New to ducks & this site!

[Wantsasock]

Greetings!

I just found & joined this site, as it looks to be pretty active! I'm hoping I can get good, sound advice from you experienced folks.

I recently acquired 4 ducklings (long story, basically rescued them). I have had chickens & Guineas for many years, but I know nothing about ducks. I didn't have the time to research their requirements, & although I'm enjoying them, I'm not convinced I am the right home for them.

My situation is such that I have a small farm, & all of my birds are cage-free, totally free ranging during the day, closed safely in a coop at night. The chickens are up on perches, the ducks in a big, hay filled nesting box area. I've been feeding the ducks a non-medicated starter feed to supplement whatever they're finding on their own as they wander w/ the chickens. We got them an inflatable kiddie pool that they go in a couple of times a day. So far, they're growing quickly, look good.

Now for my questions!
How do you all in cold climates deal w/ their water requirements in the winter months? Right now I'm cleaning/refreshing the 3 waterers 4-6 times a day, because the ducks make such a mess of them, which the chickens don't exactly appreciate. It's fine for now because I'm on vacation & it's warm here, but this won't happen once I'm back to work & the cold weather sets in.

I feed my chickens an organic layer feed; will this be suitable for the ducks once they're mature?

How far do ducks wander? We have a beautiful pond about 250' from their coop. They haven't found it yet, because it's hidden by some trees, & the chickens pretty much never go down there. I'm hoping that if they have their little pool by the coop, they'll stay there. The pond is wonderful, but several large snapping turtles reside in it, & I'm not moving them. It's their home, & has been for many, many years.

Many thanks for any suggestions/advice!

 

[Goose and Fig]

Welcome!
My adult ducks free range all day over a few acres, and go into their house at night to be locked in.
In the winter I just change water a few times a day. If you have an electric hook-up you can get a heater that will keep a bucket from freezing. They can go a few days without a bath if its really brutal cold out, but they always need drinking water.

I would not introduce them to the pond if its got snappers in it. You will lose your ducks, or at least have some very bad foot injuries.

 

[Amiga]

Greetings!

I just found & joined this site, as it looks to be pretty active! I'm hoping I can get good, sound advice from you experienced folks.

I recently acquired 4 ducklings (long story, basically rescued them). On behalf of the ducks, thank you!

My situation is such that I have a small farm, & all of my birds are cage-free, totally free ranging during the day, closed safely in a coop at night. The chickens are up on perches, the ducks in a big, hay filled nesting box area. I've been feeding the ducks a non-medicated starter feed to supplement whatever they're finding on their own as they wander w/ the chickens. We got them an inflatable kiddie pool that they go in a couple of times a day. So far, they're growing quickly, look good.

Now for my questions!
How do you all in cold climates deal w/ their water requirements in the winter months? I am told that people with chickens and ducks have separate waterers, placing the chicken waterers up out of reach of the ducks (hope someone can explain how they do that). In winter, I keep the ducks in a shelter that stays above 40F, and they drink from a deep straight sided pot that sits on sawdust in a large plastic bin they can walk into and out of. If it is too cold to keep swim water outside, the first pot of water in the morning is their bath water, then after an hour I change it again and they drink from it the rest of the day.

I feed my chickens an organic layer feed; will this be suitable for the ducks once they're mature? Organic layer feed is what I feed my ducks.

How far do ducks wander? Don't know, mine are kept very close in our suburban neighborhood rife with foxes, coyotes, hawks, owls, raccoons . . . . .

Many thanks for any suggestions/advice!

Take a look at the stickies. That may help, too.

 

[Kevin565]

and welcome to the duck section

. I'm in the city but my ducks don't wander far. I'm in the south so haven't had to deal with much cold weather so no input there. Yes organic feed would be fine for them.

 

[jdywntr]

I have chickens, ducks and geese together. I keep a waterer for the chickens on the top of a milk crate. The other birds can reach it but they prefer to muck up their bucket. I have their water bucket sitting inside a livestock salt block holder (it was here so free). To minimize splashing, you can put whatever you are having them drink out of inside of a larger container with lower sides. You can either empty the splashed water or drill holes in the bottom so it drains into a concentrated area. Depending on their age, they don't necessarily need water overnight as long as there is not feed. If there is food, they need water. I didn't leave mine without water until they were a few months but it wasn't summer either.

Layer feed will be fine for them but just like with chickens, wait until you get an egg or know you are just about to.

I just moved from Florida so I have only read about freezing water problems. They do make heaters for waterers. Whatever you do for drinking water for your other birds will work. As stated, they don't HAVE to have a pond, just something deep enough to get their entire head in.

I am about to start free ranging mine so I don't know but most on BYC say they don't go far. Feed in the PM so they know to come to the coop.

 

[Missy60]

Is layer food ok for drakes?

