end up with less duck poop in the back of my SUV too! Though birds are messy, this is probably wishful thinking.
Click to expand...

Oh boy! I was lucky that I only had two to move, I was able to put them in a bin and hold them in my lap while my husband drove. Maybe put some old towels in the kennel and sort of line them up the side? And then cover them too.
 
IMG_6202.JPG
They made it!
 

Similar threads

T
    • Love
    • Like
How far do drakes need to be separated from ducks?
Replies
3
Views
520
Mh56
M
DuckyChan
    • Love
Looking for Adult Drake/Duck in Alabama or Nearby
Replies
3
Views
355
miladyquack
M
F
Please help me sex my ducks!
Replies
3
Views
163
FairygodmotherINC
F
K
    • Like
Will my duck be lonely if it is in a separate enclosure within the larger fenced off duck area.
Replies
8
Views
766
Jenbirdee
Jenbirdee
L
What ducks should I get?
Replies
1
Views
643
Zenmonkey
Z

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom