I was recently notified that a member on here was going through some bad luck and needed to get rid of his birds. He lives close to me, so I took a drive out the next day (a few days ago). I really had no idea what I was going to walk out with, but took a coupld of crates just in case. I picked up some more laying hens, and 5 ducks. I've never had ducks before, but I fell in love while watching his ducks play in their little wading pool. On the way home, I called my husband and said, "Well, we have some ducks now". He said, "Cute. What do we do with them?" I said, "Guess we'll figure it out".
One duck is a female (so I guess called a duck, right?) Pekin named Daisy. She's adorable! The other four are Cayuga's-one drake, 2 females, and one young undetermined (looks like a drake to me, but what do I know). Hubby made a little duck house yesterday and put it in the outside portion of the chicken coop. The ducks are too big to get in the door to the henhouse, so he put the little duck house in there so they would have shelter if they need it. The last two nights, I've shoo'ed them in so I can lock the door to the coop. They don't seem to go in the duck house, but it makes me feel better knowing they can if they need to.
In the morning, I open the door to the outside portion of the coop, and they all run out together. They share 1/4 acre grassy area with 6 sheep and 27 chickens. That area is fenced in with goat panels so no one can get out. I put a galvanized steel tub out for now, and filled it with water so that they can play in it. Everyone drinks out of it, too. I have a smaller rubber tub with water in it near the duckhouse, in the coop. I also put a small rubber tub in there with some layer pellets, and they have been eating.
So in addition to what I've done, is there anything else I should do? Special feed? Vaccinations? What are their egglaying habits? Do they need any kind of heat during Winter? And are they going to be ok without anyplace to swim during Winter? Sorry for all the questions. I just want to make sure I'm doing it right.
Thanks!!!
One duck is a female (so I guess called a duck, right?) Pekin named Daisy. She's adorable! The other four are Cayuga's-one drake, 2 females, and one young undetermined (looks like a drake to me, but what do I know). Hubby made a little duck house yesterday and put it in the outside portion of the chicken coop. The ducks are too big to get in the door to the henhouse, so he put the little duck house in there so they would have shelter if they need it. The last two nights, I've shoo'ed them in so I can lock the door to the coop. They don't seem to go in the duck house, but it makes me feel better knowing they can if they need to.
In the morning, I open the door to the outside portion of the coop, and they all run out together. They share 1/4 acre grassy area with 6 sheep and 27 chickens. That area is fenced in with goat panels so no one can get out. I put a galvanized steel tub out for now, and filled it with water so that they can play in it. Everyone drinks out of it, too. I have a smaller rubber tub with water in it near the duckhouse, in the coop. I also put a small rubber tub in there with some layer pellets, and they have been eating.
So in addition to what I've done, is there anything else I should do? Special feed? Vaccinations? What are their egglaying habits? Do they need any kind of heat during Winter? And are they going to be ok without anyplace to swim during Winter? Sorry for all the questions. I just want to make sure I'm doing it right.
Thanks!!!