Need help with lock down! :) duck egg

[lissygirl]

They are getting big! Do you keep the pool where they have constant access to it or what age can you start doing that?
I need to upgrade from the brooder to a larger indoor enclosure and I'm wondering what to use for bedding? I currently use towels but it's getting to be too much laundry. I heard of using pine wood or pine pellets, but I'm afraid he will try to eat them! Would that be harmful?

 

[salsan20]

Mine are out all day in their coop with the pool and in at night with the chicks in an empty kiddie pool with pine sawdust. I think its cider sawdust which can cause respiratory problems. I have found they soak the sawdust daily even though they are only there over night so its not worked well! I have heard that there are pellets for horse stables that are ultraabsorbant and they are best at keeping mess down with ducks although I am planning on having them out full time fairly soon (by the end of the week anyway!). I imagine temperatures round here are colder, within the day it can reach 57 and they are still fine (I check frequently just in case!) They have the duck house open with straw so they can go inside and stay warm but while somtimes they go there they also nap outside in the mud so I figure they cant get too cold or they would be in the house. I think you will find the big problem is a bigger brooder will be hard to move from room to room and he will cry on his own alot as they hate to be alone.not sure what you can do about that though, maybe duck diapers or find him a friend?

 

[lissygirl]

Well, I've decided to keep using the small brooder to carry around the house, invest in diapers and a harness for when he's out and about in the house, and to use a converted dog kennel for at night and for when I'm at work/school. Hope it all works out!

 

[salsan20]

Sounds great, what a lucky duck!

 

[salsan20]

Flubber, daisy and the chicks spent their first night outside in their coup house and Im too scared to see how they are! The two duck eggs my old neighbour gave me were due to hatch, one made it and the other didnt. So would up with the one that didnt as thought it pipped internally but it was his foot,he was upside down trying to pip below and if I had realised might have been able to help before lost him. Despite her runners all being black Bean is chocolate and doing well. Hopefully next week he gets friends.

 

[lissygirl]

Aww so proud of the big kids!!!! Did you find out how they did??
What a precious little darling!!!! He is absolutely beautiful. I love the chocolate/brown runners, they are my favorite! I'm so sorry about the little one you lost. I know you must be heartbroken about it. But don't beat yourself up, if you had helped him it might've caused you to lose him anyway. It's so hard to know when to intercede and when not to until it's too late. You did what you thought was best.
I'll be anxious to hear how the older ones take to the new addition! Especially since we will be introducing Cody to a new roommate eventually. Speaking of him, he has his speculum coming in!! It's pure white and bright blue. I took a couple photos of it when I could get him to hold still. I'll post it next

 

[lissygirl]

 

[salsan20]

Aww he is so grown up now!! They did great and they have had two days of rain now and still happy particularly as we get tons of slugs and snails! Flubber is definitely quicker to spot them. Bean is doing great, thankfully a chick hatched today so he has company-dont know how you coped with Cody as Bean seems to need constant attention! Im irritated with myself, but ok. Hatched enough quail to get used to it, particularly after having to cull a deformed quail (born half a beak) so these I figure its better than ones that make it out then have to go. How are the diapers working out?

 

[lissygirl]

I'm glad he has company now Yes, Cody was VERY needy but as long as he could always see us he was ok. I think that's how I got into the habit of carrying the brooder from room to room. He also spends a lot of time hanging out on my lap. Last night he was on my lap while I was studying for my college and he suddenly reached up with his beak and poked me straight in the eye! So my eye is sore today :/ But other than that, he complains when we leave him alone but he quiets down after a few minutes. He's pretty spoiled really. I sit with him until he finishes every meal and if I have to get up to do something, my son or husband sits with him til I get back I decided not to try these diapers until his feathers grow in because he is super sensitive right now and I wonder if the feathers coming in make him feel a bit uncomfortable.
I was wondering if you think perhaps Flubber is a drake? His personality sounds a lot like Cody's Are they getting any new colors? Do khakis get a speculum?

 

[salsan20]

No unfortunately the drakes and ducks have the same colours until the drakes head turn a darker and their tail feather curls so its not easy to tell. They both are a little raspy though so I think two boys which will be a problem! All copper except their heads which are brown. But we will see...

Ouch! Bean nibbles everything already and Flubber and Daisy got me in the eye a few times-must be a duck thing! Bean seems worse when sees us, but he had a mirror so he would settle with that. He is so attached it is very endearing!