My Love Affair With Ducks...

[Mimi13]

I read somewhere that taking their eggs away (if they are trying to go broody) for the first time ever could discourage them from trying to be mama's ever again... but you’ve had no issue with this? Seems like a lot of people do this but they all have older ducks.

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.

 

[duluthralphie]

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.

As much as I hate to see poor Ralphie Dux maligned, I agree with the last paragraph. I got rid of my cute little geese for the same reason. They really messed up the ambience.

 

[Mimi13]

@Mimi13 What age are your ducks at now? I remember you were just a couple weeks ahead of me. Have you seen your girls displaying any interest in mating or laying yet? I’m coming up on 16 week olds on Monday so tomorrow they are getting shifted into new living quarters and I’m adding the oyster shell to their diets... I’m getting way too excited over the possibility of eggs soon!!!

My ducks will be 17 weeks old on Monday. Interest in mating, you ask? Heavens YES! For many weeks now that’s all they’ve been doing... constantly. Him on her, her on her, even her on him on her! Really?!? I just want them to cool their jets a bit.

Since I’m not familiar enough with duck behavior quite yet, I’m not certain of what I’m actually seeing right now, but I want to equate it with how I’ve seen my rooster behave. Ralphie Dux and all four females have been scoping out every dog house (big and small) on the property and even my little prefab coop I keep in my chicken run. I can only assume they are looking for suitable nesting spots. I’m gonna guess they do not like their current location, the one I made for them. In an effort to make their nesting spot cooler, I removed a board which made the area too bright for nesting. I am going to need to reconstruct that area because that is where I want them laying. Only time will tell I suppose. And I am also putting oyster shell out for them today. The feed I use is not a layer feed so mine will have to have oyster shell.

Keep me posted on how your ducks are progressing as well. This is all completely new to me and very puzzling as well.

 

[Mimi13]

As much as I hate to see poor Ralphie Dux maligned, I agree with the last paragraph. I got rid of my cute little geese for the same reason. They really messed up the ambience.

Ambience! Now that’s a great word, and one I wish I’d thought of and used.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I read somewhere that taking their eggs away (if they are trying to go broody) for the first time ever could discourage them from trying to be mama's ever again... but you’ve had no issue with this? Seems like a lot of people do this but they all have older ducks.

I am fighting a losing battle here: I have four ducks who desperately want to go broody! They fight for the eggs (and sometimes break them), they fight me when i am collecting the eggs and they fight the drakes when they come to close to any of them nest!
Definitely no! Collect the eggs and a broody duck will sit on a pile of straw, keeping it nice and warm. If they go broody, they go, regardless of how many eggs you have »stolen« from them.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

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.

Last year, my wife urged me to sell off our Black Swedish ducks (The Maggies, Pompom, Pommes and Pinball) because they were permanently gaggling in their screechy voices. Sitting outside on the porch was impossible - unless you're deaf.
And now? The remaining three Black Swedish are some of the cutest ducks we have, when they see us they come running, look as sweet as they can and ask »squeek? squeek?« with a soft and gentle voice and are so happy when they get a treat.
What you are experiencing is the rampant teenage duck time. For them its spring break and your farm has been temporarily relocated to South Padre island…
Just hang in for a month, be consequent in educating your flock what's ok and what's nok. Use the garden hose on »pressure washing«, clap your hands and raise your voice. Your ducks will learn to obey you, because they love you! You're their Momma Duck!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

As much as I hate to see poor Ralphie Dux maligned, I agree with the last paragraph. I got rid of my cute little geese for the same reason. They really messed up the ambience.

Geese! - Should i ever bring geese home, i have a divorce ahead! Wifie insists that all geese are loud, have shrill voices and are nasty and will bite you. - I would love to try some Cotton Patch Geese…
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/cotton-patch

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

...and Their Love Affair With Water!

This is my second day owning ducks and I have fallen head over heels in love with them!

Those precious little peeps, the interesting looking bills, the ever so delicate looking webbed feet, and those expressive eyes with their heads cocked sideways peering up at me. Oh, and did I mention their little love ‘bites’ on my neck and lips (OUCH!) That I must not let continue so I suppose I have to stop kissing them. I know, I know, I’m not supposed to kiss them, but the way I look at it my chances are better catching Covid 19 from a stranger than catching salmonella from my baby ducklings.

My little Saxony duckling, Twinkle, is seeing the world straight today for the very first time. Since arriving home a little over 24 hours ago, she has been in a sort of vertigo state, staggering, stumbling, turning in circles, and not being able to hold her head straight.

With the help of several BYC members giving me suggestions and instructions to help her mend, she appears to be on the road to recovery...the road to being a normal, healthy, funny little duck.

I will continue my journey of being a First Time Duck Owner/Spring 2020 duck thread here. My initial thread can be found here for all the background story of My Love Affair With Ducks!

Love at first sight! View attachment 2072190

They're so precious!!

 

[duluthralphie]

They're so precious!!

please, do not feed the inmates bad habits, we are trying to reform them...

 

[Mimi13]

Geese! - Should i ever bring geese home, i have a divorce ahead! Wifie insists that all geese are loud, have shrill voices and are nasty and will bite you. - I would love to try some Cotton Patch Geese…
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/cotton-patch

I’ve never heard of Cotton Patch Geese. Also, watch this video on Pilgrim Geese. (It popped up after the video you posted.) I’ve never heard of these either. Why aren’t either one of these listed on the hatchery sites I wonder?