My Love Affair With Ducks...

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Those catalogues were essential to us back then...

I grew up very poor, the other essential in our lives was potato soup. We were overjoyed (well us kids were) when a cow had to be put down, it meant meat.

Similar here: We took good care of the "wabbits", making sure they were fed well, so there was enough meat for everyone on Sundays…

 

[jaykayhuff]

I don’t know if ducks and chickens are different in this respect, but I pull eggs out from under wanna-be-broodies all the time. Then I put their butt in the broody breaker for a few days.

As of right now, I do not want any broody ducks, cause I want no new little ducklings. I am not 100% sure I want to add anymore ducks to my menagerie. However, I am still planning on fixing up a “nicer” duck area for the ones I have. It will be up to these five ducks to sell me on whether I want to continue to be a duck owner. They are completely different than chickens. I think it’s the whole mating chaos that gets me...all of them going at it, almost constantly. The females don’t care that they aren’t male, they still go at it like they are. It leaves me speechless. I am hoping beyond hope that this “free love” behavior settles down after the ducks begin laying.

Oh, and one other thing I’ve noticed, they are pushy little creatures. Every single animal on my property gets along so well, even my main man, Rusty the Roo. He feels no threat and thus doesn’t run at anything. I feel overly blessed because of this. My chickens grew up with all my other animals and will lay in the grass with all of the dogs and all of the cats. No worries! None of them are afraid of each other. (I’m speaking of my older flock, not the new chicks that are 12 weeks and less. They seem to be afraid of everything!)
Then add the ducks! Good lord! They run everything off that even looks at them. Ralphie is the worst, but all of them do it. I’m just not used to that. It unnerves me to see the friction and chaos. I just want the peaceful and calm, the harmony of all my birds roaming the yard, together. That’s what I like about chicken keeping. To sit (or work) outside and see my birds peacefully roaming about the yard. That is my zen, or whatever it’s called. The ducks may change, I do not know. But if they don’t, I will have a choice: either to no longer keep ducks, or to make them their own duck yard and keep them separated. The latter is something I don’t want to do. I don't like confining any animal. Hopefully, the ducks will mature a bit more and join with the rest and live harmoniously. As I said earlier, it will be up to these five.

I’m sorry @jaykayhuff, I know you didn’t ask for my semi-rant.

I don’t know if ducks and chickens are different in this respect, but I pull eggs out from under wanna-be-broodies all the time. Then I put their butt in the broody breaker for a few days.

As of right now, I do not want any broody ducks, cause I want no new little ducklings. I am not 100% sure I want to add anymore ducks to my menagerie. However, I am still planning on fixing up a “nicer” duck area for the ones I have. It will be up to these five ducks to sell me on whether I want to continue to be a duck owner. They are completely different than chickens. I think it’s the whole mating chaos that gets me...all of them going at it, almost constantly. The females don’t care that they aren’t male, they still go at it like they are. It leaves me speechless. I am hoping beyond hope that this “free love” behavior settles down after the ducks begin laying.

Oh, and one other thing I’ve noticed, they are pushy little creatures. Every single animal on my property gets along so well, even my main man, Rusty the Roo. He feels no threat and thus doesn’t run at anything. I feel overly blessed because of this. My chickens grew up with all my other animals and will lay in the grass with all of the dogs and all of the cats. No worries! None of them are afraid of each other. (I’m speaking of my older flock, not the new chicks that are 12 weeks and less. They seem to be afraid of everything!)
Then add the ducks! Good lord! They run everything off that even looks at them. Ralphie is the worst, but all of them do it. I’m just not used to that. It unnerves me to see the friction and chaos. I just want the peaceful and calm, the harmony of all my birds roaming the yard, together. That’s what I like about chicken keeping. To sit (or work) outside and see my birds peacefully roaming about the yard. That is my zen, or whatever it’s called. The ducks may change, I do not know. But if they don’t, I will have a choice: either to no longer keep ducks, or to make them their own duck yard and keep them separated. The latter is something I don’t want to do. I don't like confining any animal. Hopefully, the ducks will mature a bit more and join with the rest and live harmoniously. As I said earlier, it will be up to these five.

I’m sorry @jaykayhuff, I know you didn’t ask for my semi-rant.

SEMI-RANT is totally fine!!! I only have you all to converse with about duckie stuff so it’s nice to hear other’s experiences. I can’t believe that mine are only a week behind yours and are acting totally different!!
And I will say that I think your experience with their behavior and being so pushy has a lot to do with the time of year. Last year all my boys became teenagers in fall and they were sooo chill. Then March came around and well... no more sweet drakes that like cuddles and peas and hello raptors that eat toes for breakfast

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

When I was hoodwinked into buying some baby geese by a cute little kid, that I later figured had to be the devil’s daughter, I tried to keep them locked up.

