Newbie duck question...

[DuckyBoys]

I am so jealous of your green grass...

What's green grass???

I love your little duckies, they are adorable!

 

[SunAngel]

We had a dry spell that was starting to kill off our grass, but this week we got a good flooding and now lots of green. August will come along and probably make it browner again, blah!

Thanks! I miss them being babies, but they are still so entertaining. Can't wait to see if we get some ducklings in the spring!

 

[Bugcrusher]

I have some chickens now with a coop, but I also would like to get some ducks. I have a fenced in enclosure of about 30' diameter to start with and just over 2 acres for them and the chickens to roam in. No experience with ducks, do I need a "coop" for them also, and what space should I give each duck/goose. Any help is appreciated.:|

 

[karanleaf]

bugcrusher:

My ducks and chickens share the same run ( I think it's 20 x 30). My ducks come out and free range our yard and pasture during the day. At night the chickens go into their coop usually about 8:30-9:00pm. then the ducks go in the run. About 10pm I tell them to go to bed and they walk into the Duck Shed. We converted my old garden/storage shed into a duck shed. We lined the inside with straw bales, and put a platform in there I put straw on for their bedding and that's where they sleep. Ducks are messier than chickens so mine don't sleep in the same building. But I also don't leave water in the shed, ducks have a liking to splash it around and make a mess. So they have water and food out for them in the yard at all times. Plus they have their wadding pools. Ducks are fun you will enjoy them. We have currently 6 chickens in the coop, 10 Rouen ducks in & out or the run and 16 maran chicks in the brooder. again

you will enjoy this forum Karan

 

[SunAngel]

Karan, do you lock up the shed the ducks go into at night?

We are in the process of building a duck house and I wasnt planning on putting a door on it, just a doorway for them to get into the pen. I thought maybe they would be ok, having access to their part of the run during the night.

I've heard people mention that their ducks like sleeping outside. Nothing has bothered the pen in 10 weeks, so I am semi confident that its preditor proof. Up til now they go into the chicken coop at night and get locked up with them. Our female Muscovy is our yard alarm (didn't know they could be so noisy-who needs a rooster?) and I don't really like the thought of her hearing something in the middle of the night out in the pen and going nutso, but it might be a good thing. I swear she thinks she's a dog. She quacks her alarm whenever she hears the neighbors talking down the street or walking on the road past our house.

Just dont know if I would be better off locking them up like the chickens. Opinions?

 

[go-veggie]

Quote:
Cute!!!!!!!! I had guinea pigs, two brothers, and their names were Peanut & Butter. We lost them a couple years ago now, but I just had to share that!

 

[karanleaf]

Yes I do lock the ducks up at night
We lost Cracker to a racoon and the pen had a cover to it,

but the

critter pulled her through a corner of the pen.

The ducks were sleeping in the pen but not inside their little house. So we learned a valuable lesson but lost a very nice duck

As you can see from the photo of the shed it has sliding doors. After the ducks go to bed I slide the doors shut and use a lock to keep them shut.. So I am usually the last person they see at night and the 1st the see in the morning when I let them out.

Since this photo I took the water out of the shed and the run area, because we added the chickens and it was too wet inside the shed..

On a happy note

Our grandson Noah with his 4-H entries won 1st place with our older drake Peanut, 1st & 2nd with 2 of our young males & 2nd & 4th with 2 of the young female ducks at our county Jr Livestock show this Friday.

We are going to try harder for grand champion in the water fowl next year. And he sold 1 of the young males for $ 55.00 at the auction Saturday.

Hey ya know I think we need a duck smiley, can anybody find a Duck smiley ? Karan

why doesn't my yip chick want to work ?