New to ducks, and have some silly questions

[GoodEgg]

I've not got tons of experience, but I found something that I really liked with my ducks last year. It doesn't sound like it will be available where you live though?

We're in FL, and I had a lot of tall weeds with seed heads left over. (I never mowed late last fall.) I used to put down fresh newspaper for the ducklings then grab a bunch of handfulls of weeds and spread them over the paper. I did it for traction, but it did a great job of keeping the ducklings clean and they enjoyed picking at the seedheads as well as the dirt and roots. It smelled better too, and probably kept them warmer. This year I'm planning to mow the property in stages so I always have some of those weeds developing ... the ducks and chickens both love to eat them.

I raised my banties and standards together with no problem. Only the Jap Bantam was much smaller really, and he wanted to bury himself under someone larger, so it worked out for everyone. I had 6 banties and 20 standards, all the same age. Not sure if I should have left them together, but they came that way, so I didn't separate them, and I wanted them to be a single flock and not have re-introduction problems.

Good luck however it works out!

(Oh, and I kept everyone on unmedicated chick starter until the chickens started laying, then switched everyone to layer crumbles ... they eat about 50% worms, bugs, slugs, weeds, grass, scraps anyway, so it maybe didn't matter as much?)

Enjoy your little ones! The ducks ARE a lot of fun!

trish

 

[gritsar]

Brahmamama - this sounds like it's gonna work out fine for me! You ask all the silly duck questions and I'll read and learn without having to ask the silly questions.

 

[BrahmaMama]

Dee, thank you so much for the info; your post brought a smile to my face...kinda bad day today

I can't wait to see the little guys!

Goodegg, I do have a wet section of my horse pasture, that has this hardy grass that grows right through the water...can't think of the name my husband called it-probably weeds, lol! anyway, I may look into that...otherwise it will be the normal pine shavings that I get from the tack/feed store. Thank you for your input...I may just leave the banty's with the standards, and just keep a close eye on them at first.

Gritsar, haha! Sounds like something I would do too!

 

[Badhbh]

I'm glad you started this thread. i have some dumb duck questions myself

So it looks like i'm going to have to keep the ducks and chicks somewhat separate in the brooder.. I was planning on everyone living together in a run, and everyone going out to freerange in the goat pasture during the day. Do I need segregated living quarters? I thought that the ducks could live in the big coop with the chickens, but if they need their own area I guess i'll give them one. The plan was to put a kiddie pool out in the goat pasture. The goats would probably like it as much as the ducks

If I have to build a separate enclusure though, what ameneties should it have? Someplace to swim, maybe a muddy area to dig in, grass, plants? Are there any that they won't *eat*? Something to play in and dig around?
This is hard. lol. I thought i'l stick them with the chickens and be done with it

 

[Katy]

I know there are a lot of people who keep them together, but I never have. I have kiddie pools for mine. I haven't found a plant yet they won't eat or destroy in their pen.....they'll make their own muddy spot, so you don't have to worry about that!!

Ducks don't roost at night like chickens.....they can be active all night.

 

[Dodgegal79]

My ducks and chickens are loose together all the time. At night the chickens go in there coop and the ducks sleep under the travel trailer. Ducks are active all night, they run all over the yard and also like to swim at night. I haven't had a problem with predators, the one dog that came in the yard wanted my rabbits and left the birds alone and when ever I hear the coyotes howling and just shot the .22 out the bedroom window and they don't come around. The ducks and chickens do deveopl a pecking order. I've seen my little banty rooster trying to cock fight with my Muscovy drake at the feed bin and the drake turned a left. I guess that little rooster was too much for him.I have about 30 chickens and 25 ducks running together.

 

[Badhbh]

I'm terrified to leave them out all night

I don't know what the predator situation is here, but I do know there are cats and at least one dog running loose.

 

[Dodgegal79]

yeah the stray cats here do not bother my ducks. I was just watching one tom eating the scraps I put out and one of the ducks flung a bun and hit the cat with it and he took off. You would have to watch for dogs. My neighboours all have theirs inside or tied. Our road has claimed many dogs, people speed along it all the time. i have lost a few ducks too the road too, but they have all learned to stay in the yard now.