My ducks basically stay within my sight. I can go outside and see them at most times unless they go in the over grown lot next door. I holler and they respond quacking away. They haven't went over there in sometime though. They have a routine basically since the weather has been so hot. They forage around my house in the bushes then make their way to the creek bank and forage a while, then get in the water and basically stay there until evening. If the creek is up they stay around the house and don't go near the creek. I wouldn't walk down to the pond with them following me because once they find it there could be problems.

Our creek is right in front of our house and George never went down there for months, until my GD went fishing down there and she followed her a few times. It funny though she went in the deeper part only a few times. We have mallards now to but they all stay in the little shallow parts near the creek bank.

 

[Wantsasock]

Thank you all who responded! I'd like to be able to quote/respond to what some of you had said, but so far figuring out how to do that here has me more baffled than caring for ducks! LOL! I'll try the copy/paste/star method.

On behalf of the ducks, thank you!

***Well, I'm a sucker for animals that won't be provided what I feel are humane living conditions. Small pens, never to be able to walk on grass or experience life beyond a small wire enclosure are not, IMHO, good at all. I hope I don't start a war here, it's just my opinion.

I am told that people with chickens and ducks have separate waterers, placing the chicken waterers up out of reach of the ducks (hope someone can explain how they do that). In winter, I keep the ducks in a shelter that stays above 40F, and they drink from a deep straight sided pot that sits on sawdust in a large plastic bin they can walk into and out of. If it is too cold to keep swim water outside, the first pot of water in the morning is their bath water, then after an hour I change it again and they drink from it the rest of the day.

***So far I've been trying to feed the ducks away from the chickens, using a food bowl & 2 little containers for drinking water. My hope was that this would keep the hens from eating the duck feed (I'm SO glad to hear you all say I can feed the ducks the organic feed later!!), & keep the chickens' waterer a bit cleaner. It's hit or miss. Would it be possible for you to post a picture of the pot & bin you use in the winter time? I'm such a visual learner. How do you keep them from bathing in the drinking water?
Do ducks need to "bathe" everyday, & what exactly constitutes a "bath"? Do they need water deep enough to dive under? I keep coming back to this in my mind; it gets cold here in the winter, & I can't imagine how I can provide an indoor pool for them.

Take a look at the stickies. That may help, too.

***What are stickies & how do I access them, please?

 

[Missy60]

I provide a bucket so it's deep enough to get their head in but not their body. A lot use kiddie pools for them to bath in, but they do drink their bath water. You might as well forget about keeping their drinking water clean because the first drink they take it's dirty again. I change their drinking water before putting them up at night and just don't worry about it. They are free range though so they rarely go back to the pen during the day.

The stickies are at the top of the forum. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/256233/ducks-sticky-topics-index

 

[Wantsasock]

I have chickens, ducks and geese together. I keep a waterer for the chickens on the top of a milk crate. The other birds can reach it but they prefer to muck up their bucket. I have their water bucket sitting inside a livestock salt block holder (it was here so free). To minimize splashing, you can put whatever you are having them drink out of inside of a larger container with lower sides. You can either empty the splashed water or drill holes in the bottom so it drains into a concentrated area. Depending on their age, they don't necessarily need water overnight as long as there is not feed. If there is food, they need water. I didn't leave mine without water until they were a few months but it wasn't summer either.

***Does elevating the waterer keep the ducks out of it? Do ducks have to drink from ground level? I guess I'm not understanding how the elevation helps keep the ducks out of a waterer. I believe these ducks are a breed that wll grow fairly large, so will be able to reach as high as the chickens.
These guys are about a month old. I've been closing them up in a nesting area overnight, but w/o food or water. I figured they're like chickens, just sleep all night. Or do they need water then also? They certainly are happy to be released in the mornings! My goodness, they're peeping up a storm as soon as they hear me. And they certainly love to charge to the feed & chow down! It's a pleasure to see them enjoy their food like that! Is this typical duck behavior? Is it also typical for them to sit down a lot. They seem to wander around, pick at grass etc. & then plop down. Cute when they all form a big pile!

I wouldn't walk down to the pond with them following me because once they find it there could be problems.

***That's why I wondered how for they roam. My Guineas will go 1/4 mile from the house, the chickens, 200'. So as long as the ducks stay w/ the chickens, they may never find the pond. Fingers crossed for that one!

Thanks again to you all for your help!!

 

[jdywntr]

Stickies are at the very top just above where the different threads start.

I think Amiga is talking about something like a plastic dog kennel with a bucket inside. I can't find a pic of the waterer I used but think of a 13x9 baking pan with a 8x8 pan of water inside of it.

Outside, I built a raised platform in a corner covered with hardware cloth so splashing would drip down.


Not a great pic but it worked.

They don't need a pool but do appreciate it. The more often they are able to bathe the better they will look. What they will do is splash their heads up and down in a bucket wetting themselves as much as possible if they don't have a pool. Just a plastic kiddie pool works great, they would probably love something they could literally swim in but thats not possible for many of us.