My Love Affair With Ducks...

[Texag87]

And they don't waddle, right? They run like hell!

Its something you have to see but it has to be similar to what you Runner/White layers do.

 

[Texag87]

Can I have some pics pls !

Please remind me sometime this weekend. Still working and have to work tomorrow too.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Working on Sat? Glad your busy.

 

[Mimi13]

This is a duck newbie story!

Just so y’all know I am a very literal person. So, when I got ducklings everything I’d read said they had to have water with their feed. And I witnessed the little boogers take a bite of feed and immediately run to get a drink of water (and wash out 50% of the food in their mouths!)

Once I began letting them free range I really was worried about them not having water all over the yard. Of course there were all kinds of water tubs all over the chicken yard and down at the barn and on my deck, but that isn’t the direction the ducks took as they entered the big, green yard. They went the other way. So, I scrounged up two more water tubs and put them out that way. Life was good!

Problem was they started venturing farther and farther away! I honestly didn’t know what I was gonna do. I couldn’t provide water every 20 or so feet, so I didn’t. And I worried.

But what I observed was the ducks could eat and eat and eat without water after every bite. They would eat bugs and grass and more bugs again, and after a bit they would waddle/run to a water tub. It’s amazing that they are aware of the location of every single source of water on the property.

I don’t know the reason I thought I needed to share this, but I guess the moral of this story is 1) you can’t believe everything you read 2) ducks don’t always have to have water with their food and 3) my ducks know the layout of my yard better than my DH does.

True story!!!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

It is all your fault @HalfWayUpAMountain and @Mimi13, all YOUR fault! ​

Just look closely at the first picture of the Fall Ducklings in their brooder and count:

There are 13 ducklings! - THIRTEEN, not TWELVE!!!​

They have sent me an extra duckling, which is nice. - Usually! - When you order your first flock. - But i am 100% sure that extra duckling is a freaking DRAKE! And that's only because you two dumped out bucket after bucket of bad Karma over me!

If that's a drake, i need to order another five duck(ling)s! - Wifie will throw me out and i have to hang my hammock in the duck-house and poop into the compost…


Now what's a real concern for me is that the delivery note says: »If any of your birds are sexed, see the back of this sheet for instructions on determining sexes and breeds from their band colors.«
Guess what: None of the ducklings is wearing a leg band. Freaking NONE!
@Mimi13 did any of your ducklings wore a leg-band?
I think i won't be able to sleep tonight, i will call them at 6am tomorrow…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Our addiction could be worse, it could be alcohol.

Hemp! - It could be smoking hemp!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

No way, Jose! Don’t bring no mo stinking drakes to me! That doesn’t look as funny as it sounded in my head!

You won't even notice until it's too late. Drakes are so sneaky…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Its something you have to see but it has to be similar to what you Runner/White layers do.

Absolutely unique way of moving! They glide more than running: Their body stays at the same height above the ground and the legs move so fast that they seem to rotate, like in comics.
I need to make more videos of these guys…

 

[shawluvsbirds]

This is a duck newbie story!

Just so y’all know I am a very literal person. So, when I got ducklings everything I’d read said they had to have water with their feed. And I witnessed the little boogers take a bite of feed and immediately run to get a drink of water (and wash out 50% of the food in their mouths!)

Once I began letting them free range I really was worried about them not having water all over the yard. Of course there were all kinds of water tubs all over the chicken yard and down at the barn and on my deck, but that isn’t the direction the ducks took as they entered the big, green yard. They went the other way. So, I scrounged up two more water tubs and put them out that way. Life was good!

Problem was they started venturing farther and farther away! I honestly didn’t know what I was gonna do. I couldn’t provide water every 20 or so feet, so I didn’t. And I worried.

But what I observed was the ducks could eat and eat and eat without water after every bite. They would eat bugs and grass and more bugs again, and after a bit they would waddle/run to a water tub. It’s amazing that they are aware of the location of every single source of water on the property.

I don’t know the reason I thought I needed to share this, but I guess the moral of this story is 1) you can’t believe everything you read 2) ducks don’t always have to have water with their food and 3) my ducks know the layout of my yard better than my DH does.

True story!!!

Hey we've all been there!
My first summer with the cayuga ducks I was soooooo worried about them choking I used to put water in their houses at night.
WHAT A MESS!

It is all your fault @HalfWayUpAMountain and @Mimi13, all YOUR fault! ​

Just look closely at the first picture of the Fall Ducklings in their brooder and count:

There are 13 ducklings! - THIRTEEN, not TWELVE!!!​

They have sent me an extra duckling, which is nice. - Usually! - When you order your first flock. - But i am 100% sure that extra duckling is a freaking DRAKE! And that's only because you two dumped out bucket after bucket of bad Karma over me!

If that's a drake, i need to order another five duck(ling)s! - Wifie will throw me out and i have to hang my hammock in the duck-house and poop into the compost…


Now what's a real concern for me is that the delivery note says: »If any of your birds are sexed, see the back of this sheet for instructions on determining sexes and breeds from their band colors.«
Guess what: None of the ducklings is wearing a leg band. Freaking NONE!
@Mimi13 did any of your ducklings wore a leg-band?
I think i won't be able to sleep tonight, i will call them at 6am tomorrow…

Omg

 

[duluthralphie]

It is all your fault @HalfWayUpAMountain and @Mimi13, all YOUR fault! ​

Just look closely at the first picture of the Fall Ducklings in their brooder and count:

There are 13 ducklings! - THIRTEEN, not TWELVE!!!​

They have sent me an extra duckling, which is nice. - Usually! - When you order your first flock. - But i am 100% sure that extra duckling is a freaking DRAKE! And that's only because you two dumped out bucket after bucket of bad Karma over me!

If that's a drake, i need to order another five duck(ling)s! - Wifie will throw me out and i have to hang my hammock in the duck-house and poop into the compost…


Now what's a real concern for me is that the delivery note says: »If any of your birds are sexed, see the back of this sheet for instructions on determining sexes and breeds from their band colors.«
Guess what: None of the ducklings is wearing a leg band. Freaking NONE!
@Mimi13 did any of your ducklings wore a leg-band?
I think i won't be able to sleep tonight, i will call them at 6am tomorrow…

Do you have a RalphieDux yet?

I think you need one, he might save your life someday. That’s what Ralphies do.