New to Ducks: need advice & help

[Milkweed]

THANK YOU, everyone. TLWR, I will follow your advice and hope that they will gradually, gradually get used to me.

Looks like my Saturday is going to involve lots of peas and lots of patience. I feel encouraged by all of you!

All of this reminds me of a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that's been on my kitchen-sink windowsill for the last five years of homesteading and farming: "Practice the secret of nature. Her secret is patience."

I'll post updates as they develop.

 

[tdgill]

awww nice words of wisdom! And yes please do keep us updated btw, I love the kayak post!

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

I had this same prob! I have 6 ducks had 8 but the dog got 2, anyhow my ducks LOVE dog food even though its probably not good for them the steal from the dog lol. I kept my ducks in their pen for 2 weeks and then let them out every day. They ae now free range because my mom stole their pen for her chicks =p bu they still want to get back in their pen lol.

and if you want them to be super friendly then take dog food or "peas" (never tried them but I will) and sit them in you hand and slowly walk to the ducks and put some on the ground in front of you. try that every day but put the food closer and closer every time that should work it worked for me lol. After a while they will want the food soooo bad that they will eat it out of your hand lol.

just though I would show you my ducks

this is my SUPER friendly Khaki campbell drake Marley.

this is his girl friend Maize a Ancona

and Marley's best friend Bob a Male Rouen

and his girl Ember she is my second favorite next to Marley!

and my other male Rouen Rex he wanted a close up lol

this is my crested Rouen drake Muffin Top.

 

[Milkweed]

Yeah, Bookworms, your kayak post made me laugh. We may have to find a friend with a boat we can borrow. For now, there is a trail of peas leading to their house and they've gotten lots of pea snacks today.

 

[tdgill]

 

[Milkweed]

Well after 3 days and 2 nights and lots of peas and lots of waking up to the sound of coyotes howling in the night, all 12 ducks finally came into the pen and spent the night in the duck house. In the meantime, one of the Silver Appleyards was attacked by a snapping turtle, who chewed up his foot, leg, and flank. Today I was going to keep them all in the pen with water and food, but somehow (I still can't figure out how) 7 of them escaped. The fence is almost 5 feet tall and I can't find any holes.

I thought Khaki Campbells and similar ducks weren't supposed to be able to fly that high - is there any chance that's how they got out? Any tips from you experienced people on fencing?

I have the injured Appleyard bandaged and have irrigated and cleaned the wounds, applied topical antibiotics (EMT gel from the farm store) and given oral antibiotics (powdered poultry antibiotics mixed into pedialyte substituted for drinking water). I may need to make a splint for his foot because two of his toes are broken and his foot is mangled. Any advice on caring for the injured duck?

Feeling exhausted with all of it - I didn't realize ducks would be so hard! Honestly, they make our dairy goat herd seem like a piece of cake! It was heartbreaking to see the damage caused by the turtle. Needing some encouragement here and feeling like we're in over our heads despite our experience with other livestock! Compared to chickens ducks seem so much harder!

Help!

Milkweed

 

[ChristineR]

I think you're just off to a rough start. I've never had chickens, but ducks are supposed to be easier. Hang in there!

Just wanted to add: be careful with poultry meds. Some medications that are OK for chickens will make waterfowl sick or even kill them.

Do you have Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks by waterfowl expert, Dave Holderread? There's a lot of good info in there.

 

[KrazyKZ08]

I've been having the same problem trying to catch an abandoned pet duck at the park! I tried the peas and he wasn't interested, especially since they were sinking to the bottom of the lake. but him and my girl go CRAZY over dry cat food and watermelon. i guess the color gets their attention more. and the cat food isnt too bad for them in moderation. still trying to catch him though

I have also considered getting a fishing net out of frustration lol but it might damage their wings or feet if they panic, but I'm no expert

 

[tbitt]

Sorry to hear you are having such a tough go with it.

I’m new to ducks also, but I was told that ducks flourish on routine. The 4 adults I started out with already free ranged and then went to the barn at night to be locked up. When I first got them home I put them in the barn. Locked them into a stall for the first 2 days, and then released them into the barn for about a week, locking them in the stall at night. Then after about a week of being in the barn only we opened the door to let them in the yard on the weekends…..herding them back in before nightfall.
After 4 or 5 days of that we now open the barn first thin in the morning and then go lock them up at night (if after dark they are usually waiting in the barn for us to lock them up.

It also helps that I only fed them in the evening once they were released from the barn. So night time is feeding time.

Get your pen fixed so they can not get out and start with putting them in the house at night and in the pen during the day. After about a week of that I bet they will get the routine.

I’d definitely try to splint the broken toes on the injured duck…. Once you know there is no infection, try using the mole skin to help form and protect the foot. Try splinting it in the proper form of the foot.
Good Luck with the injured duck.

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
know anyone with a border collie trained for herding sheep? they herd ducks too... at least many of them do. ducks are tough because the're sensitive, but a good dog can help you get this done.