I failed at keeping them in any pen. I was under my truck fixing something, the geese had come to visit, then left after I yelled at them to get out of the shed.

When I reached for a wrench, above my head, lying on my back, I got a juicy goose pie instead.

When I went to slide out from under the truck, I was well lubricated on the back of my head..

I really, really, dislike waterfowl.

But those pilgrim geese look tempting.

I can only imagine! Omgoodness ducks do poop quite a bit. I am more and likely going to rehome them to my mother's place once they're ready.
I currently live in my childhood home. Always wanted ducks but my mom (who grew up in the Azores/some experience with farm animals) would say "no they're too messy". Now, I'm an adult and no one can tell me no so I impulsively purchased my 2 cayugas. 3 weeks in, I am realizing the reality of why she was right.
Luckily, she lives out in the country where she is willing to take my rooster and any hens I need to rehome, as well as my ducklings.
But I am fighting with myself... love my ducklings. But in reality, they need more space. If I kept them, I'd have to extend the property line... build a new fence. Ughhhh can't afford that at the moment.

 

[duluthralphie]

Similar here: We took good care of the "wabbits", making sure they were fed well, so there was enough meat for everyone on Sundays…

We ate a lot of chickens, and Milk was free, thus potato soup. During the summer it was rhubarb over baking powder biscuits.

 

[duluthralphie]

SEMI-RANT is totally fine!!! I only have you all to converse with about duckie stuff so it’s nice to hear other’s experiences. I can’t believe that mine are only a week behind yours and are acting totally different!!
And I will say that I think your experience with their behavior and being so pushy has a lot to do with the time of year. Last year all my boys became teenagers in fall and they were sooo chill. Then March came around and well... no more sweet drakes that like cuddles and peas and hello raptors that eat toes for breakfast

It’s the same with Turkeys. The boys are so sweet until the spring when the girls tease them with their wiles.

I always think a flock of Toms is the way to go. Girls ruin everything.

 

[duluthralphie]

I can only imagine! Omgoodness ducks do poop quite a bit. I am more and likely going to rehome them to my mother's place once they're ready.
I currently live in my childhood home. Always wanted ducks but my mom (who grew up in the Azores/some experience with farm animals) would say "no they're too messy". Now, I'm an adult and no one can tell me no so I impulsively purchased my 2 cayugas. 3 weeks in, I am realizing the reality of why she was right.
Luckily, she lives out in the country where she is willing to take my rooster and any hens I need to rehome, as well as my ducklings.
But I am fighting with myself... love my ducklings. But in reality, they need more space. If I kept them, I'd have to extend the property line... build a new fence. Ughhhh can't afford that at the moment.

The dux eradication society meets every 3 weeks, let me know when you want to join us, believe it or not, you’re half way there.

 

[jaykayhuff]

It’s the same with Turkeys. The boys are so sweet until the spring when the girls tease them with their wiles.

I always think a flock of Toms is the way to go. Girls ruin everything.

I loved my all drake flock but I didn’t introduce the females until two months after the boys turned into monsters so I think it was gonna happen either way a month ago I got rid of two drakes and it was so peaceful with just the three but there was an accident and one of the two I gave away had to be put down so I took back the other so he wouldn’t be alone and now we are back to the raptors again... I guess I know now that three or less is the number for males with this bunch...

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

The dux eradication society meets every 3 weeks, let me know when you want to join us, believe it or not, you’re half way there.

Yer highlarius theres a peacock that roams the orchards near my moms house, I am tempted to raise a female for her but she doesn't like that idea. Or I thought of raising another two cayugas and then leave her with a whole family of them to repopulate. She doesn't like that idea either.
I definitely need a bigger place.

 

[Mimi13]

That looks so beautiful, to wake up to that every day

Thank you very much. There are things I’d love to change, but those are minor. Overall, I love the time I spend here at home...especially outside.

 

[Mimi13]

I will never forget that one warm evening late October 2018. The screen doors to the patio were pried because i had to carry 10 bags of duck-pellets from the car around the house, over the patio to the work platform. I was exhausted, laid down on the couch - and fell asleep.
Later that evening, it was already dark outside i was rudely awaken:
Quack!
QuaquaQUACK!
QUACK!
WAQUACK!
Katharina Duck was standing at the open kitchen door, demanding supper.
By the time i got off the sofa she was already standing on top of the one step from the patio to the house, just one step shy of being in the house...
The other four runners were closely watching from the patio stairs, the drakes rasping their lungs out to call her back.

I’m surprised she didn’t come on in and start pinching you. That would have been a rude awakening.