NY chicken lover!!!!

[stonykill]

My ducklings are doing wonderful. But, Man, are they slow to feather out. They are 4 weeks old today and are just getting shoulder and tail feathers.

Here's my question. Are these ducklings going to be able to fly away? Or will they stay with they flock they are raised with? I would hate to have to pen them up all the time while the chickens free range, but I don't want to lose them the way I did my Mallards. This crew is/are Muscovies.. (And spell checker does NOT like that word, at all)


Rancher, you crack me up.

Stony, your camper is looking WONDERFUL. When you go to sell it (after you make what you really want) be sure to let us know, cuz I think a bunch of us want it. You might have a bidding war on your hands.

your scovies won't fly away. They are not migratory birds, nor do they fly more than a few feet at a time.

Thank you. I am happy to take orders on custom builds

 

[Lynzi777]

Yes, Stony...I can hear everyone devising a plan in the background of this forum..."What can we give him for it...How can we get him to sell it..." LOL It looks beautiful! That's quite a talent you have there!

 

[stonykill]

I was told when you get domesticated ducks they will NOT fly away because they can't. Now breeds may vary, I have Khaki Cambells and they get maybe a foot off the ground when they try to fly. But I was told they are fattier than wild ducks because they are domesticated, making it difficult for them to just up and fly away. Mine free range all day every day and have never left the yard.

My KC's are my best flyers. One of them flew 7 or 8 feet and got 2 feet off of the ground. My fat butted Pekins can barely fly out of their pool and my Runners max out at 3 feet of length at about 6 inches off of the ground for flying.

 

[Lynzi777]

  My KC's are my best flyers. One of them flew 7 or 8 feet and got 2 feet off of the ground. My fat butted Pekins can barely fly out of their pool and my Runners max out at 3 feet of length at about 6 inches off of the ground for flying.

GREAT!!!!! Guess I spoke too soon!

 

[horsekeeper]

Cass, I've had muscovies for a couple of years now and the hens fly really well. High and far. They are tree ducks and like to roost in trees or on the roof. The drakes get too heavy to get off the ground. As someone else said on the duck thread, they fly around, but they don't fly away. Mine are locked up every night and their food and water is in the attached run. Every morning I open the door to the run and the coop and they can free range all day. Probably don't get more than 50 feet from their home and put themselves to bed at night. Three feet of chicken wire is enough to discourage them from getting in the garden and would keep a drake in unless something frightens him, then they are capable of climbing straight up a fence. If they are used to their pen, just watch over them for a few days and then you should be okay. They pretty much ignore the chickens and look really puzzled when one of the roosters tries to instigate a fight. Like, "What's wrong with your neck, man?" Handsome the marans went after Hunk the muscovy, and when Hunk opened up his wings, raised his crest and hissed, Handsome ran like his tail was on fire.

 

[Cass]

My KC's are my best flyers. One of them flew 7 or 8 feet and got 2 feet off of the ground. My fat butted Pekins can barely fly out of their pool and my Runners max out at 3 feet of length at about 6 inches off of the ground for flying.

Phew. I really didn't want to lose these ducks when they matured. Their wings are currently stunted. I couldn't see how that little wing would have enough lift to move their fat butts off the ground....BUT ducks get very long wing feathers, so anything is possible.

Up north, I have seen a large white duck with gray wings that DOES fly and flies very well, keeping up with the flock of Mallards that it has attached itself to. So I know that big birds can fly, even big ducks. (The splash when it lands sprays all the other ducks, it really funny to see then shaking the water off their faces) But this duck isn't anyone's pet, it lives in the wild. Makes me wonder where it came from. Did a Mallard steal a domestic duck's egg? Or did a Domestic duck lay it's egg in the wrong nest?

I am over run with chickens. At last count I had about 40. Maybe only 37. If anyone knows anyone who wants a few chickens, I really need to downsize. These are just run of the mill barnyard mixes, but are or will be good layers. (their momma's laid at least one egg. LOL) The roosters are going in the freezer, but I can already tell which are roos, so I would only give away the extra hens. (If the hens weren't such good layers I would send them to freezer camp too, but who wants to eat an egg factory?) My brother in law was going to take 6 of them but he had a small stroke this week, so I don't think he is going to want to take on anything extra at this point in his life. (The man is only 55, but has major heart problems, so the stroke wasn't a shock; just a reminder of how sick he is inside, even if his outside looks healthy)

 

[Cass]

Cass, I've had muscovies for a couple of years now and the hens fly really well. High and far. They are tree ducks and like to roost in trees or on the roof. The drakes get too heavy to get off the ground. As someone else said on the duck thread, they fly around, but they don't fly away. Mine are locked up every night and their food and water is in the attached run. Every morning I open the door to the run and the coop and they can free range all day. Probably don't get more than 50 feet from their home and put themselves to bed at night. Three feet of chicken wire is enough to discourage them from getting in the garden and would keep a drake in unless something frightens him, then they are capable of climbing straight up a fence. If they are used to their pen, just watch over them for a few days and then you should be okay. They pretty much ignore the chickens and look really puzzled when one of the roosters tries to instigate a fight. Like, "What's wrong with your neck, man?" Handsome the marans went after Hunk the muscovy, and when Hunk opened up his wings, raised his crest and hissed, Handsome ran like his tail was on fire.

So that means that they will love the pond out back, but will come back to the coop every night? These little ducklings had their own side of the chicken coop BUT they didn't like it over there, so they are living with the chickens. I got tired of carrying them back to their side every night and , truth be told, I can't catch them any more, so they stay on the chicken side.

How long does it take for them to feather out? They are over 4 weeks old and only have tail feathers and a little on their shoulder. Their Momma is a chicken and is really getting discouraged about how they won't come when she calls. LOL And she looks at them like they are NUTS when they try and swim in the water dishes. I love them tho. They have such expressive faces. Now if they would only start eating the flies, I would be a happy camper. (that's the reason I got them: fly patrol)

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Well I've got broodies and if they hatch out even half you can come and I'll GIVE you more.

Enabler! Enabler!

I am content with my "lucky 7" group for now. Let's see how I manage these ladies before I come down with Morehen's......

Thanks, Rancher!


TOB

 

[Tough Old Bird]

TOB, decrease her protein levels, she will not lay, and possibly molt. Then up the protein about 2 weeks before you want eggs. That should kick start her into laying.

Thanks for the great advice, Marquisella! Good to know and I appreciate it. I am actually not in a rush for eggs yet, with our back and forth trips to the cottage.

Breella, I hope your Pearl is feeling better very soon! Poor thing...


Will catch up here more later. Right now we are doing some work on the 2nd half of the pen. Hooray! Earlier than I had hoped!


TOB

 

[griffinchicken]

Hey Chautauqua county here! were are practically neighbors