Wow, yesterday I spent the entire day reading these forums. I think I ended up on page 15! You all are awesome, and I'm so happy to have found you.
A week ago Monday my first shipment of ducklings arrived... total cuteness in a box. I received 2 runners (fawn/white, blue) and 2 swedish blacks. The blue seems to have a crookedness at her what I believe is the "knee" joint. And she spends most of her time sitting down. She seems able to run around when the other gals are, but then she just stops and sits. Sits to eat, sits to drink. I'm a little worried about it 'cept it doesn't seem to inhibit her in anyway. She's also the most calm and is always the first to come and sit on me.
So first question. Should I worry?
Of course my second question concerns food. Hah! Even after all the pages I read, food is confusing. The local feed store was not at all helpful and looked at me like I was crazy when I didn't want the all purpose poultry feeder. They had medicated chick and turkey start, but it was in paper bags and I was unsure what was in it, so I went with the all purpose, which only has 16% protein. Day before yesterday I started going slug and snail hunting (omg they were so happy!) and making a mush of a quarter cup 45% protein cat food. I've also been floating greens in water for them. Still though the majority of their food is the all purpose. I plan on getting some brewers yeast today to sprinkle on their food.
So the next question. Is this an okay way to feed the new little girls?
Originally I was going to order a gosling to go with them so that when I finally get them outside, I would have a good alarm if any predators were around during the day when I have them in the fenced yard. We have dogs, coyotes, foxes, racoons and the like. At the last minute I decided against it because I was afraid I was over doing my new... whatever this is I am doing.
Over the last week though I seriously reconsidered the goose idea and decided I really should have a goose out there with them, and so I ordered one (a chinese white) but of course they won't ship just one, so I ordered another fawn/white runner (due here a week from wednesday). So now I'll have 5 female ducks and a female goose. Oh my.
This leads me to my last two questions.
Will I be able to the mix the 2 week old ducklings with the 3 day old duckling and gosling?
Reading over in the goose forums, I read that it was unkind to have just one goose even if they are with ducks. I really don't think I can do two geese. Has anyone had experiences with a single goose in a duck flock? I am looking forward to loving the new gosling, but I don't want to be unkind to her either. Should I cancel the order?
Anyway, there are my questions
The first batch are just darling. Today I let them have their fist swim and I don't know if I have seen anything cuter. They started out extremely wary of the pan of water. Running up at it, pecking it and running away. Then one accidently fell in and all chaos broke loose. Ducklings were cheeping running around in circles, looking like they wanted to fly away, and then the one who had fallen in went back and plopped herself right down in the water. Wow, they give me so much joy, I hope I'm able to give a good life to them.
Wifezilla, hopefully next week I'll be starting on my own duckponix system. Would you mind if I picked your brain while I'm in the process?
A week ago Monday my first shipment of ducklings arrived... total cuteness in a box. I received 2 runners (fawn/white, blue) and 2 swedish blacks. The blue seems to have a crookedness at her what I believe is the "knee" joint. And she spends most of her time sitting down. She seems able to run around when the other gals are, but then she just stops and sits. Sits to eat, sits to drink. I'm a little worried about it 'cept it doesn't seem to inhibit her in anyway. She's also the most calm and is always the first to come and sit on me.
So first question. Should I worry?
Of course my second question concerns food. Hah! Even after all the pages I read, food is confusing. The local feed store was not at all helpful and looked at me like I was crazy when I didn't want the all purpose poultry feeder. They had medicated chick and turkey start, but it was in paper bags and I was unsure what was in it, so I went with the all purpose, which only has 16% protein. Day before yesterday I started going slug and snail hunting (omg they were so happy!) and making a mush of a quarter cup 45% protein cat food. I've also been floating greens in water for them. Still though the majority of their food is the all purpose. I plan on getting some brewers yeast today to sprinkle on their food.
So the next question. Is this an okay way to feed the new little girls?
Originally I was going to order a gosling to go with them so that when I finally get them outside, I would have a good alarm if any predators were around during the day when I have them in the fenced yard. We have dogs, coyotes, foxes, racoons and the like. At the last minute I decided against it because I was afraid I was over doing my new... whatever this is I am doing.
Over the last week though I seriously reconsidered the goose idea and decided I really should have a goose out there with them, and so I ordered one (a chinese white) but of course they won't ship just one, so I ordered another fawn/white runner (due here a week from wednesday). So now I'll have 5 female ducks and a female goose. Oh my.
This leads me to my last two questions.
Will I be able to the mix the 2 week old ducklings with the 3 day old duckling and gosling?
Reading over in the goose forums, I read that it was unkind to have just one goose even if they are with ducks. I really don't think I can do two geese. Has anyone had experiences with a single goose in a duck flock? I am looking forward to loving the new gosling, but I don't want to be unkind to her either. Should I cancel the order?
Anyway, there are my questions
The first batch are just darling. Today I let them have their fist swim and I don't know if I have seen anything cuter. They started out extremely wary of the pan of water. Running up at it, pecking it and running away. Then one accidently fell in and all chaos broke loose. Ducklings were cheeping running around in circles, looking like they wanted to fly away, and then the one who had fallen in went back and plopped herself right down in the water. Wow, they give me so much joy, I hope I'm able to give a good life to them.
Wifezilla, hopefully next week I'll be starting on my own duckponix system. Would you mind if I picked your brain while I'm in the process?
