My Love Affair With Ducks...

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Mine lay in about 5 different areas around the barn and rotate. My broody gals are a little gentler, no fire spitting just lots of loud quacking and complaining when disturbed

Pinball Duck, my other broody is much more peaceful: I can feed her some mealworms, sometimes she takes a drink from me and i can gently scratch her under her head - that place where ducks can hardly scratch themselves. She never tried to bite me, she is just crying when it is too much for her.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I hate having to say “I told you so”...

but they are evil.

You are so right @duluthralphie , so right, look at this really evil dux:

 

[Beaglegal]

I hate having to say “I told you so”...

but they are evil.

It’s all a matter of perspective. Some would say evil, others would just say they have a little more personality

 

[Beaglegal]

Pinball Duck, my other broody is much more peaceful: I can feed her some mealworms, sometimes she takes a drink from me and i can gently scratch her under her head - that place where ducks can hardly scratch themselves. She never tried to bite me, she is just crying when it is too much for her.

That’s pretty good though. My ducks wouldn’t let me feed or touch them while broody. It’s a spectrum for sure

 

[duluthralphie]

It’s all a matter of perspective. Some would say evil, others would just say they have a little more personality

That’s what the Austrian gentleman told Mrs. Hitler in 1895, “young Adolph, sure has a lot of personality”.

 

[Knighstar679]

Oh my dear lord, she was freaking vicious. I had no idea that these sweet babies could be so mean! I’m assuming all that power behind the clamping bill could really hurt, at least leave a blood blister. I am used to the hens that puff up like basketballs, even walking around that way. I have been pecked a couple of times, but nothing major.

Do I need to section off areas similar to nest boxes like you have? For whatever reason I thought they would just lay all over the place, not in any particular spot, but hopefully where they bed down. However, I did wonder about them laying an egg where they have slept and pooped and the egg never being clean. In a few more weeks I think I’ll section a spot for three nests and cross my fingers in hopes.

I am using totes with holes cut in them for mine. My one girl has been laying in one religiously. Then when it gets dirty I just take it out and clean it and put it back in.

i got the idea to set them up like @WannaBeHillBilly set up but more removable if someone goes broody and I need to move them or something.

 

[Mimi13]

I am using totes with holes cut in them for mine. My one girl has been laying in one religiously. Then when it gets dirty I just take it out and clean it and put it back in.

i got the idea to set them up like @WannaBeHillBilly set up but more removable if someone goes broody and I need to move them or something.


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Ah yes, easily moved is a good thing. My chicken broodies are moved into a small pet carrier and then placed in the brooder area under the poop board.

 

[Maddog_photog]

Absolutely no kidding! My Spring Ducklings did that all the time, especially the White Layers because they were the most curious ones. They were shooting their poop-bombs three feet out of the kiddy-pool - or against the wall, depending on the direction.
My Indian Runners still do that from time to time: Standing as vertical as they can, then start preening their bellies and suddenly toppling over on their backs. Followed by a scared QUACK! and poop flying through the air. I was wondering why i was finding poop three feet up at the walls of the duck-house until i once witnessed the whole thing.

I take my ducklings on errands with me in a cardboard box lined with a towel. They’re 4 week old Pekins. One duck defecated. Approx. 0% hit inside the box. I had some new furnishing on my car’s passenger seat though. That was fun to clean.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I take my ducklings on errands with me in a cardboard box lined with a towel. They’re 4 week old Pekins. One duck defecated. Approx. 0% hit inside the box. I had some new furnishing on my car’s passenger seat though. That was fun to clean.

love that avatar!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I am using totes with holes cut in them for mine. My one girl has been laying in one religiously. Then when it gets dirty I just take it out and clean it and put it back in.

i got the idea to set them up like @WannaBeHillBilly set up but more removable if someone goes broody and I need to move them or something.


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Love that idea, but those totes do not have vertical side walls, which means if you have them sitting side by side there's a gap between them. Guess where my crazy ducks would decide to build their nests…